# DNQ Solutions > Strategies and Solutions for Your Organizing Needs > Generated by All in One SEO Pro v5.0.3, this is an llms-full.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. ## Posts ### [How to Make Space for Grief](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-make-space-for-grief/) **Published:** October 4, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** October has always been a bit of a sad month for me. I’m a sunshine girl and every time October rolls around, I know the days a shorter, which means less daylight and the light we have is not as bright. It also means the leaves and other plants wither and die. That makes me sad. Additionally, October is the anniversary of my mother’s and brother’s deaths. This picture is one of my favorites. It shows me with my mother, 2 brothers, and 2 sisters. My brother Charles is the one in the white shirt standing directly behind my mother. My mother died 17 years ago and my brother, Charles, 6 years ago. It doesn’t matter to me how much time has passed; I still miss them. I’ve learned that it’s easier for me to lean into and make space for grief rather than ignore it or pretend it isn’t affecting me. ### **Introduction: Grief Doesn’t Follow a Schedule** Everyone has a different way of thinking about grief. I picture it as the ocean. Sometimes it’s calm with little waves naturally ebbing and flowing. The grief is there but just sort of lurking in the background. Sometimes it hits me with a huge wave. October begins like this for me. October 6th is Charles’ birthday. The next week is my other brother, Christopher’s birthday – a happy occasion. That is followed by the anniversary of my mother’s death. She died in 2009 following a brave battle with leukemia. Charles died at the end of October in 2020 during COVID. Even though it’s been many years since these loved ones were lost to me October brings me feelings of grief. Instead of pretending it is just another day and being surprised when those feelings show up, I am planning for them. ### **Make Space for Grief** As an organizer, I often talk about planning and prioritizing the things that matter. Recently I decided that learning what to do with emotional needs must be included among our priorities. Since I know October is a difficult month for me, I am intentionally leaving more breathing room than I ordinarily do in my schedule. On October 6th, Charles birthday, I will probably go to church, light a candle for him, and sit quietly remembering. Later in the day, I’ll probably call my sisters and my nephew (Charles’ son) and spend some time sharing memories with them. Charles was quite the jokester. It’s important to note I’m not scheduling time for grief, I’m simply acknowledging that this is a day that deserves some space. ### **Name What You’re Feeling** [Research by UCLA psychologist Matthew Lieberman](https://rowancenterla.com/neuroscience-of-emotional-labeling-and-love/) and his colleagues suggests that simply putting our feelings into words—a process called affect labeling—can help reduce emotional reactivity. In other words, there can be value in naming what we are feeling. Instead of wondering why I’m distracted or feeling out of sorts on October 6, I can acknowledge it: *I’m feeling sad today. I miss Charles.* We know that when we’re organizing physical things, we identify them, categorize them and decide what to do with them. Emotions obviously aren’t possessions to sort, but there can still be value in identifying what we’re experiencing. For example: *It’s October 6th and* *I’m feeling sad today because Charles died too soon.* *I’m feeling nostalgic.* *Remembering how much fun he could be when he was sober.* *Wishing my mom was still here to share my thoughts – she was my best friend.* *I’m angry that I can’t have a conversation with my mom.* Several of those feelings can be true at the same time. Dr. Lieberman reports that once you’ve named what you’re feeling, you may be better able to decide what you need. ### **Prioritize the Feelings Instead of Pushing Them Aside** If you know a significant date is approaching but pack your day with appointments, errands and obligations, those feelings may still find their way in. Then suddenly you’re distracted, irritable, teary or unable to concentrate and you wonder why your carefully planned day has gone sideways. Rather than treating grief as an interruption to your plans, make space for grief and acknowledge that it may travel with you from time to time. You can intentionally decide to give yourself some grace and add a little more blank space – unscheduled times – to your day. That doesn’t mean the entire day, month, or season needs to be sad. In fact, remembering the good times is just as important – may be even more important – as feeling the grief. ### **Grief Changes Over Time** The grief I experience now isn’t the same as the grief I experienced in 2020 for my brother or 2009 for my mother. Early grief can be debilitating, I know. Over time, it has softened for me. It comes less frequently and feels less consuming. But softer doesn’t mean gone. Grief returning doesn’t mean I’m going backward. It simply means I’m remembering those who mattered. ### **Give Yourself Permission to Pause** Planning and organizing aren’t always about doing more or fitting more into our schedules. Sometimes good planning means deliberately deciding not to fill the space. This October 6, I plan to press pause for a little while. I know there will be sadness. I’m OK with that. The sadness is there because Charles was here, because I loved him, and because I still miss him. Later in the month I’ll spend time with my siblings remembering our mother. We’ll share stories of the wonderful times we had together, shed a tear or two, and laugh. Laughter was, and is, so much a part of what we do as a family. We can’t organize grief or put it neatly away. But we can recognize it, name it, and make space for grief in our lives. Sometimes the most important thing we can put on our schedule is simply time to remember. ### **FAQs** **Does grief ever completely go away?** Grief often changes over time. The intense grief experienced soon after a loss may soften, but certain dates, memories, places, or experiences can bring feelings of grief back. This doesn’t mean you are going backward. It can simply be a reminder of someone you loved and still miss. **Why is it helpful to name what you are feeling?** Research on “affect labeling” suggests that putting feelings into words can help reduce emotional reactivity. Saying, “I’m feeling sad today because I miss this person,” may help you understand what you’re experiencing and respond to your needs more intentionally. **How can I make space for grief on a difficult day?** Consider leaving some unscheduled time in your day. You might look through photographs, light a candle, visit a meaningful place, call someone who shares your memories, or simply sit quietly and remember. Making space for grief doesn’t mean planning to be sad. It means giving yourself permission to feel whatever comes. ### **Call to Action** Is there a date on your calendar that carries special memories for you? Instead of filling that day with obligations, consider leaving a little blank space. Give yourself permission to pause, name what you’re feeling, and remember the person you miss. Making space for grief is also making space for love and the memories you continue to carry with you. [Reach out to me](https://dnqsolutions.com) for help creating a plan for yourself. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Reasons Why Connecting In-Person is Very Important](https://dnqsolutions.com/reasons-why-connecting-in-person-is-very-important/) **Published:** September 27, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I just came home from the [2026 ICD Conference ](https://challengingdisorganization.org)in Toronto. Actually, it was in Mississauga – part of the Toronto area. Going to the annual ICD Conference has been part of my professional life since I became a professional organizer more than 20 years ago. For the last few years, participating in organizing this conference has been my privilege and joy. It means more to me than just securing excellent educational sessions. It’s knowing that my peers, people I know and those I have yet to meet, will benefit from the expert presenters and from the time spent together. There’s no feeling quite like the one I get from walking into the meeting space and seeing familiar faces. Connecting in person, sharing a hug, a handshake, a fist bump, and always a smile adds a personal dimension to what would otherwise be a professional contact. At the recent conference, I saw some people I hadn’t seen in a few years. I was so happy for the opportunity to reconnect with them. Although technology makes it easy to stay in touch, connecting in person adds dimensions that virtual interaction simply doesn’t provide. ### **Connecting in Person Strengthens Relationships** You may know someone through Zoom meetings, email exchanges, classes, or social media, but being together changes the relationship. A conversation over coffee or a shared meal lets you get to know the person behind the business rather than simply the professional. Some of the best conference conversations I’ve had happen over breakfast, lunch, or dinner. There’s no agenda. You can talk about the session you just attended, your work, your family, or something completely unrelated. Those relaxed conversations build relationships and create a sense of belonging to a community of like-minded professionals. ### **The Conversation Continues After the Session** A speaker may say something that sparks an idea or question. When you’re attending virtually, you don’t always have the opportunity to ask a question or to have it answered in real time. When you attend a conference in person, you can turn to the person sitting beside you and say, “What did you think about that?” Those spontaneous conversations can deepen learning. Then, you can continue the conversation during the networking time between sessions. ### **Our Brains Benefit from Connecting in Person** There’s science behind the good feeling we get from spending time together. In his book *Why Brains Need Friends: The Neuroscience of Social Connection*, neuro-scientist Dr. Ben Rein explains that our brains are wired for connection. He explores how socializing supports our brain health and mood and, importantly, how our brains experience virtual conversations differently from those we have in person. I understand this. While I use Zoom all the time for meetings, classes, and podcasts, being together in person gives me something different. When I meet someone in person, I notice facial expressions and body language that may not be as obvious on a computer screen. Plus, when I’m attending a conference, there are always chance encounters in the elevator, walking to a conference session, or hanging out in the lounge. These seemingly insignificant interactions are part of connecting in person. They help us get to know each other as people, not simply as names in a Zoom square or at the bottom of an email. ### **Connecting in Person Creates a Sense of Belonging and Community** I believe these spontaneous or random encounters help foster a sense of belonging. Speaking specifically about ICD conferences, I remember the first ICD conference I attended. I was a new ICD subscriber and new to the organizing industry. Walking into a room filled with strangers made me anxious. I was determined, though, because I was so interested in the content of the sessions. As I looked around for a place to sit, I noticed that most people knew each other. They were excited, everyone was talking at once, and people were sharing big bear hugs. I happened to sit next to Louise Kurzeka. She made me feel at home. Louise told me a little about herself and her business and asked about me and mine. Then she introduced me to some of the people sitting around us. Before long, no one was a stranger. ### **Connecting in Person Is Simply More Fun** Laughing together, sharing meals, taking pictures, exploring a new city, and catching up with people you haven’t seen in a year or more creates memories. The decision to attend a conference becomes more than an educational event; it becomes something to look forward to. It is an opportunity to connect more deeply with peers and learn more about them and their businesses. This can also bring value to your business because it expands your professional network and may lead to future referrals. Referrals from peers to you and from you to those you know, like, and trust. Another benefit of attending a conference is that the location may be somewhere you want to explore. You can extend your stay, invite your family to join you, and indulge in a little rest and relaxation. ### **In Conclusion** We can learn from one another online, and I’m grateful that technology gives us that opportunity. But there is something special about being in the same room. Connecting in person gives us time to linger over conversations, laugh together, exchange ideas, and strengthen relationships. Those are the moments that remind me why I continue to make attending the ICD Conference a priority—and also why I believe making time to connect in person is worth the effort. Feel free to [contact me](http://https//dnqsolutions.com) if you’d like to know more about the ICD conference. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [How to Know When Your Collection Becomes Clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-know-when-your-collection-becomes-clutter/) **Published:** September 13, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I want to let you know from the start that there is nothing wrong with having a collection of things. I have several, as does my husband. I collect small porcelain elephant and rabbit figurines. I love them and have them scattered here and there around our home where I can see them. My husband collects small silver boxes. He collected most of them when we lived in Asia. Like me, he has placed them around our home where we can see and enjoy them. Looking at and noticing our collections brings us joy. Two points are important here: we have designated places for our collections, and we can see and enjoy them. Other people collect different things. They may collect rare books, cooking implements, shoes, handbags, holiday decorations, or almost anything else. The problem isn’t what we’re collecting. A collection becomes clutter when we don’t have room to comfortably keep, display, and/or use what we have. ### **How Do You Know When a Collection Becomes Clutter?** The amount you own isn’t necessarily the problem. The problem begins when the amount you own interferes with the way you use your home. Let’s think about some things people tend to over-collect. In my experience, these are often things stored or stashed in kitchens, closets, bedrooms, bathrooms, and even on dining tables. As you read the following questions, think about where you may have over-collected. Can you easily put your clothes away without stuffing them into drawers or the closet? Do your pots, pans, and other cooking implements have places on shelves, in cabinets, or neatly arranged on a counter top? Are you able to sit at your dining or kitchen table for a meal? Is it easy to find the pair of earrings you want to wear? Can you access your makeup easily? The answers to these questions will help you determine whether your belongings are interfering with the function of the room. When they are, it may be a sign that your collection has become clutter. ### **But I Like Everything I Have** What do you do when you realize you have too much, but you like everything you have? How do you decide what to remove? You can start by identifying your favorites. If we think about doing this with makeup, for instance, you might sort your makeup into daytime work, daytime casual, and evening or dress-up categories. Then, within those categories, decide which products are your favorites. As you evaluate your makeup, remove anything you used only once and probably won’t use again. This gives you a natural way to reduce the collection. With clothes, begin by sorting according to what fits. I know this takes time. You may need to try some clothes on to figure out if you like the way they fit and look on you. Many times, people put clothes back in a drawer or closet because they think maybe the next time they wear that item, they will like the way it fits. My experience tells me that we tend to avoid wearing clothes in which we don’t feel comfortable. #### **What Do You Use?** Another strategy is to think about what you actually use. This is particularly helpful when reviewing kitchen appliances and tools. Sometimes these things look terrific in the store, but when we get them home, they aren’t used as frequently as we anticipated. Ask yourself: If I were given the choice today, would I buy this again? If the answer is no, it may be time for that appliance or tool to leave your home. As you review and evaluate your collections, you may also notice that you have two or three of the same or similar items. Ask yourself whether you need all of them. Another perspective is to acknowledge when things are part of your past. Maybe you used them—or wore them—all the time before. But things are different now. You don’t use them and, if you’re being truthful, you don’t think about them until you accidentally come across them and remember that you used to like them. A collection becomes clutter when all we do is add to it without periodically evaluating what we have already collected. Remember, you don’t have to dislike something to decide not to keep it. ### **Let the Space Establish the Boundary** Instead of deciding that you will keep an arbitrary number of something, allow the available space to establish the limit. For example, if your sweaters comfortably fit in the designated drawer, wonderful. If your mugs fit on the shelf and you can easily take one out and put it back, that’s fine. When things no longer comfortably fit in the space you’ve assigned to them, it’s time to make some choices. That’s when a collection becomes clutter. Technically squeezing something into a drawer or balancing one more pan on top of a precarious stack doesn’t mean it fits! Once you’ve decided where something will live in your home, hold yourself to that space. Do not let your collection creep into other parts of the home. In other words, if the space is full but you want to add something to the collection, first remove something to make room for the new item. Make this a non-negotiable contract with yourself so your collection doesn’t become clutter. ### **The Benefits of Having Less** When you commit to letting the available space define how much you keep, you’re automatically keeping less. With less, it’s easier to see and appreciate what you own. You can find what you need, put things away, and clean and maintain the space more easily. A smaller collection can actually allow you to enjoy it more. When your favorites aren’t buried, crammed together, or competing with dozens of similar things, they become more visible and useful. The fun part of having a collection is using it, enjoying it, and perhaps sharing it with others. When the collection is manageable, this is easy to do. When it becomes too large for the available space, the collection becomes clutter. ### **How Much Is Enough?** The only person who can determine how much is enough is you. There is no perfect number of things to collect. Enough depends on the person, the home, and the amount of available space for comfortably keeping a particular category. Your belongings are meant to support the way you live in your home not make it more difficult to live there. I always ask clients to keep the things they need, use, and love. If what they’re keeping doesn’t fit one or more of these categories, it may no longer deserve space in their home. Having less doesn’t mean giving up the things you love. It means making enough room to see, use, and truly enjoy the things you choose to keep. ### **FAQs** **When does a collection become clutter?** A [collection becomes clutter](https://www.reachlink.com/advice/general/hoarding-disorder-vs-collecting/) when it begins to interfere with the way you use your home. If you can’t easily put things away, access what you need, use furniture for its intended purpose, or comfortably move through a space, it may be time to evaluate the collection. **Do I have to get rid of things I love?** No. Start by identifying your favorites. The goal isn’t to get rid of everything you enjoy. It’s to make enough room so that the things you love can be seen, used, and appreciated. **How do I decide how many things to keep?** Let the available space establish the boundary. Decide where the collection belongs and keep what comfortably fits within that space. When you add something new, consider removing something else. **What if nothing in my collection is broken or damaged?** Something doesn’t have to be broken to leave your home. Ask whether you use it, need it, love it, or would buy it again today. You can appreciate something and still decide that you no longer need to own it. ### **Call to Action** Is there a collection in your home that has grown beyond the space you have available for it? You don’t have to tackle the whole collection at once. Choose one drawer, shelf, cabinet, or category and start by identifying your favorites. If you’re having trouble deciding what stays and what goes, I’d be happy to help you create boundaries that allow you to keep the things you love while making your home easier to use and enjoy. [Contact me](https://dnqsolutions.com) to schedule a consultation. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [How to Organize Important Documents for Those You Love](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-important-documents-for-those-you-love/) **Published:** September 8, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Today I’m talking about the reasons to organize important documents so that someone you trust could find what they need if they had to step in and help you. Why is this even a topic for discussion? Imagine you’re unexpectedly unavailable. Maybe you’ve had an accident, are ill, or are delayed in a foreign country, and someone you trust needs to take care of something for you. Could that person find your insurance information? Locate your will? Know where your financial records are? Access the digital information they are authorized to use? Even if we have organized these things in our homes for ourselves, if something unexpected happens, it’s important that someone we trust knows where to look. Let’s begin this conversation by talking about what we need to do for ourselves. ### **Organize Important Documents in One Identifiable Place** Create one place to keep all your vital records. One of my clients keeps these documents in a locked, fire-resistant safe box under her bed. Another has them organized in a binder on a shelf in the office, and a third has a section of her filing cabinet dedicated to vital documents. Where you keep them is not as important as organizing them and knowing exactly where they are. Some examples of vital documents are birth certificates, Social Security cards, passports, marriage certificates, baptismal records, insurance policies, banking and financial records, wills, and estate documents. Some establish your identity, while others provide important financial, legal, or personal information. You do not need to have physical records of everything. However, from time to time you may be asked to produce an original document. This happened to my husband. He had a copy of his mother’s death certificate downloaded onto his computer and could easily show or send the digital record to the attorney. However, the attorney wanted to see the original certified copy. Thankfully, he knew where it was and could produce it. As you organize important documents, make a note indicating where each one is stored and, if there is a digital copy, how to find both the digital and physical versions. ### **Don’t Forget Your Digital Life** We now have important information that doesn’t exist in a filing cabinet: banking and investment accounts, utilities, insurance portals, medical portals, subscriptions, email, cloud storage, social media, and more. You may have a password manager, a password file, or another secure place where you keep your passwords. It’s easy for you to access your digital files and accounts because you know how your system works. But would someone else? Since we have both paper and digital information that a trusted person may need to access, it’s important to have a digital access plan. Create an inventory of important accounts and identify which ones another person may need to access. Then, provide instructions explaining how your trusted person can obtain authorized access when necessary. ### **Make Sure the Right People Have the Authority to Help** Once you’ve identified the person or people you trust to help you, think about whether they also have the legal authority they would need to act on your behalf. This is not always as simple as giving someone a password or telling them where your documents are stored. Depending on your circumstances and where you live, you may need legal documents that give another person authority to handle financial matters or participate in healthcare decisions on your behalf. These may include a financial power of attorney and documents that appoint someone to make healthcare decisions for you. An [advance healthcare directive](https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/consumer-health/in-depth/living-wills/art-20046303) can also put your healthcare wishes in writing and provide guidance if you are unable to communicate those wishes yourself. Because requirements and terminology vary by state, talk with an estate-planning attorney or other qualified professional to be certain you have the appropriate documents in place. Having these documents is only part of the job. The person you have chosen should know that you have appointed them, be willing to serve in that role, and know where the necessary documents are stored. Make time once a year to check in with yourself and with the person or people to whom you have given these responsibilities. Verify that you still want them in these roles and that they are still willing and able to act on your behalf. ### **Organize Important Documents, Then Tell Your Person How to Find Them** You can have perfectly organized files, but they aren’t helpful in an emergency if no one knows where they are. In fact, your important information may be stored in several places. Make a short list of the important documents your chosen person or people might need. Note where they can find them and who they should contact if they need assistance. You don’t necessarily need to give someone copies of every document. The goal is to create a road map that tells them what exists and where to find it. This step is as important as organizing the documents themselves. If no one knows where the information is or how to access it, it won’t be much help when it’s needed. Being organized isn’t just knowing where your important information is. It’s making sure the right person or people can find it when you can’t help them look. ### **Organizing Important Documents Isn’t a One-and-Done Project** Just like organizing your home, organizing important documents is not a one-and-done activity. You can create a beautiful filing system for now, but keep in mind that things change. Accounts close. Companies merge. You switch vendors. People move. New accounts are opened. Passwords change. Consider establishing an annual review, perhaps around your birthday, the beginning of the year, or another date that’s easy to remember. Review your paper and digital files, remove outdated information, and update anything that has changed. And don’t forget to update the road map you created for your trusted person. ### **Organization Is an Act of Consideration** Remember your reason for organizing this information. We usually think about organizing as something we do to make our own lives easier. Sometimes, though, the most thoughtful organizing we do is the organizing that makes life easier for someone we love. You’re organizing important documents and files so that the people you trust can help you when and if necessary. Think of it as giving them a clear path to follow instead of a puzzle to solve. ### **Need Help Getting Your Important Documents Organized?** If your important papers and files are scattered in different places, or if you know what you have but aren’t sure anyone else could find it, I can help. Together, we can create a simple, organized system that works for you and provides a clear road map for someone you trust. [Contact me](https://dnqsolutions.com/) to schedule a consultation and take the first step toward getting your important documents organized. ### **FAQs** **What important documents should I organize in one place?** Start with documents related to your identity, finances, insurance, healthcare, and estate. These may include birth and marriage certificates, Social Security cards, passports, insurance policies, financial information, wills, powers of attorney, and advance healthcare directives. **Should I keep original documents or digital copies?** Digital copies can be convenient, but there are times when an original or certified copy may be required. Know which original documents you have, keep them secure, and note where they can be found. **How often should I review my important documents?** Review them at least once a year and whenever you experience a significant life change. Update account information, contacts, passwords or access instructions, legal documents when appropriate, and the road map you’ve created for your trusted person. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [How to Cultivate a Desire for Minimalism & Follow Through](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-cultivate-a-desire-for-minimalism-follow-through/) **Published:** August 30, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Recently, I’ve been working with people who have done an about-face and are eager to clear their accumulations of clutter. For these folks, their [desire for minimalism](https://www.becomingminimalist.com/) is the complete opposite of the way they had been living. They had been collecting and acquiring things for years, maybe even decades. Suddenly, they wanted to let go of the things they had been holding onto. As a professional organizer specializing in [chronic disorganization](https://dnqsolutions.com/struggling-with-chronic-disorganization-these-3-tips-will-help-get-you-motivated/), this was a very unusual experience. I was curious and wanted to know what had happened to prompt them to drastically reduce their collections. ### **Change in Lifestyle** Each one of these clients was prompted by a different change in their lifestyle, a change that required them to look closely at their behaviors, habits, and routines. They began to question the motivation behind their collections. As we talked about their belongings, each one concluded that much of what they had collected no longer fit the life they were planning for themselves. I am not trying to tell you that this was easy. It was not. It was filled with questions like these: - Why did I spend so much money on things I never use? - What was I thinking? - How can I get rid of these things without adding them to the landfill? - Can I get my money back? - Is it possible to sell these things for as much or more than I paid for them? There were also moments when these clients were not being kind to themselves. They used negative self-talk, berated themselves, and talked about feeling overwhelmed, guilty, and ashamed for letting things get so cluttered. #### **Negative Self-Talk** I reminded them that negative self-talk is counterproductive. It doesn’t help in the moment. That sort of talk stalls progress and makes a person feel worse than they already do. Plus, I asked if they would say any of these negative things to a friend. Of course, they said they would not. I listened and asked how they felt now that they were cultivating their desire for minimalism. Everyone spoke about feeling hopeful and lighter. I want to be clear that when I’m talking about minimalism here, I am not talking about completely clear shelves, counters, and tabletops with only one or two items beautifully placed. I am talking about [organized spaces](https://dnqsolutions.com/keeping-order-how-to-maintain-your-organized-spaces-with-intentional-resets/) that contain the things that support my clients’ current lifestyles, along with a few decorative and well-loved items neatly placed. ### **What Can Prompt a Desire for Minimalism?** #### **Renovating a Home** One client is about to completely renovate their home. They decided to do this because there was a leak in the roof, which led to a leak in the bathroom ceiling. The thought of bringing a repairman in to fix the bathroom ceiling after the roof was patched was out of the question because they were embarrassed that their home was so full. My client realized that since they wanted to properly fix the bathroom ceiling, they also wanted to renovate and repair the rest of their home. As we sorted their belongings and furniture, my client looked at everything through a different lens. They thought carefully about whether the things they were considering keeping would have a place in their newly renovated home. They also asked themselves if the items were worth the cost of packing, storing, and then unpacking them. Changing the space changes the way we think about what deserves to occupy it. My client made some tough decisions and was excited to meet with the repairmen once the home was emptied. #### **A Desire to Entertain** Another client has close friends who are moving to Atlanta. These friends are excited to be able to spend more time together, and my client wants to have them over to their home. They are eager to have an entry that feels welcoming, a family room in which everyone can sit comfortably, a dining table they can sit around, and clear kitchen counters so they can cook with their friends. When we have a [compelling reason](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-compelling-reasons-to-join-a-virtual-clutter-support-group/) to make room, letting go can begin to feel less like losing something and more like creating space for something we want. #### **Planning to Move** Many people engage in decluttering before they move. In fact, this is the advice most often shared when someone says they are moving. You don’t want to pack and move something you aren’t happy to see when you get to your new home. These clients were not only moving but also downsizing. They had to figure out how much of their furniture would fit in their new home. Because the new home was smaller, they also had less available storage space. These clients paid careful attention to moving only the things that supported the life they wanted to live now. They let go of the rest. ### **How to Cultivate a Desire for Minimalism** Are you looking for something to spur you into action? The stories I shared indicate that my clients had external reasons that prompted them to reconsider their belongings: renovating, entertaining, and moving. But you don’t need to wait for one of those events. You can deliberately cultivate a desire for minimalism and motivate yourself to declutter by asking: - How do I want to live in my home? - What would I like to be able to do that clutter currently makes difficult? - Which possessions support the life I’m living now? - Which ones belong to an earlier version of my life? - What would having less make possible? The desire for minimalism isn’t necessarily cultivated by deciding, “I want to own fewer things.” It can come from deciding, “I want more room in my life for this.” And remember, the kind of minimalism I’m talking about doesn’t mean living in a nearly empty room with one chair. Minimalism doesn’t have to mean owning as little as possible. It means being more intentional about what you own. Decide to keep what you need, use, love, and have room for. **Minimalism isn’t about deprivation. It’s about making choices.** What surprised me most about my clients wasn’t that they were willing to let go of the clutter. It was that once they had a strong enough vision of how they wanted to live, their relationship with their belongings began to change. ### **Call to Action** If you’re struggling to let go of clutter, instead of asking yourself what you should get rid of, try asking yourself how you want to live. Having a clear vision for your home and your life can make those decisions easier. If you would like help figuring out what belongs in the life you’re creating now, I’d be happy to work with you. [Contact me](https://dnqsolutions.com/) to schedule a consultation. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [The Real & Important Purpose of Productivity](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-real-important-purpose-of-productivity/) **Published:** August 13, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I know I often write about how to get things done and how, when we complete our tasks, we don’t have to stress over them anymore. So, you may be wondering why I’m talking about the purpose of productivity. Are you thinking that it’s obvious, the purpose of productivity is to get the things we need and want to finish done? Well, yes. It is that. But I think it can also be something else entirely. If you click into Instagram, you’ll see lots of reels focused on how to get things done quickly. There are many social media influencers who highlight productivity apps, hacks, shortcuts, and systems. They show us that if we do what they do, we can be done in a jiffy. What I’m wondering is this: **If we get everything done as quickly as we can, is our purpose simply to be done?** What if we slowed down enough to truly engage with our tasks instead of just muscling through them? ### **We’ve Mistaken Speed for Success** I will be the first to admit that I make a daily list of the things I am doing during the day. My list includes [household chores](https://dnqsolutions.com/sick-of-doing-household-chores-heres-how-to-get-more-done-with-less-resistance/), appointments, work tasks, and time set aside for walking my dog. I love crossing things off my list because it lets me know those tasks are done. In the past, I would power through my list, quickly getting everything done. I’ve become increasingly aware, though, that I enjoy what I’m doing more when I’m fully present. Yes, I even enjoy doing [household chores](https://dnqsolutions.com/8-hacks-to-make-household-chores-easier/) because when I’m completely engaged in the task, I take pride in doing it well. Sometimes this means I don’t finish everything. That’s OK. I prioritize my tasks and make sure the time-sensitive things are done first. The things that are left undone are scheduled for another day—if they’re important enough to do at all. What I have discovered is that I feel more successful when I slow down and pay attention. Maybe the purpose of productivity isn’t to see how much we can cram into a day. Maybe it’s to use our time and attention well. ### **The Problem with Always Looking Ahead** When we’re always rushing to the next task, we miss the satisfaction we receive when we intentionally engage in the one we’re doing now. If we don’t actively engage our minds in the task, our brains wander away. We start thinking about what’s next. That’s when problems can happen. We may miss critical details or even the fact that someone is talking to us. We can also miss precious moments as they happen. Why are we always in such a hurry? When did finishing become more important than enjoying? There will always be another task waiting. If we spend our lives rushing through what we’re doing now so we can get to what’s next, we may find ourselves continually looking ahead instead of appreciating where we are. ### Purpose of Productivity = t**he Process** As many of you know, I love to work on needlepoint projects. I often have my current project with me at meetings. It takes me a long time to finish each one because I honestly love the process. Seeing the picture emerge from the canvas brings me great joy. Having the finished product – a pillow, for example – is a source of pride, but finishing isn’t the only point. The process itself matters. I also love gardening. For those of you who garden, you know that it takes time for plants, shrubs, and ground cover to grow into the vision with which you started. Time is spent weeding, pruning, and feeding the plants. For me, pulling weeds and gently pruning plants is something I love to do. I only dedicate 15–30 minutes at a time to it, but I enjoy those minutes. Organizing a room with a client is also a process. Taking the time to have conversations, discovering the purpose of the room, making decisions about belongings, and creating solid routines cannot, and should not, ever be rushed. What if the process is where [much of the satisfaction](https://themeaningmovement.com/enjoy-the-process/) lives? ### **Quality Over Quantity** There’s a difference between being efficient and being in a hurry. Efficiency helps us eliminate unnecessary steps and use our [time wisely](https://dnqsolutions.com/simplify-your-life-create-boundaries-by-scheduling-your-time-wisely/). Being in a hurry can cause us to rush through something simply because we want it behind us. Let’s take a cluttered desktop as an example. You decide to organize the space and take your time evaluating the items on the desk. Things that are no longer relevant are recycled or shredded. Other things that were left on the desktop accidentally are [put away](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-put-away-our-holiday-decorations/). Then you clean the desktop and return the items that truly belong there. When the task is finished, you step back, admire the result, and congratulate yourself. Admittedly, this may take longer than scooping everything into a box and putting the box somewhere else. But you’ve accomplished something meaningful. You made decisions, completed the task thoughtfully, and created a space that works better for you. Doing fewer things with greater attention can produce better results and more pride in what we accomplish. ### **Productivity Should Support Your Life** This brings me back to the **purpose of productivity.** Productivity is a tool. It shouldn’t be the goal. Think about organizing. We don’t[ organize our homes](https://dnqsolutions.com) simply to have perfectly labeled bins, matching baskets, and clear counter tops. We organize so our homes support the lives we want to live. Productivity should work the same way. We use schedules, lists, routines, and systems to help us accomplish what matters. These tools can reduce stress, help us meet deadlines, and prevent important things from falling through the cracks. But they should also leave room for living. Being productive doesn’t mean squeezing every possible task into every available minute. It means deciding what deserves our time and attention and then giving it both. ### **Ask Yourself: “For What?”** I think every productivity tip, trick, or shortcut should ultimately answer one question: #### **I’m saving this time—for what?** Relationships? Rest? A creative activity? Volunteering? Perhaps it’s taking a walk, reading a book, working in the garden, or simply sitting on the porch with a cup of coffee. Those are worthy uses of time. The next time you’re powering through your to-do list, ask yourself another question: **If I finished everything on my list today, what would I do with the extra time?** Your answer may tell you something important about what you truly value. ### **The Real Purpose of Productivity** I don’t think the goal is to squeeze every drop out of the day. And I don’t think we have to choose between being productive and enjoying ourselves. The purpose of productivity is to help us do the things that matter in a timely and thoughtful way while creating space for the people, experiences, and activities that make our lives meaningful. Sometimes being productive means moving quickly because there is a deadline. Other times it means slowing down, paying attention, and taking pride in the process. Instead of always asking, **“How quickly can I finish this?”** perhaps we can sometimes ask, **“How can I do this well and enjoy the process?”** After all, life isn’t what happens after we finish the to-do list. Life is happening while we’re working our way through it. ### **Call to Action** Look at your to-do list today. Is everything on it truly worth your time and attention? Choose one task and, instead of rushing through it, give it your full attention. Notice whether slowing down just a little changes how you feel about both the process and the result. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Planning & Schedule Management --- ### [The Best Way to Change Your Organizing Habits](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-way-to-change-your-organizing-habits/) **Published:** August 2, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** We are past the midpoint of the year, and I’m wondering if any of you feel the same way I do. I started this year with the intention of doing a few things differently. Did you? Many people begin the year sincerely wanting to become more organized. Even though I’m a professional organizer, I have a few habits I’d like to replace myself. It’s true! I’ve made progress, but changing long-standing routines isn’t always easy. Wanting to change your organizing habits is the easy part. Consistently practicing those changes is where the real work begins. ### **The Results We Have Today Reflect the Habits We Practice** Our daily habits shape our outcomes. The routines we repeat, whether they’re helpful or not, often determine how organized we feel. If we’d like different results, it’s worth looking at the habits that created the current ones. For example: - If mail continues to pile up, it may be time to rethink how mail is handled when it comes into the house. - If duplicate purchases keep happening, perhaps there’s a better way to keep track of what you already own. - If appointments are missed or you’re often running late, your calendar or reminder system may need a few adjustments. This isn’t about blaming yourself. It’s about recognizing that sometimes a process simply needs to evolve. ### **Why It’s Hard to Change Your Organizing Habits** I understand why changing habits can feel difficult. Familiar routines are comfortable. We often follow them without even thinking because they’ve become automatic. Trying something new can feel awkward at first. It may even seem less efficient because you’re consciously paying attention to each step. If you’ve been diagnosed with ADHD or are challenged by chronic disorganization, many of your habits may have developed as coping strategies. That makes changing them even more challenging. The important thing is to notice when a habit that once served a purpose is no longer supporting the life you want to live now. ### **Recognize Habits That No Longer Serve You** Often, improving organization isn’t about buying something new. It’s about practicing a different behavior. Before purchasing another planner, organizing container, or app, ask yourself whether a small change in routine might solve the problem first. For example: - Mail and paperwork accumulate because they land in several different places around the house. - Grocery shopping happens before checking the pantry, leading to duplicate purchases. - You tell yourself you’ll remember something later, but naturally, life gets busy and it slips your mind. These situations are common and they’re all opportunities to gently change your organizing habits. ### **Use Tiny Shifts to Change Your Organizing Habits** The good news is that you don’t have to change everything at once. In fact, trying to overhaul your entire routine usually becomes overwhelming. Instead, look for one small adjustment. For example: - Create one designated place where mail always lands. When possible, open it right away. If you can’t deal with it immediately, schedule time to process it. - Before heading to the grocery store, take a quick look in your pantry or refrigerator. - Enter appointments into your calendar as soon as you make them and set reminder alarms. Small changes, practiced consistently, often become lasting habits. Don’t be discouraged if you slip back into your old routine. Habit change isn’t about perfection, it’s about noticing, resetting, and practicing again. ### **Ask Yourself One Simple Question** Take a moment to think about one habit that may be making life harder than it needs to be. Ask yourself: **What habit or routine am I repeating that isn’t giving me the results I want?** Then ask: **What is one small change I could practice this week?** You don’t have to get it perfect. You simply must keep practicing. Every time you repeat the new behavior, you strengthen a habit that better supports your goals. ### **Organization Happens One Habit at a Time** Getting organized isn’t about finding the perfect product. It’s about building daily habits that make your life a little easier. Sometimes the most important organizing decision isn’t what to keep or what to let go of. It’s deciding which habit you’d like to practice differently. If you’re ready to change your organizing habits, begin by asking yourself *why* that change matters. Maybe you want less stress, fewer duplicate purchases, more punctuality, or simply greater peace of mind. A clear reason gives your new habit purpose. And when you combine that purpose with small, consistent actions, meaningful change becomes much more achievable. ### **Call to Action** Changing habits doesn’t happen overnight, and you don’t have to do it alone. If you’re ready to replace frustrating routines with practical systems that truly support your life, I’d love to help. Whether through [one-on-one organizing](https://dnqsolutions.com/) sessions, the [monthly classes](https://releaserepurpose.com/monthly-class/) I teach with Jonda Beattie, or the **[Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/)** virtual support group, together we can create organizing habits that last. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [Great Reasons for Common Courtesies to Still Matter](https://dnqsolutions.com/great-reasons-for-common-courtesies-to-still-matter/) **Published:** July 5, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** In the fast-paced world we live in, it feels as though some common courtesies are quietly fading from everyday life. Perhaps they are considered old-fashioned or outdated, but I’d like to make the case for paying attention to them. Why? It’s simple, really. Common courtesies are ways of showing respect, kindness, and consideration for others. ### **What Are Common Courtesies?** Maybe you’re not sure what common courtesies are. They are small actions that acknowledge another person’s needs. Typically, they take only a few seconds and cost nothing. They sound pretty terrific, don’t they? My mother was a stickler for all the courtesies I will talk about. She let the five of us (her children) know that no matter how old (or young) we were, she expected us to have good manners, be polite, and treat everyone with respect. My brothers, sisters, and I were quietly reminded, if we happened to forget, to practice one of the following common courtesies. As you read through them, think about how it feels when you are on the receiving end. ### **Common Courtesies We Should Never Outgrow** #### **Hold the Door for the Person Behind You** When you walk through a door, hold it open, even if you aren’t sure someone is behind you. This way, the door doesn’t close quickly. Sometimes we are so focused on what we’re thinking about or where we’re going that we don’t notice the person behind us. If you create the habit of always holding the door, then when someone happens to be there, you are showing consideration. #### **Let People Exit Before You Enter** There are many places where it is polite to let people exit before you enter. Let’s start with elevators. An elevator is typically a small space. If you start walking in before giving people a chance to exit, you create an unnecessary traffic jam. Buses, trains, subways, and even store entrances are all places where it’s a good common courtesy to allow people to exit first. Another helpful tip is to stand to one side of the entrance. In the United States, for example, we generally stay to the right. This provides room for others to exit comfortably. #### **Wait Patiently in Line** We live in an age of instant results. We get answers to our questions quickly and can find almost anything online within seconds. We have become accustomed to not waiting, which can make standing in line a challenge. When there is a line, people often complain. I would suggest that waiting your turn patiently is a sign of respect for those around you. Complaining loudly will not make the line move faster, nor will it endear you to the people waiting nearby. #### **Offer Your Seat to Someone Who Needs It More** Are you old enough to remember when people automatically offered their seat on a bus, subway, or train to older adults, pregnant women, people with mobility challenges, or someone carrying a small child? The next time you see someone who may need a seat more than you do, consider offering yours. It is a simple but meaningful common courtesy. #### **Be Punctual** Being on time for appointments is a sign of respect for the person you are meeting. I’ve talked about waiting in line, but what about waiting for someone to arrive for lunch, dinner, or a show? A sense of time is something many people struggle with. If that sounds familiar, try setting alarms or reminders so you leave home with enough time to travel to your destination. #### **Use “Please,” “Thank You,” and “Excuse Me”** These simple phrases never go out of style. I recently wrote about the [importance of writing thank-you notes](https://dnqsolutions.com/reasons-to-write-thank-you-notes-how-to-do-it-easily/). It’s equally important to use polite words when interacting with others. Make eye contact when asking for something, thanking someone, or trying to get someone’s attention. Eye contact communicates sincerity and respect. ### **Common Courtesies in the Digital Age** #### **Put the Phone Away During Conversations** Even though we can communicate with others anytime and anywhere through text messages, it is courteous to put your phone away when speaking with someone in person. Consider silencing your phone or putting it out of sight so you can be fully present. Giving someone your complete attention is one of the greatest signs of respect. #### **Respond to Messages** Goodwill is created when you acknowledge receiving a message. Even when I don’t have an answer, I like to let the sender know I received their message and am thinking about it. Sometimes a simple thumbs-up emoji or the words “Got it” are enough. When messages go unanswered, people may wonder whether the message was lost or whether they are being ignored. Neither feels particularly good. ### **Why Common Courtesy Benefits Everyone** #### **It Creates Positive Connections** [Research shows](https://www.dbmi.columbia.edu/micro-acts-macro-impact-landmark-study-links-kindness-acts-to-improved-well-being/) that small positive interactions not only bring joy to another person but also boost your own sense of well-being. Smiling at someone on the street, offering a compliment, or showing a small kindness benefits both people involved. #### **It Sets an Example** When you consistently extend common courtesies to others, children and those around you notice. Courtesy is contagious. #### **It Costs Nothing** None of these actions cost anything beyond a little thought and a few seconds of your time. No special skills or training are required. Anyone can practice common courtesies. ### **Conclusion** As I was writing this blog post, more and more examples of common courtesies came to mind. Each one is a small act, yet each has the potential to make life a little easier for someone else. I thought about how I always pick up after my dog. Some people in my neighborhood do not, and it bothers me. Then there are the grocery carts left loose in parking lots, ready to roll into someone’s car. Returning a cart takes only a minute or two, and I’m sometimes tempted not to when I’m in a hurry. Still, I return it because I don’t want to be the person who leaves the task for someone else. That may be the heart of common courtesies. They remind us that we share our communities with other people and that our actions affect those around us. In a world that often feels rushed and disconnected, these simple gestures create a little more kindness, consideration, and connection. While common courtesies may seem small, their impact is anything but. #### **Ready to create a calmer, more connected life?** Small actions often lead to meaningful change. Whether it’s [organizing your home](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/home-organization/), managing your time more effectively, or building routines that support your goals, thoughtful habits make a difference. If you’re ready to create more order, less stress, and greater ease in your daily life, I’d love to help. [Contact me](https://dnqsolutions.com/) to learn more about my organizing services, classes, and support programs. ### **FAQs** **Why are common courtesies important?** Common courtesies demonstrate respect, kindness, and consideration for others. They help create positive interactions and stronger communities. **Are common courtesies old-fashioned?** Some people may view them that way, but courtesy never goes out of style. The methods may change, but showing respect for others remains important. **What are examples of common courtesies?** Holding doors, saying “please” and “thank you,” waiting your turn, arriving on time, responding to messages, and offering help to someone who needs it are all examples. **Do common courtesies matter in the digital world?** Absolutely. Responding to messages, giving people your full attention during conversations, and practicing respectful online communication are modern forms of courtesy. **How can parents teach common courtesies to children?** Children learn best by example. Consistently modeling respectful behavior and polite language helps children develop those habits naturally. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [How to Get Yourself Moving Forward When You Feel Stuck](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-get-yourself-moving-forward-when-you-feel-stuck/) **Published:** July 19, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Do you feel stuck? I think everyone does from time to time. Sometimes there’s simply too much to do, and you don’t know where to begin. Other times, life seems to come to a standstill because circumstances are [beyond your control](https://dnqsolutions.com/compassionate-solutions-for-hoarding-moving-past-overwhelm/). Illness, family emergencies, waiting for important news, or major life transitions can leave you feeling as though everything has been put on hold. When life feels uncertain, the best strategy is to shift your attention away from the things you cannot control and focus on the things that remain within your control. ### **Why We Feel Stuck** Most of us have a general sense of how our day, week, or month will unfold. When that sense of familiarity is suddenly replaced with uncertainty, decision-making becomes much more difficult. We may hesitate to make plans or begin projects because we think circumstances could change tomorrow. It’s no wonder we become anxious, overwhelmed, and unmotivated. The feeling of being stuck is real, but it doesn’t mean you have to stop [moving forward.](https://dnqsolutions.com/overwhelmed-heres-how-to-move-forward-when-you-have-too-much-to-do/) ## Here are several strategies that can help when you feel stuck in a holding pattern ### **Get Outside and Walk** One thing that always helps me [move past](https://dnqsolutions.com/compassionate-solutions-for-hoarding-moving-past-overwhelm/) the feeling of being stuck is getting outside for a walk. Fortunately, I always have a willing companion because my dog, Buddy, loves to go for walks. Physical movement helps break mental gridlock. Fresh air and sunshine improve mood and perspective, but even on gray, gloomy days, changing your surroundings and walking for a few minutes can help you think more clearly. [Research shows](https://www.cambermentalhealth.org/2025/09/10/walking-for-mental-health/) that even a short walk around the block can reduce stress and anxiety while improving mental clarity. ### **Call a Friend or Colleague** Reach out to a friend or colleague and tell them what’s weighing on your mind. Talking through a problem often makes it feel much more manageable. When we keep our worries to ourselves, they tend to grow larger than they really are. You’re probably familiar with the expression, *making a mountain out of a molehill.* My mother used to say that to me whenever I became overwhelmed. Now I’ve learned that sharing what’s making me feel stuck helps me understand the situation more clearly. Often, the other person offers a fresh perspective that I hadn’t considered. ### **Make a List of Things That Are Within Your Control** Take out a piece of paper and divide it in half. Label one side: **Things That Are Not in My Control** Label the other: **Things I Can Control** When life feels uncertain, it’s surprisingly comforting to recognize just how many things remain within your control. For example: - What time you get up. - What you eat. - Whether you exercise. - How you spend the next hour. - Whether you pay bills, answer emails, or schedule appointments. - How you care for your home. - Whether you ask for help. - Your attitude. Then write down the things that are making you feel stuck on the “Not in My Control” side. Finally, on the back of the page, make a simple plan for how you’ll respond if each situation unfolds the way you’re worried it might. Having a plan, even one you hope you never need, often reduces anxiety because you’ve already thought through your next steps. ### **Do One Small Productive Thing** Here are some small [productive things](https://dnqsolutions.com/compassionate-solutions-for-hoarding-moving-past-overwhelm/) that you can easily do around the house. These are simple tasks that take only a few minutes. - Empty the dishwasher. - Sort a pile of mail. - Schedule an appointment. - Water the plants. - Clear one countertop. The goal isn’t productivity for productivity’s sake. The goal is to remind yourself that you can still make progress despite uncertainty. ### **Maintain Your Basic Routines** As much as possible, maintain your normal habits and follow your usual morning and evening routines. Getting enough sleep and eating regular meals are two of the most important forms of self-care during stressful times. If you tend to snack when you’re anxious, stock your refrigerator with healthy choices like cut carrots or celery. If stress causes you to skip meals, plan several smaller meals throughout the day. The interesting thing is that when the rest of life feels uncertain, familiar routines provide stability and comfort. ### **Give Yourself Permission to Pause** Everyone gets stuck from time to time. If you find yourself avoiding work or feeling unable to move forward, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re being lazy. It may simply mean that life has thrown you a curveball, and coping with uncertainty is emotionally exhausting. Give yourself grace. Rest, read, pray, journal, or simply sit quietly. Sometimes that’s exactly what you need. Remember, you’re not giving up, you are simply pressing pause. This may be a season of waiting. We live in a world of instant answers and immediate gratification, so waiting can feel especially uncomfortable. During these seasons, lean on your routines and habits. Small, familiar actions can provide reassurance when everything else feels uncertain. ***“When life feels out of your control, choose one small action that helps you regain a sense of control and momentum.”*** ### **Focus on the Next Step, Not the Entire Journey** Rather than trying to solve every future problem, focus on today’s next step. Ask yourself: *“What can I do today that will move me forward?”* Each small action builds momentum. As always, one step leads to another, bringing you closer to where you want to be. ### **Conclusion** Feeling stuck is a normal response to uncertain circumstances. Although you can’t control everything happening around you, you can control how you respond. Choose one small action that helps you regain a sense of control and momentum. Eventually, the waiting will end, circumstances will change, and you’ll discover that those small, steady steps kept you moving forward all along. If you’re feeling stuck because of clutter, overwhelm, or a major life transition, you don’t have to figure it out alone. Together, we can identify practical next steps and create a plan that helps you move forward with confidence. [Contact me](https://dnqsolutions.com/) to learn more about my in-person and virtual organizing services. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Planning & Schedule Management --- ### [Reasons to Write Thank You Notes & How to Do it Easily](https://dnqsolutions.com/reasons-to-write-thank-you-notes-how-to-do-it-easily/) **Published:** June 27, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I think everyone knows that it’s important to say thank you when someone gives you something or does something nice for you. Those words often pop out of our mouths easily, which is a good thing. I know when my children were small, every time they were given something, I prompted them with, “What do you say?” and then they would, of course, say, “Thank you.” The habit of taking the time to write thank you notes, though, seems to have slipped off many people’s radar. The text message emoji of two hands together often replaces a thoughtful text message, email, or handwritten note. While it may seem old-fashioned and it does take a little more time, I believe there are many solid reasons to put pen to paper and write thank you notes. ### **Why We Write Thank You Notes for More Than Gifts** My rule of thumb is to write thank you notes to people I am not thanking in person. This particularly applies to gifts of any kind: birthday, graduation, and baby gifts. Wedding gifts are often sent through a registry or left on a table during the wedding reception. So, it’s always important to acknowledge those gifts with a thoughtful thank you note. But there are many other times when writing thank you notes is meaningful. We write thank you notes to let someone know their kindness and support matters. I know when I receive a thank you note acknowledging something I’ve done, I smile. The note lets me know my efforts are appreciated. This is no small thing. A note like this matters because it helps strengthen our connection. ### **A Handwritten Note Can Make a Difference in Your Career** I realize that most job interviews happen over Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet these days, but whether you travel to an office or are interviewed online, sending a thoughtful thank you message is part of the process. Since [it’s important to get in touch with the interviewer](https://hls.harvard.edu/bernard-koteen-office-of-public-interest-advising/opia-job-search-toolkit/interview-follow-up-thank-you-notes/) right away, an email thank you is perfectly acceptable. However, handwritten notes often carry more weight. Think about all the things a handwritten note communicates. When you write thank you notes, it shows that you have a genuine interest in the opportunity. It lets the interviewer know that you can string several thoughtful sentences together. And if you include a comment or two about something the interviewer shared, it also demonstrates that you pay attention to details. Even if the position ultimately goes to someone else, your thoughtful follow-up may leave a positive impression that opens doors in the future. It’s also a good idea to write a thank you note to your supervisor when you finish an internship, volunteer position, or summer job. You never know when you may ask that person for a reference. ### **Writing Thank You Notes During Difficult Times** Another reason to write thank you notes is to acknowledge the love and support a person or family receives during a time of grief. Recently, I’ve seen several lovely expressions of gratitude. One was a preprinted card with a picture of the person who had passed away and a few sentences about him. The sender had added a personal message of thanks for a memorial donation. The other was a handwritten card explaining why a donation to a favorite charity was so important to the family and how much it meant that their loved one was remembered in this way. Family members may also write to express gratitude for flowers, meals, memorial donations, visits, and other acts of support. Sending preprinted thank-you cards with the addition of a personal sentence or two relieves pressure during an already difficult time. ### **How to Write Thank You Notes Easily** If writing thank you notes feels overwhelming, let me assure you that it doesn’t have to be. In fact, all you need is this simple six-step formula. #### **The Simple Formula for Writing Thank You Notes** **Step 1:** Begin with a salutation like “Dear…” **Step 2:** Thank the person for their thoughtfulness in remembering you, sending a gift to your child, making a donation, or attending a service for a loved one. **Step 3:** Write one sentence describing the gift, how you will use it, or share a brief family update. **Step 4:** Add a sentence or two that acknowledges your connection to the person. **Step 5:** Sign your name. **Step 6:** Address the envelope completely, including the recipient’s full name, mailing address, and your return address. ### **Other Occasions to Write Thank You Notes** Are you wondering if there are other reasons to write thank you notes? I can think of several. If someone has invited you to spend one or more nights in their home, a thank you note is a thoughtful way to acknowledge their hospitality. You can thank them for the meals you shared and mention a special memory from your visit. There may be a time when you’re facing challenges and a friend steps in to help. A handwritten note is a wonderful way to show how much you appreciate their kindness and support. My final example is writing thank you notes to people who volunteer their time for a neighborhood, community, or group project. We all know that time is our most precious commodity. When someone generously gives their time to help make a project successful, a thank you note goes a long way. It lets them know their efforts did not go unnoticed. ### **Conclusion: A Few Minutes Can Create a Lasting Memory** Writing thank you notes is not about crafting perfect prose. It is simply about expressing gratitude. A thank-you note doesn’t have to be long, fancy, or beautifully written. It only needs to be sincere. In just a few minutes, you can let someone know their kindness mattered, and that simple gesture may be remembered for years to come. **Call to Action** **Ready to create more meaningful connections in your life?** Start by writing one thank you note this week. It doesn’t have to be long or perfect. A few sincere words can strengthen a relationship, brighten someone’s day, and remind both of you of the power of gratitude. If you’re looking for more practical tips to simplify life and strengthen connections, subscribe to my newsletter or [contact me](https://dnqsolutions.com/) to learn how I can help. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [The Hidden & Truly Simple Purpose of Organizing Your Home](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-hidden-truly-simple-purpose-of-organizing-your-home/) **Published:** June 21, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I can just imagine people rolling their eyes and asking themselves why a professional organizer would talk about the real purpose of organizing your home. Everyone knows the purpose of organizing a home is to make it look neat and tidy, put things away so you can find them, and purchase bins, baskets, and labeled containers. While bins, baskets, and labeled containers certainly have a place in many homes, and it’s true that it’s easier to find things when a home is neat and tidy, that’s not the real purpose at all. The true purpose of organizing your home is to create a space that supports the way you live. ### **Organizing Is About Creating Calm** A home filled with too [many possessions creates visual noise](https://nvpinstitute.com/article/sensory-overload/). Those possessions become visual reminders of things we haven’t done, projects we haven’t finished, or decisions we haven’t made, all of which can lead to stress, frustration, and feeling overwhelmed. The purpose of organizing your home and making intentional decisions about your belongings is to create a sense of peace. We know that a peaceful environment helps reduce stress and anxiety. It allows us to think more clearly and feel more relaxed. Everyone deserves to feel calm, comfortable, and at peace in their own home. ### **The Purpose of Organizing Your Home Is to Support Your Daily Life** The world outside our homes is stressful enough. We should be able to walk through our front door and leave some of that chaos behind. This happens when our home supports our daily life. Of course, life at home can be chaotic from time to time. We all experience busy seasons, but those moments are much easier to manage when the organizational structure of our home supports the life we’re living. This means you: - Can find your keys quickly. - Know exactly where important papers are located. - Can prepare meals with ease. - Have enough room to put laundry away. - Can welcome impromptu guests without panic. The goal is functionality, not perfection. ### **Organizing Is About Keeping What You Need, Use, and Love** When we reduce the number of things in our home and keep only what we need, use, and love, we make room for the things that truly support the life we’re living. This doesn’t mean your home must be free of all knick-knacks or decorations. On the contrary, if you love your knick-knacks, display them, enjoy them, and they aren’t getting in the way, then by all means keep them. However, if you have so many that they’re simply collecting dust or taking up valuable space in a closet, it may be time to reduce your collection. Help yourself be intentional by asking these three questions: - Do I need this? - Do I use this? - Do I love this? If the answer is no to all three, it may be time to let it go. ### **Organizing Is About Creating a Supportive Environment** A supportive home invites you to kick back and relax in your favorite spot. It provides space to prepare healthy meals and, if you’d like, exercise at home. How does organizing help accomplish this? When you keep what you need and place items where you use them, it becomes easier to do the things you want to do, such as cooking, exercising, playing games, resting, relaxing, or even working. Yes, work becomes easier too, because when your home supports your life, you create space to be both productive and creative. The purpose of organizing your home is to remove the excess so there is room for the things that matter most. It isn’t about making everything look perfect. It’s about creating a home that feels functional, supportive, and peaceful. ### **Organizing Is Not About Perfection** There is no such thing as a perfectly organized home. Life happens. You can beautifully organize a space, but it will only remain “perfect” for the few moments between finishing the project and actually using the space. Every home becomes messy from time to time because we live in our homes. The key is to establish simple reset routines for every space and create organizing systems that are easy to maintain. It’s also important to give yourself permission to adjust those systems as your needs change. The way you use each space will evolve over time. Allow your organizing systems to evolve with you so they continue to support your life. ### **Conclusion: Organize to Support the Life You Want to Live** At its core, the purpose of organizing your home is not to create magazine-worthy spaces or fill your house with matching bins. The purpose of organizing your home is to create a calm, peaceful, and supportive environment filled with the things you need, use, and love. When your home supports your life, you spend less time managing your possessions and more time enjoying the life you are living. #### **Ready to create a home that truly supports your life?** You don’t have to strive for perfection or do it all at once. Start with one small space and focus on keeping only the things you need, use, and love. Small, intentional changes can have a big impact on how your home feels every day. If you’d like support creating a calm, peaceful, and functional home, [I’d love to help](https://dnqsolutions.com/). Together, we can create organizing systems that fit your lifestyle and are easy to maintain over time. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [The Surprising Way to Identify Clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-surprising-way-to-identify-clutter/) **Published:** June 14, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Every time I move into a new home, I create garden spaces. In my last home, I was limited to gardening in pots and planters. While there’s nothing wrong with that, it didn’t satisfy my love for digging in the dirt. The home I moved into in November has multiple places to do just that – dig in the dirt. I was doing that the other day, digging in the dirt to [remove some plants](https://www.ilonasgarden.com/decluttering-your-garden/) when it occurred to me that the way I was identifying and removing plants could be used to identify clutter. There was nothing wrong with the plants I was removing. In fact, someone else might have loved them. But they didn’t belong in the garden I was creating, so they had to go. My mother was a fabulous gardener (I like to think I have inherited her green thumb). She always told me that a weed is a plant that is growing in a place you don’t want it. What if we use this definition to identify clutter? Can clutter be anything that is in a place where we don’t want it? ### **We Often Define Clutter the Wrong Way** Perhaps we have been defining clutter too narrowly, using the word only to describe having too much of something, things that are old and worn out, items that are broken, or spaces that look messy. Generally, this definition holds true, but let’s look at what happens when we expand our thinking to include anything that is not where we want it to be. Something that has a high monetary value is clutter, if it’s taking up valuable real estate in a closet and never displayed. Gifts can be clutter, if we don’t like or plan to use the items. That includes things that we may have inherited and that don’t fit our decorating style or the way we want to live. Even sentimental items can clutter a space because they hold us to the past. ### **The Surprising Way to Identify Clutter** Anything occupying space you want to use is clutter. Wow! That’s a broad and bold statement. But, if you take a moment to read the examples, you’ll find it’s fitting. Mail left in a pile on the kitchen counter prevents you from using the counter to prepare food. And, in my experience, when mail is left on the counter it attracts more mail – almost like a magnet. A pile of clothes tossed on a chair (living room, dining room, bedroom) is clutter. How do you know if they are clean clothes waiting to be folded or dirty clothes waiting to be washed? Tools, like a hammer, screwdriver, or scissors left on a table in the living room are clutter because they are not décor. Shoes in the hallway are not only clutter but also a tripping hazard. These things are not necessarily old, worn out, or broken. They make the area messy, and some may be expensive or valuable. The problem is not what they are, it’s the location. ### **Ask Yourself These Questions to Help Identify Clutter** **Does This Belong Here?** Is this where the item belongs, or is it simply where it landed? Is this where you would naturally look for this item? If you needed this item tomorrow, would this be the first place you would look for it? Maybe the things just landed on the first horizontal surface you saw and then they stayed there because you forgot about them. **Does It Support the Purpose of the Space?** Begin by thinking through how you use the space. Then decide which things/objects will support that function. Keep in mind that a room or area can have more than one purpose. For example: It might be a study/office most of the time and a part-time guest room. In that case, a section of the room or the closet might be set aside for things to use when you have a guest. **Is It Preventing Me from Using the Space the Way I Want?** Clutter often interferes with function. When a room contains things that don’t belong there, it becomes harder to find what you need and easier to feel overwhelmed. Here are some examples: Storing things you never use in a garage can prevent you from keeping your car in the garage. Piles of paper in an office probably make it difficult to find the documents you need. Keeping clothes that don’t fit or that you don’t like can make it difficult to put clothes away and/or find clothes you want to wear. ### **If I Removed It, Would the Space Work Better?** When you remove the things that don’t support the function of the room, you give yourself room to do the things you want to do. It will be easier to accomplish tasks or do your job when you aren’t competing with things that don’t belong in the space. ### **Why This Approach Makes Organizing Easier** This approach makes removing things from a room or space easier because it takes emotions out of the equation. You are deciding whether the things you are keeping in the room support the room’s purpose. Many items simply need to be relocated or reduced rather than eliminated. Think about relocating the things that don’t support the function of the space. Instead of focusing on removing them entirely, think about where those things belong in your home. And if you can’t think of anywhere to put them, ask yourself why you’re keeping them. Instead of asking, “Should I keep this?” you can begin by asking, “Does this belong here?” Often, that question is much easier to answer. ### **Not Everything Out of Place Is Clutter** It’s a fact that when you live in a home, things are often out of place. Understanding this means that you know that just because something is out of place doesn’t mean that it’s clutter. Current projects, active paperwork, and items in use get put down temporarily until they’re put away. The key is to know where the things belong and to plan when you’re going to put them away. ### **A Simple Challenge** Here’s a challenge for you. Pick a room in your home. Now, look around and find five things that don’t support the function of the room. Put the items away if you know where they belong. If you don’t, ask yourself whether they belong in your home at all. When you’re finished, notice how much calmer the room feels. ### **Conclusion: Think Like a Gardener** I encourage you to think like a gardener. When I weed my garden, I look at what’s growing in the area and ask myself, does this belong here? Many times, birds drop seedlings in the garden which turn into uninvited plants. Those seedlings may not belong where the bird has deposited them. The same is true in our homes. Things often become clutter not because they are bad or unnecessary, but because they are living in places where they don’t belong. The next time you’re feeling overwhelmed by a room, ask yourself the same question I ask in my garden: **Does this belong here?** The answer may help you identify clutter more quickly and make organizing decisions with greater confidence. ### **Call to Action** Ready to create a home that functions the way you want it to? Start with one room and ask yourself, “Does this belong here?” Small changes can make a big difference. If you’d like support creating systems that work for your lifestyle, I’d be happy to help. Whether you need assistance decluttering, organizing, or maintaining routines, together we can create spaces that are easier to use and enjoy. [Contact me](https://dnqsolutions.com) today to learn more about my in-person and virtual organizing services. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [The Great Mindset Shift that Makes Organizing Easier](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-great-mindset-shift-that-makes-organizing-easier/) **Published:** June 7, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** We’ve all heard the expression, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.” While the exact wording may vary, the message remains the same: our mindset influences our actions. When it comes to organizing, decluttering, managing a busy schedule, or simply getting through a difficult day, a positive mindset can make all the difference. ### **What Is a Positive Mindset?** The [Merriam-Webster dictionary](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mindset) defines mindset as a person’s attitude or inclination or a fixed state of mind. In other words when we approach a situation or a task with a preconceived notion as to what the result will be, it is usually self-fulfilling. Keep in mind that there is a difference between having a positive attitude and unrealistic optimism. A positive attitude gives you the ability to do something without the expectation you’ll do it as well as you would like to. Unrealistic optimism promotes the idea that whatever you do, it will turn out perfectly. We all know there’s no such thing as perfection. So, when we shift our thinking towards a positive attitude, we give ourselves grace to make mistakes and learn from them. **Example:** If you tell yourself, “This room is hopeless,” you’ll probably close the door and avoid the room. If you tell yourself, “I can make progress when I work for short periods of time” you’re more likely to get started. ### **A Strategy to Help You Get Started** One of the most common roadblocks to becoming more organized is feeling overwhelmed. This happens when clutter piles up. The more we avoid dealing with the piles the more they bother us and the more we avoid them which in turn leads to more clutter. It is a vicious cycle. Here’s a strategy to use. Instead of saying that you will organize the entire kitchen, start with one drawer, one counter, or one shelf in the pantry. You can even start with emptying the kitchen sink. This strategy can work with any area in which you want to create order because you are only focused on one small part of it. Begin by breaking the room or the area down into the smallest component and focus on that. You will make progress, one small section at a time. Every time you clear and organize a section, maintain it. Celebrate your success and then take the next step. Yes. Progress will be slow, but it will be consistent. ### **A Positive Mindset Makes Setbacks Easier to Handle** Life is busy, schedules change, and the organizing task we may have planned or wanted to do gets pushed aside. This happens to everyone, even to professional organizers. When you have a positive mindset, you acknowledge what didn’t get done and reschedule the task. Understanding that just because you let the mail pile up this week doesn’t mean that you will never deal with it is important. Decide on the next time you can factor this task into your schedule and then follow through. A setback is not a failure. It is a temporary glitch. Each new day gives us an opportunity to start fresh. ### **Watch the Words You Use** Be vigilant and talk to yourself the way you would talk to a friend. The words we use when we talk to ourselves matter because we hear them inside our head even if we’re not saying them out loud. Instead of telling yourself that you’re a slob, tell yourself that you haven’t gotten the hang of cleaning up yet. This little word ‘yet’ gives you the space to make improvements. It acknowledges that there’s a problem, that you’re working on it, and that you haven’t quite acquired the skill. Those three little letters leave the door open for growth and encourage you to continue trying. ### **How to Cultivate a Positive Mindset** It is challenging to shift our mindset from one that looks for the pothole to one that’s positive. But it is possible. Try focusing on things that you know you can control and intentionally release the things that you can’t. Stick with the task at hand instead of worrying about things that may not happen. Pay attention and notice the things that are working for you. In fact, taking a few minutes at the end of the day to write down all the things during that day that went well is a good way to practice gratitude. This small habit intentionally focuses on the positive and directs attention away from the things that went wrong. Always break projects down into small steps and then complete the steps one at a time. Each time you complete at step, celebrate that you did it! This builds momentum and brings you that much closer to completing the whole project. Finally surround yourself with people who will help you foster a positive mindset. Think about the people who support you. They may be family, friends, coaches, a support group, or professional organizers. These people can help you continue moving forward. ### **Closing Thoughts** The next time you’re faced with a cluttered room, an overwhelming project, or a long to-do list, pay attention to the story you’re telling yourself. If you tell yourself that it’s impossible, you’ll probably find evidence to support that belief. If you tell yourself that you can make progress, you’ll likely discover that you can. A positive mindset won’t do the work for you, but it can provide the encouragement you need to take the first step and that first step is often the most important one. ### **FAQs** **What is a positive mindset?** A positive mindset is the habit of approaching challenges with optimism, resilience, and the belief that progress is possible. **Can a positive mindset really help me get organized?** Yes. Your attitude influences your willingness to start, continue, and recover from setbacks. A positive mindset makes it easier to take consistent action. **How do I stay positive when I feel overwhelmed?** Break the task into smaller pieces, focus on one step at a time, and remind yourself that progress counts even when it feels slow. **What if I’ve tried to get organized before and failed?** Most people need multiple attempts before a new habit sticks. Past struggles don’t determine future success. **Is positive thinking the same as ignoring problems?** No. A positive mindset acknowledges challenges while focusing on solutions and opportunities for progress. ### **Call to Action** Are you struggling to get started because the task feels overwhelming? Sometimes the biggest obstacle isn’t the clutter, it’s believing that change is possible. As a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, I help people break projects into manageable steps and create realistic plans for success. If you’re ready to move from feeling stuck to making progress, I’d love to help. [Contact me](https://dnqsolutions.com/) to schedule an in-person or virtual organizing session. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [How to Make Doing Chores More Fun](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-make-doing-chores-more-fun/) **Published:** May 24, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Let’s face the facts. No one likes to do chores. Well, maybe there is a rare person who looks forward to doing some chores, some of the time. But, for the most part doing chores is probably not on the top of anyone’s “favorite list of things to do.” The other fact is that if chores don’t get done, clutter, laundry, and dishes pile up, things get dusty, and then difficult to clean. This is something almost everyone wants to avoid. Facing piles of laundry, mountains of dishes, and stacks of paper, magazines, and clutter is overwhelming. As I see it, we have some choices here. We can procrastinate and avoid doing chores until we have no choice or we can find a way to make doing chores more fun. Another fact is that the more often we do chores, the less there is to do, and the easier they become. ### **How to Make Chores More Fun** The first thing to do is shift the way we think about chores. If we continually think about doing chores as drudgery and something we dislike then, of course, we will drag our heels and resist doing them. Consider thinking about the outcome instead. Let’s take laundry as an example. When you do laundry, the result is having clean clothes. And, if you do laundry regularly, there are no piles of laundry clogging up the laundry room and spilling onto the floor. ### Makes **Chores More Fun and Do Them with a Friend** It’s always easier to do something if you have support. Call a friend and chat with them while you do some chores. You could do some dusting, laundry, empty the dishwasher, make the bed – the list goes on. You would be done in what feels like no time at all because you would also be having fun talking to a friend. If your friend also needs support, you could each say which chore you wanted to get done and call each other when you’re finished. You would be helping each other by providing accountability. ### Make **Chores More Fun By Stacking Them** Pairing chores with something enjoyable is a wonderful way to make chores more fun. Listen to your favorite podcast while doing dishes. Empty the dishwasher while you wait for your coffee to brew. Watch television while folding laundry. Vacuum while listening to music or an audiobook. This technique, often called [“habit stacking”](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/habit-stacking) or “temptation bundling,” helps your brain connect chores with something pleasant. Instead of focusing only on the task, you begin to associate it with entertainment, relaxation, or enjoyment. You might even find yourself looking forward to the next chapter of your audiobook or the next episode of your favorite podcast because it’s connected to your cleaning routine. ### **Challenge Yourself and Set a Timer** Sometimes chores feel overwhelming because we think they will take forever. One of the best ways to make chores more fun is to set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes and see how much you can accomplish before the timer goes off. You may be surprised at how quickly you can tidy the kitchen, sort a pile of papers, or put away laundry when you focus for a short burst of time. Turning chores into a “beat the clock” challenge can make them feel more manageable and less intimidating. ### **Remember to Reward Yourself** Rewards are motivating. Promise yourself a small reward after completing a chore or a group of chores. Maybe you enjoy: - Sitting outside with a cup of tea - Reading a chapter of a good book - Taking a walk - Watching an episode of a favorite show - Enjoying a special snack Knowing there is something pleasant waiting for you afterward can help you stay motivated to get started. ### Make **Chores More Fun and Change the Environment** A gloomy environment can make chores feel even more unpleasant. Brighten things up a little. Open the curtains and let sunlight into the room. Turn on upbeat music. Light a candle with a scent you enjoy. Even small changes to the atmosphere can improve your mood and make chores more fun. You could also move from room to room instead of staying in one area too long. A change of scenery helps keep your energy up. ### **Celebrate Your Progress** It’s important to notice what you accomplished instead of focusing only on what is left to do. Maybe you didn’t clean the entire house, but you cleared the kitchen counter. Maybe all the laundry is not finished, but you folded and put away two loads – or even just one. Progress matters. When you acknowledge your accomplishments, you build momentum and are more likely to continue your routines. ## **Final Thoughts About Making Chores More Fun** Doing chores may never become your favorite activity, but they do not have to feel miserable either. Small changes in your mindset and routines can make chores more fun and easier to manage. The key is to find strategies that work for you. Listen to music, call a friend, set a timer, stack chores with something enjoyable, or reward yourself afterward. The more consistently you do chores, the less overwhelming they become. And remember, every small step you take helps create a home that feels calmer, cleaner, and easier to maintain. ### **FAQs** **How can I make chores more fun when I have no motivation?** Start very small. Set a timer for just 10 minutes and pair the chore with something enjoyable like music, a podcast, or a phone call with a friend. **Why do chores feel so overwhelming?** Chores often feel overwhelming when they pile up over time. Breaking tasks into smaller steps and doing them consistently can make them feel more manageable. **What is habit stacking?** Habit stacking means pairing a task you need to do with something you enjoy. For example, listening to an audiobook while vacuuming or folding laundry while watching television. **How often should I do household chores?** Small daily or weekly routines are usually easier to maintain than waiting until everything becomes overwhelming. **Can rewards really help me complete chores?** Yes. Even small rewards can motivate you to begin and finish tasks. Rewards help your brain associate chores with positive feelings. **Call to Action** If clutter and chores feel overwhelming, you do not have to figure it all out alone. Working with a professional organizer can help you create simple routines and manageable systems that make maintaining your home easier. Contact [DNQ Solutions](https://dnqsolutions.com/?utm_source=chatgpt.com) to learn more about how I can help you create a calmer, more organized home. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [How to Overcome Disposaphobia](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-overcome-disposaphobia/) **Published:** May 17, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Disposaphobia is the fear of disposing of things. People who are impacted by this fear experience anxiety when thinking about removing items from their home. It doesn’t matter if they are considering tossing, recycling, or donating the items—they are bothered by it. The question is: how can you overcome disposaphobia, the fear of disposing of things? Let’s go back to the beginning and review why this topic comes up. We know there is an acquisition problem here in the United States. People, myself included, are always acquiring things and rarely think about removing items to make room for new clothes, furniture, toys, gadgets, and gizmos. When I bring home something new, I remind myself to remove the item the new thing is replacing. Sometimes, I’m not replacing anything. I may have purchased a new top or a new dress for a special occasion. In that case, I look through my clothes to see if there is anything I want to donate. I know this happens to many people. We bring things home without thinking about how full the closet or cupboard may already be. Consequently, homes become more like storage facilities instead of the relaxing and peaceful refuge we want them to be. For some people, it’s not as much disposaphobia as it is mindless acquiring. When these individuals decide to reduce their collections, they can usually do so fairly easily. They may review their overfull collections by asking themselves a series of questions: ### **Have I Used This Recently?** If the answer is yes, they will keep it. When the answer is no, and the item is in good condition, they will donate it. If it is broken or missing a part, they will either toss or recycle it. ### **Do I Need This?** Does this item serve a purpose and support the life the person is currently living? Sometimes people keep things long after they are using them regularly because the item reminds them of how they used to live. Once they realize this, they can often let the item go and create space for the things that support them now. ### **Do I Love This?** Sometimes we keep things because we love the person who gave them to us. If we don’t actually love the item itself, we can donate or sell it. If it is truly loved, then it’s up to us to find a place to display it and enjoy it. ## **Roadblocks People Impacted by Disposaphobia Encounter** ### **Fear of Recycling** Some people want to be conscientious recyclers, so they separate everything possible, but then don’t know where to take the items in their town. Another obstacle is scheduling. Taking things to multiple recycling sites is time-consuming. Sometimes people forget to plan the time into their schedule, or their work schedule doesn’t allow them to access recycling centers when they are open, so the recycling piles up in the home. #### **A Quick Fix** Partner with a friend or neighbor to recycle together. You can remind each other when certain items will be picked up or when large recycling events happen in your town. Working with someone else can make the process easier and more manageable. ### **Fear That You’ll Lose the Memory** Some people experience disposaphobia because an object reminds them of a special person or meaningful time in their life. They fear removing the item because they worry they will lose the memory attached to it. #### **A Quick Fix** Take a picture of the item and tell the story behind it. Where did it come from? Who gave it to you? Why is it important? Writing the story down helps preserve the memory even if the object is no longer in your home. ### **Fear You Won’t Be Able to Find the Information** If your disposaphobia extends to documents, ask yourself how long it would really take to locate that information again. For some documents, you are correct, you should keep them, especially if they contain vital information. However, much of today’s information can easily be found again online, and information is constantly being updated anyway. #### **A Quick Fix** Ask your accountant for a list of important documents you should keep, and store them in a designated safe place in your home. ### **Fear That You’ll Need It Someday** Maybe you don’t want to get rid of something because you fear you might need it someday. You are holding onto things “just in case.” Chances are, you won’t need most of them. #### **A Quick Fix** Do a little research and find out how much it would cost to replace the item you’re thinking about letting go. [The Minimalists](https://www.theminimalists.com/) often promote this strategy: if it would cost less than $30 and take less than 30 minutes to replace, consider letting it go. ### **Final Thoughts About Disposaphobia** Overcoming disposaphobia doesn’t happen overnight. The fear of disposing of things is often tied to emotions, memories, uncertainty, or a desire to avoid making mistakes. The important thing is to begin recognizing the thoughts behind the fear and to practice making small decisions. Start with one drawer, one shelf, or one small category of items. Each time you successfully let go of something you no longer need, you build confidence in your ability to make decisions and create space for the life you are living now. ### **FAQs** **What is disposaphobia?** Disposaphobia is the fear of disposing of items. People impacted by disposaphobia often struggle to throw away, recycle, donate, or sell belongings because of emotional attachment, fear, or uncertainty. **Is disposaphobia the same as hoarding?** Not exactly. Disposaphobia can contribute to hoarding behaviors, but not everyone with disposaphobia meets the criteria for hoarding disorder. Some people simply struggle with letting go of possessions. **How can I start overcoming disposaphobia?** Begin small. Focus on one category or one small area at a time. Asking yourself simple questions like “Do I use this?” or “Does this support my current life?” can help you make decisions more easily. **Why do people struggle to let things go?** People may fear losing memories, needing the item later, wasting money, or making the wrong decision. Emotional attachment and anxiety often play a role in disposaphobia. **What should I do with sentimental items?** Consider taking photos of sentimental items and writing down the memories associated with them. This allows you to preserve the memory without necessarily keeping every physical object. **Can working with a professional organizer help with disposaphobia?** Yes. A professional organizer can provide support, structure, accountability, and nonjudgmental guidance while helping you make decisions at a pace that feels manageable. ### **Call to Action** If disposaphobia is making it difficult for you to reduce clutter or feel comfortable in your home, you don’t have to tackle it alone. As a [Certified Professional Organizer®,](https://dnqsolutions.com/) I help people create manageable systems and make thoughtful decisions about their belongings with compassion and without judgment. Together, we can create a home that supports the life you want to live now. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [How to Manage Your Expectations and Be Successful](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-manage-your-expectations-and-be-successful/) **Published:** May 3, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** We all have great expectations for the ways in which we want things to happen. At least, I know I do. I have great expectations for how I want projects to be completed, presentations to be received, and events to unfold. It’s normal to have expectations, but when they are unrealistic, they lead to frustration, disappointment, and may even cause you to stall. When things don’t go exactly as I had hoped, I remind myself that my expectations may not have been realistic, that I’ve done my best—and then I move on. Learning to manage your expectations helps you stay engaged and be successful. ### **What Does It Mean to Manage Your Expectations?** Our expectations are our beliefs about how we want things to happen. When you plan and organize an event, the expectation is that everything will run smoothly. That’s the hope. However, something almost always doesn’t go exactly as planned—and that’s okay. As the planner, you can’t control everything. When you acknowledge that fact, it becomes easier to manage your expectations. Let’s imagine you’ve decided to organize your entire home. It’s unrealistic to expect it to be finished in one weekend. Instead, you can acknowledge that your home did not become cluttered overnight, so it will not become organized overnight either. Setting high goals helps us stretch ourselves. But unrealistically high expectations set us up for disappointment. ### **Why Unrealistic Expectations Set You Up to Fail** Unrealistic expectations often do more harm than good. When the outcome isn’t what we hoped for, we feel disappointed, frustrated, and may engage in negative self-talk. For example, you might tell yourself that you can organize the entire garage in two hours. When the time is up and you’re nowhere near finished, it’s easy to give up and walk away—leaving the garage in disarray and feeling defeated. ### **3 Practical Ways to Manage Your Expectations** #### **Align Your Expectations with Reality** Before you start a project, ask yourself how much time you truly have and whether you have what you need to complete it. Be honest with yourself. If your expectations are too high, dial them back. Break the project into smaller steps. Consider using time as your guide and work on the project 10 minutes at a time. You may be surprised at how much you accomplish. **Break Big Expectations into Small, Doable Steps** Breaking large expectations into manageable steps builds momentum. Decide to: - Clean and organize one shelf in the pantry (instead of the entire pantry) - Empty and organize one box in the attic (instead of the entire attic) - Edit and organize one section of your closet (instead of the whole closet) Each small success gives you a sense of accomplishment—and that can motivate you to keep going. #### **Allow Room for Flexibility and Imperfection** Give yourself grace. Life will interrupt your plans. If something gets in the way, let doing a portion of your project be “good enough” for now. You can always come back to it. This is especially important for busy families and for individuals diagnosed with ADHD or affected by chronic disorganization. Doing something—even for 10 minutes—is better than doing nothing at all. #### **How Managing Your Expectations Improves Your Life** Turning unrealistic expectations into realistic ones reduces stress and overwhelm. Why? Because realistic expectations are achievable. Achieving them builds confidence—and confidence builds momentum. As your confidence grows, you may find yourself naturally adding more tasks and developing supportive habits and routines. ### **A Gentle Reminder: Expectations Affect Other People Too** When we set expectations too high, they can be impossible for others to meet. This can leave loved ones or colleagues feeling like they’ve failed—even when they’ve done their best. Be clear about your expectations. Share your goals and allow room for flexibility. Offer others the same grace you offer yourself. When expectations are communicated clearly, success can be shared and celebrated together. ### **Conclusion: Set Expectations That Support You** Use high expectations as a direction—not a demand. Start with where you are and what you have. Break projects into small, manageable steps. Give yourself grace and acknowledge your progress. When you manage your expectations this way, they work for you—not against you. ### **Call to Action** If managing your expectations feels challenging—especially when you’re overwhelmed by clutter or too much to do—you don’t have to figure it out alone. [I help clients](https://dnqsolutions.com) break large, stressful goals into small, manageable steps so they can make steady progress without feeling defeated. Reach out to learn how we can work together, or join one of my upcoming classes with Jonda Beattie to build habits that truly support you. Visit [https://releaserepurpose.com](https://releaserepurpose.com/) to learn more. ### **FAQs** **1. What does it mean to manage your expectations?** Managing your expectations means setting realistic, achievable goals based on your time, energy, and resources. **2. Why do unrealistic expectations cause stress?** Because they are often impossible to meet, leading to frustration, disappointment, and negative self-talk. **3. How can I tell if my expectations are unrealistic?** If a task feels overwhelming, rushed, or impossible within your timeframe, it’s likely your expectations need adjusting. **4. What is the best way to make expectations more realistic?** Break larger goals into smaller steps and focus on what you can accomplish in short periods of time. **5. How does managing expectations help with organizing?** It prevents burnout and helps you build momentum through small, consistent wins. **6. Can managing expectations improve relationships?** Yes. Clear and realistic expectations reduce misunderstandings and help others feel successful rather than pressured. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog --- ### [3 Great Reasons to Be Consistent With Organizing](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-great-reasons-to-be-consistent-with-organizing/) **Published:** April 26, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Recent research tells us that being consistent may be one of the most important things on which to focus our efforts. A study done at Harvard indicates that consistent exercise leads to better health, improved eating habits, a more positive outlook, and even a longer life. From my experience as a [Certified Professional Organizer](https://dnqsolutions.com), I’ve seen that when a person is consistent with organizing, their home is noticeably tidier. **What Does This Mean in Real Life?** Simply put, the small decisions you repeat on a regular basis help keep your life running smoothly in multiple areas. ### **Small Decisions to Repeat** #### **Sort the Mail** When you make the small decision to regularly sort the mail—recycling what you don’t need and placing important items in the same designated spot—you always know where to find it. This prevents mail from being scattered throughout the house and reduces the overwhelm and anxiety that can come with large stacks of paper. #### **Put It Away** Putting things away after using them helps keep every part of your home tidy. This principle applies whether you’re at home or in the office. **How does it work?** Imagine you are working on a project at the dining table. You gather cleaning supplies, scissors, a ruler, and glue. If you put everything away when you’re finished, your dining table is immediately ready for your next meal. If you leave everything out, you’ll need to clean it up later—adding one more task to your list. The same applies in your office. When you finish using a reference book or files, putting them away prevents clutter from building up as you move on to the next task. #### **Put It Back** Growing up in a family of five children, if we borrowed something from our mother, she would say, *“Make sure you put it back where you found it.”* It turns out, this is an excellent rule to follow. It teaches us that it’s easier to find things when they are consistently kept in a specific place. When you repeatedly make these small decisions, they become habits. You no longer have to think about them—you simply follow through. ### **3 Great Reasons to Be Consistent with Organizing** **1. It’s Easier to Maintain** Organizing is never a one-and-done task. Our homes are where we live, work, and play—so there is always something to reset. However, when you are consistent with organizing and don’t allow clutter to accumulate, your space becomes much easier to maintain. **2. The More Consistent You Are, the Less You Have to Do** When you stay on top of everyday tasks like laundry, dishes, and mail—items that tend to pile up—you avoid overwhelming backlogs. Instead of dedicating an entire day to catching up, you handle things in manageable increments. If you have children, regularly editing their toys as they outgrow them not only reduces clutter but also teaches them the value of letting go and sharing with others. **3. The Less You Have to Organize, the More Free Time You Have** This is where happiness comes into play. When you are consistent with organizing, you can invite people over without stress. You can say “yes” to spontaneous plans because you’re not weighed down by unfinished chores. Consistency gives you something incredibly valuable—**time**. ### **Ready to Be Consistent with Organizing?** If this sounds appealing, know that it is absolutely within reach. Contact me, and together we will create simple, sustainable systems that make it easier for you to be consistent with organizing your home. ### **FAQs** **1. How do I start being consistent with organizing?** Start small. Choose one area—like mail or a single drawer—and build a simple routine around it. Consistency grows from small, repeatable actions. **2. What if I fall out of the habit?** That’s normal. Simply start again. Consistency isn’t about perfection—it’s about returning to your routines. **3. How long does it take for organizing habits to stick?** It varies, but with daily repetition, small habits can begin to feel automatic within a few weeks. **4. Do I need a lot of time to stay organized?** No. In fact, consistency reduces the amount of time needed. A few minutes each day is often enough. **5. Can a professional organizer help me stay consistent?** Yes. A professional organizer can help you create systems tailored to your lifestyle, making it much easier to maintain consistency. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [The Best Reason to Work on Connections](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-reason-to-work-on-connections/) **Published:** April 19, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Connections are like relationships. We have ones that we pay attention to and in which we are fully invested. Then there are other connections that are less important to us, so we give them less attention, yet they are still there. We have connections in many areas of our lives. Think about family, friends, places, food, and belongings. We make connections to all these things. Our connections—and the way we manage them—are impactful. Some support the way we want to live, while others can weigh us down. That’s why it’s so important to **work on connections** that truly support your life. ### **Connections to Family and Friends** It doesn’t matter if you have a large or small family, or many friends or just a few. What matters is your connection and what you do with it. My sisters and I joined my brother and his family at his daughter’s wedding recently. It was a marvelous celebration and served to strengthen our family connection. Much like our habits and routines, connections can either support us or hinder us. Family and friends are invaluable when they listen, try to understand us, and offer love, support, and objective help when needed. These connections become challenging when we experience a lack of interest, understanding, or when we are met with criticism and judgment. This is a two-way street. Positive connections require nurturing. Just like habits and routines, the more we practice them, the more ingrained they become. People are more likely to listen and support us when they feel listened to, understood, and supported themselves. While this may not always hold true, showing genuine interest and asking thoughtful questions often strengthens the connection. **Why is this important?** People need other people. As the song made famous by Barbra Streisand reminds us, we are happier and more resilient when we are connected to others. There is also a growing body of research showing that our [brains benefit from meaningful social interaction](https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_relationships_feed_your_brain). ### **Connections to Places** Think about a time when you had fun at a specific place. The memory likely makes you smile and may even inspire you to return. That’s a positive connection. On the other hand, a negative experience can discourage you from going back. It’s often easier to **work on connections** to places because you can choose where you go. Restaurants, hotels, and even event venues are places you select. When possible, choose places that support positive experiences and let go of those that don’t. ### **Connections to Food** It can be more challenging to **work on connections** to food. Most of us know it’s important to eat in a way that supports our health, which sometimes means saying “no” to foods we crave. For some, health concerns may require limiting or avoiding certain foods altogether. This can be difficult, but it’s often necessary. Our connection to food is also emotional. For example, I love snack foods and could easily snack throughout the day instead of eating regular meals. But I choose to plan balanced meals instead, supporting the way I want to feel and function. How about you? How do you **work on connections** with the food you eat? ### **Connections to Belongings** Just like food, our connections to belongings can be complex. Ideally, the things we own should support the way we want to live. However, we often hold onto items beyond their usefulness because of emotional connections. If you want to **work on connections** with your belongings, consider asking yourself: - Am I keeping this only because I love the person who gave it to me? - Do I love this item? - Do I use it now? - Will I realistically use it in the future? - Is there a meaningful historical family reason to keep it? - Is it a verified antique with real value? - Does it make me happy? - Does it make my life easier? ### **A Final Thought: Choose Connections That Support You** When you take time to **work on connections**, you begin to see which ones truly support your life – and which ones do not. The goal isn’t to eliminate every difficult or imperfect connection. Instead, it’s to become more intentional. Strengthen the connections that uplift you, bring you joy, and help you live the life you want. Gently release or reshape the ones that don’t. Small, thoughtful changes in how you approach your connections can lead to meaningful shifts in how you feel every day. If you’d like support as you sort through your connections, whether with your belongings, routines, or spaces, reach out to me. I’d love to help you create systems that truly support your life. Send me an email to schedule a free 30-minute consultation; diane@dnqsolutions.com ### **FAQs** **Why is it important to work on connections?** When you work on connections, you become more intentional about what supports your life. This can improve your emotional well-being, decision-making, and daily routines. **How do I know which connections are helping me?** Supportive connections make you feel understood, energized, and aligned with your goals. Draining connections often leave you feeling stressed, overwhelmed, or stuck. **Can I really change my connections?** Yes. While you may not control every relationship, you can change how you engage with people, places, food, and belongings. **What’s the first step to work on connections?** Start by noticing how you feel. Awareness is the first step. From there, make small, intentional choices that support your well-being. **How does this relate to organizing?** Your [connections to belongings directly impact clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com). When you work on connections, it becomes easier to decide what to keep and what to let go. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Finding Balance When Life Takes a Turn You Didn't Expect](https://dnqsolutions.com/finding-balance-when-life-takes-a-turn-you-didnt-expect/) **Published:** November 2, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Life rarely happens exactly the way we want it to. Just when you think things are going smoothly, an unexpected twist can send your plan down the drain and alter everything. It can be something like an illness, a job loss, a family emergency, or even a sudden opportunity that changes your plans. When life takes a turn you didn’t expect, it can leave you feeling overwhelmed, unsteady, and unsure of what to do next. The good news? You don’t have to figure everything out all at once. The best way to manage change is to simplify: let go of your expectations, focus on what truly matters, and take things one day at a time. ### **Accept That Life Has Changed** The first step is acceptance. You may not like what’s happened, and that’s okay. Accepting reality doesn’t mean you approve of it, it simply means you’re willing to face it head-on. When life takes a turn you didn’t expect, it’s normal to want things to go back to the way they were. But holding onto those thoughts will keep you stuck. Acknowledging what is allows you to start adapting. You can’t move forward if you’re still trying to live in the version of life you had before the change. ### **Let Go of Expectations** [Letting go of expectations](https://positivepsychology.com/how-to-let-go/) can be one of the hardest, yet most freeing, steps you’ll take. We all build mental pictures of how things “should” go. This includes ideas of how a project should unfold, how people should behave, or how a day should look. But when life shifts unexpectedly, those expectations can quickly become burdens. Try writing down what you expected to happen versus what’s happening now. Seeing it in black and white helps you release the tension between the two. When you let go of expectations, you open yourself up to new ways of thinking, doing, and being. ### **Focus on What Truly Matters** In uncertain times, priorities become crystal clear. Focus on what’s essential. These are the things that truly keep your life moving forward. That means paying attention to firm deadlines, staying current with bills and payments, and maintaining the basic structure of your days. Simplifying your focus helps you regain a sense of control when life takes a turn you didn’t expect. Ask yourself: - What absolutely must get done today? - Is there something that can wait until next week? - What can I release altogether? By answering these questions honestly, you give yourself permission to let go of the extras that only add stress and overwhelm. ### **Take Care of Your Basic Needs** When stress hits, self-care often slips to the bottom of the list. But that’s exactly when you need it most. Just like the announcement on the airplane; put your oxygen mask on before helping the person next to you. Make sure you’re getting enough rest, eating balanced meals, and staying hydrated. Those may sound like small things, but they’re the foundation of your ability to think clearly and cope effectively. When life takes a turn you didn’t expect, keeping your physical and emotional reserves strong becomes essential. Build simple habits: go to bed at the same time each night, take short walks to clear your head, and check in with supportive friends or family. ### **Silence the “What Ifs”** “What if I had done this differently?” “What if things don’t get better?” Those questions may swirl in your mind, but they don’t help you move forward. “What if” thinking keeps you anchored in worry instead of action. When those thoughts arise, gently redirect your attention to what’s right in front of you. Remember to focus on today. You only need to get through one day at a time. By staying present, you reduce anxiety and conserve your energy for what truly matters. ### **Do Only What’s Necessary** There’s no shame in pulling back during difficult times. Give yourself permission to say “no” to optional commitments and social obligations. Keep your daily to-do list short and realistic. It’s perfectly fine to do only what’s essential when life takes a turn you didn’t expect. This isn’t a time to push yourself harder, it’s a time to protect your energy and give yourself grace. The world will wait while you regain your footing. ### **Moving Forward with Compassion** When life takes a turn you didn’t expect, you can’t always control what happens — but you can control how you respond. The path forward may not look the way you planned, but with acceptance, focus, and self-compassion, you can find your balance again. Start small. Take care of the basics. Breathe. Each time you meet a small obligation or take one intentional step, you’re rebuilding stability and strength. If you’re finding it hard to keep up with your space or routines during a major life shift, consider working with [a professional organizer like me.](https://dnqsolutions.com) Having someone by your side to help prioritize, declutter, and simplify can make an enormous difference – giving you the structure and calm you need to navigate whatever comes next. ### **FAQs** **Q1: What’s the first thing I should do when life takes a turn I didn’t expect?** Pause and breathe. Acknowledge what has changed and focus on identifying just one or two things that need your immediate attention. [Starting small prevents overwhelm](https://dnqsolutions.com/overwhelmed-heres-how-to-move-forward-when-you-have-too-much-to-do/) and helps you move forward with clarity. **Q2: How can I [keep my home organized ](https://dnqsolutions.com/overwhelmed-by-urgency-how-to-prioritize-when-everything-feels-critical/)when everything feels out of control?** Simplify your routines. Do quick resets: make the bed, clear the sink, handle one pile or one surface at a time. Small wins help you maintain a sense of control and calm. **Q3: I feel guilty letting go of tasks or commitments. How do I manage that?** It’s okay to step back. Priorities shift when life changes. Remind yourself that rest and recovery are not luxuries — they’re necessary steps to take as you become comfortable with your new reality. **Q4: How can a professional organizer help me when life takes a turn I didn’t expect?** A professional organizer can help you assess your priorities, reduce clutter, and create systems that support you in managing daily life. With the right guidance, your space can become a source of peace instead of stress. **Q5: How do I stop worrying about the future?** Shift your focus from “what if” to “what now.” Concentrate on what’s within your control today like your next meal or your next[ small step](https://dnqsolutions.com/small-steps-toward-change/). Staying present builds confidence and calm. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [The Best Way to Eliminate Stress from Event Planning](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-way-to-eliminate-stress-from-event-planning/) **Published:** April 5, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** This year I have gone to — and will attend — many events. Some of the events [I am planning](https://dnqsolutions.com) and executing, and some I am attending as a guest. No matter how much careful preparation a person does, event planning creates stress. I’m sure that if you have ever planned a gathering, you know exactly what I’m talking about. It doesn’t matter if the party is for family, friends, or business associates, the planner stresses over the details. The question is: Can you eliminate stress from event planning? I believe it is possible, but it requires a change in mindset. First, let’s review what’s involved in planning an event. ### **Begin Event Planning with the End in Mind** [Jonda Beattie](http://timespacemanagement.org) and I call this backwards planning. Start event planning by envisioning how you want the event to look and feel when your guests arrive. This applies to everything from the smallest family dinner to a large corporate gathering. Once you have a clear vision, it’s time to crunch some numbers. How much money do you have available to make your vision come to life? Is your vision realistic, or do you need to scale it back a bit? Once you’ve determined your vision and created a reasonable budget, the next step in event planning is deciding when and where the event will take place. ### **Date and Location** The date and location often go hand in hand. Sometimes it’s easiest to decide **when** you will have the event and then determine the location based on what is available at that time. You will also want to have a general idea of how many people may attend because the number of guests will influence the space you choose. Two of my nieces are getting married this summer. Securing the location for the wedding and reception was a challenge for both of them, even though they started the process more than a year in advance. One of my nieces chose to move her wedding day to a Friday because the venue she and her fiancé wanted was not available on the weekend they had in mind. Jonda, on the other hand, is planning a family reunion at her home, so determining the location and date was easy. She also has a good idea of who will attend. ### **Details in Event Planning** Once the basics are decided, it’s time to focus on the details you can control. #### **The Program** Every event has a program. The program is what draws people to your event. It can be as simple as inviting a few people for dinner or as complex as a multi-day conference. In every case, the people attending should know what is going on. They need to know where to go, when to be there, and what to expect. Clear communication removes uncertainty and helps everyone relax, participate, and enjoy the experience. #### **The Menu** If it is a small gathering, like dinner with family, you probably already know the foods people enjoy and whether anyone has food allergies or intolerances. Planning the menu for a large event can be more complicated. Here are a few tips to reduce stress during this part of the event planning process: 1. Avoid foods that are overly spicy. People can always add spice with condiments. 2. Offer enough variety so everyone can create a satisfying meal regardless of dietary preferences. 3. Clearly label dishes: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian, etc. And remember, you will not be able to please everyone, and that’s okay. #### **Decorations** Compared to planning the program and menu, decorations are a smaller part of event planning, but they do set the tone visually. If the event is formal or serious, the décor may be more subdued. If it is a themed celebration, such as a Halloween party, you can go all out with decorations and music. At the very least, you’ll want a pleasant table setting and a centerpiece or flowers that reflect the theme of the event. #### **Entertainment** You may not need entertainment beyond the program itself, but music often enhances the atmosphere. If you hire live musicians, take time to preview their work. Watch videos and provide a list of songs you would like included. If you plan to use recorded music, be sure you understand any licensing or usage requirements. ### **What-If Worries in Event Planning** There are always things to worry about during event planning. However, contingency planning can help reduce stress. Have backup plans for your backup plans. For example, during a multi-day conference, what happens if a presenter becomes ill? You hope that never happens, but having a contingency plan can keep the event running smoothly. Or imagine a wedding where the florist does not deliver the bouquets on time. A simple backup could be purchasing flowers from a grocery store and assembling bouquets yourself with ribbon. Thinking through possible “what if” scenarios in advance allows you to respond calmly if something unexpected occurs. ### **Things You Can’t Control in Event Planning** Some things are simply beyond your control. You can’t control the weather. If your event is outdoors, renting a tent can help if it rains. You can’t control major storms. In those situations, the event may have to be cancelled. You can’t control illness. People sometimes get sick and cannot attend. And perhaps the hardest thing to accept — you can’t control what people think. The goal of event planning is to give people a positive experience. If most of your guests leave happy, then your event has been a success. ### **Final Thoughts** There are many aspects of event planning that you can control. Even so, something may not go exactly as planned. The important thing to remember is that you are the only one who knows exactly what was planned. You eliminate stress from event planning when you: - Plan thoughtfully - Create backup plans - And then allow yourself to let go Let the event unfold knowing you have done everything in your power to make it successful. If you are planning an event and would like guidance organizing the details, I would be happy to help. Reach out to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation: **<diane@dnqsolutions.com>** --- ### **FAQs** **What is the most important first step in event planning?** The most important step in event planning is starting with a clear vision of how you want the event to look and feel. This helps guide decisions about budget, location, and program. **How far in advance should event planning begin?** For large events like weddings or conferences, planning often begins 12–18 months in advance. Smaller gatherings may only require a few weeks of preparation. **How can I reduce stress during event planning?** Stress during event planning can be reduced by planning early, creating a realistic budget, making detailed checklists, and preparing backup plans for unexpected situations. **What details matter most in event planning?** The most important elements are the program, location, guest experience, and clear communication about what guests should expect. **What should I do if something goes wrong during an event?** Focus on solutions rather than the problem. Most guests will not notice small issues, and having contingency plans makes it easier to adapt. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Planning & Schedule Management --- ### [How to Know Which Habits are Good to Cultivate and Which to Let Go](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-know-which-habits-are-good-to-cultivate-and-which-to-let-go/) **Published:** March 29, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Everyone has habits. If we are honest with ourselves, we can acknowledge that some habits are ones that help us and others are not helpful at all. In fact, some of our habits can be downright counterproductive. Because they are habits, things we do automatically without thinking, how can we know which habits are good to cultivate and which ones to work on removing. ### **Why Habits Are Good to Cultivate, But Not All Habits Serve You Well** Habits are the behaviors you do without thinking. Some of them are good and those are the behaviors to cultivate. They support you and help you accomplish the things you set out to do. Other habits may be sabotaging your daily life. For example, if you’re in the habit of putting the keys in a dish on the table by the front door this habit or automatic behavior helps you know where they are. You don’t need to wonder. This gives you a sense of security. On the other hand, if you come home and put your keys down on any horizontal surface you will probably spend time hunting for your keys when you want to leave your home. This is stressful and is a habit which does not serve you well. Paying attention to the automatic behaviors or habits which help you is the first step along the way to knowing which habits you want to change. ### **Signs That Habits Are Good to Cultivate** How do you know which habits are good to cultivate? I’m so glad you asked! Habits that make life easier and more efficient are the ones to encourage. Notice if you have places to put your belongings, like your keys in the example above. This makes life easier because you don’t struggle finding ways to put things away or finding them when you want them. This in turn reduces stress and decision fatigue. Another side effect of good habits is that you have less clutter, and your home is more orderly. When you consistently put things away and attend to tasks, you have less stuff hanging around, less to deal with, and fewer delayed decisions. ### **Which Habits Are NOT Good to Cultivate** Habits that are not good to cultivate are ones that end up creating more work for you later. Procrastination is an example of a habit that works against you. Here’s an example of what happens when someone is in the habit of procrastinating: Let’s pretend that you brought home the groceries and left them on the kitchen counter. You sat down to take a break and spent time looking at social media on your phone. Then you opened a box that was outside your door. It was a tablecloth you ordered so you decided to put it on the dining table. But first you must take everything off the table. There are piles of paper on the table as well as other things you told yourself you would put there for now. As you’re taking the things off the dining table, you notice the grocery bags you left on the kitchen counter. Maybe you feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin to create order out of all these delayed decisions. Being aware of what you did that contributed to this problem is a beginning. Remember to grant yourself grace and tackle this one task at a time. The important thing is that you complete each task before moving on to the next one. ### **A Simple Way to Evaluate Your Habits** The best way to evaluate your habits is to ask a series of questions. **Ask yourself:** - Does this habit make my life easier or harder? - Does it move me forward or keep me stuck? - Would I recommend this habit to someone else? *Tip:* Write down 3 daily habits and evaluate them ### **Habits Are Good to Cultivate When They Align with Your Intentions** Think about the things you want to accomplish and, most importantly, your reasons. Then think through your day and ask if your automatic behaviors support your intentions or if they work against you. Your habits should support what matters most. Let’s imagine that your intention is to have a calmer home, so you decide to cultivate the habit of a daily evening reset of your kitchen and family room. Or maybe you decide your intention is to have less clutter in your home, so you decide to cultivate a habit of identifying clutter and removing it from your home. Small automatic habits create big changes over time. ### **How to Replace Habits That No Longer Serve You** When you’ve decided to replace the habits that no longer serve you, it’s important to pair a new habit with a familiar routine. For example, if you have coffee with your breakfast, run the dishwasher in the evening and then empty it in the morning while your coffee is brewing. If you like to watch television in the evening, fold and put away the laundry while enjoying a show. You can pause the show while you put the laundry away. It often helps to post notes to remind yourself of the things you want to do. Celebrate every time you are successful. Give yourself a pat on the back and tell yourself out loud how proud you are of yourself! ### **Practice Good Habits Consistently** The more you practice the habits you want to cultivate, the more automatic they become. Every time you intentionally practice these habits the neural pathways grow stronger. It may feel uncomfortable at first as you work to change these habits. But if this is what you truly want to do, sit with the feeling of discomfort. Remind yourself that it takes time to make these habits automatic. ### **Final Thoughts: Choose Your Habits Intentionally** Just because you have a particular habit that doesn’t serve you well does not mean you’re stuck with it forever. You have the power to change your habits. Having said that, decide which habits you want to change, understand why you want to change them, then pick one to start with. #### **Ready to Build Habits That Truly Support You?** If you’re ready to stop feeling stuck and start making steady, meaningful progress, you don’t have to do it alone. Jonda Beattie and I are offering a **12-week virtual course** designed to help you: - Build habits that are good to cultivate and let go of the ones that hold you back - Create simple, sustainable routines that work in your real life - Reduce clutter and overwhelm—one step at a time - Stay accountable with guidance and a supportive community This isn’t about quick fixes. It’s about lasting change. [Join us](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) and give yourself the structure, support, and encouragement you need to move forward with confidence. ### **FAQs** **1. Why are habits good to cultivate?** Habits are good to cultivate because they reduce decision fatigue and make daily tasks more automatic. When your habits support your goals, they help you stay organized, reduce stress, and create consistency in your routines. **2. How can I tell if a habit is helping or hurting me?** Ask yourself if the habit makes your life easier or more difficult. Habits that are good to cultivate support your intentions, save you time, and reduce overwhelm. Habits that create clutter, delay decisions, or add stress may need to be replaced. **3. What is the best way to start building better habits?** Start small. Focus on one habit at a time and practice it consistently. Habits are good to cultivate when they are simple, repeatable, and realistic for your lifestyle. **4. How long does it take to change a habit?** There’s no exact timeline, but consistency is key. The more often you practice a new behavior, the more natural it becomes. Habits are good to cultivate when you commit to practicing them regularly rather than striving for perfection. **5. What should I do if I fall back into old habits?** Be kind to yourself and start again. Habit change is not linear. Recognizing that a habit no longer serves you is progress. Refocus on habits that are good to cultivate and take the next small step forward. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [Spring Cleaning for Hoarding: A Simple Guide to Start Decluttering](https://dnqsolutions.com/spring-cleaning-for-hoarding-a-simple-guide-to-start-decluttering/) **Published:** March 15, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Way back when, people spent time cleaning their homes in the spring because of all the dust and debris created by fireplaces or wood-burning stoves used during the winter months. When warmer weather arrived, it was time to open the windows, wash everything, and freshen the home. Today, many people still follow the tradition of spring cleaning by deep cleaning their homes and switching seasonal clothing in closets. But spring cleaning can also be an excellent opportunity to address hoarding behaviors. If your home feels overfull, using spring cleaning for hoarding can help you begin reducing clutter in a manageable way. Instead of trying to tackle everything at once, think of spring cleaning as a starting point. It’s a chance to take small steps toward creating a safer and more comfortable home. ### **Understanding the Difference Between Clutter and Hoarding Behaviors** Clutter is something that accumulates in everyone’s home from time to time. We may put something down, like the mail, intending to go through it later but never follow through. Before we know it, the next day’s mail arrives and adds to the pile. The same thing can happen with laundry or dishes. The difference between clutter and hoarding behaviors is that someone who is not challenged by hoarding behaviors will typically address the clutter when it begins to bother them or when they have a reason to follow through like someone coming over for a visit or a bill payment that is overdue. Another distinction is that a person challenged by hoarding behaviors often finds a reason to keep almost everything. They may fear they will need the item one day, or they may simply feel overwhelmed by the thought of tackling the pile of things. Taking small steps and engaging in spring cleaning for hoarding can make a meaningful difference. ### **Why Spring Cleaning for Hoarding Can Be a Helpful Starting Point** While any time is a good time to begin reducing clutter, spring can be an especially helpful season to start. Why? Because there is often a natural sense of renewal in the spring. The light is brighter, the days are longer, and everywhere we look there are signs of change. The grass is becoming green again, plants start to bloom, and there is a cultural focus on refreshing the home. All of these things can work together to spur a person into action. As space begins to open up, it often becomes easier to keep going. ### **Start Small When Using Spring Cleaning for Hoarding** Instead of setting a huge goal of decluttering and cleaning the entire home, divide the home into small, manageable sections. Then break the work down even further into the smallest possible task. Take the kitchen, for example. Instead of saying that you will declutter and clean the kitchen, tell yourself that you will declutter and clean one counter, one shelf, or one drawer. Set a timer for between 15 and 30 minutes and stop working when the timer goes off. Small sessions like this can help you make steady progress without becoming overwhelmed. ### **Use Simple Sorting Categories to Reduce Clutter** Before you begin, gather your supplies. Use small bins or boxes to help you sort the items you come across into simple categories: - Keep - Donate - Recycle - Toss - Decide Later (set a date to review these items again) Keeping the categories simple to follow makes the process easier and helps you keep moving forward. ### **Look for Easy Items to Remove First** Give yourself permission to remove anything that is broken. You may have said to yourself in the past that you would fix the item, but if it hasn’t happened yet, it may be time to let it go. If it can be repaired and used by someone else, consider donating it. Otherwise, place it in the trash. Anything that is more than six months past its printed expiration date should also be thrown away. If you have more than two or three of something, consider donating the extras. Making quick decisions about obvious discards can build momentum and help you continue making progress. ### **Kate’s Story** Kate is a client who struggles with hoarding behaviors. She loves movies and books and has collected VHS tapes and DVDs for many years. A room she would like to use as both an office and a guest room had become too full to use. Recently, Kate decided she wanted to reduce the number of these items so she could have a friend come to visit her this summer. We gathered a couple of tubs and labeled them Keep and Donate. Kate’s office was full of bookcases, stacked boxes, and tubs overflowing with books, tapes, and videos. There was only a small path leading to her desk. Instead of tackling the entire room, we decided to sort one stack at a time. We started near the door and set a timer for 20 minutes. It was easier than Kate thought it would be. She quickly placed items into the donation bin that she no longer wanted or that she knew she had duplicates of. The 20 minutes flew by. By the end of our session, Kate had filled three tubs. She decided she would donate them to her church, which was holding a spring sale to raise money for a mission trip. It’s often easier to donate things when you feel good about where they are going. Kate knows reaching her goal will take time, but she can already see progress—and that is encouraging. ### **Focus on Safety When Tackling Hoarding** I often talk about the importance of safety in your home. In every home, it’s important to keep pathways clear so you can easily walk through the space. Make sure you maintain access to doors and windows and reduce tripping hazards whenever possible. Improving safety is an important step when addressing hoarding behaviors. ### **Be Compassionate With Yourself During the Process** Letting go can feel difficult. Sometimes it can even feel like something you simply don’t want to do, especially when an item has emotional meaning. My best advice is to acknowledge the discomfort. If you can, place the item in the donation pile and let it sit there for a few minutes. If the feeling becomes too strong, you can take the item back and decide to revisit it another time. But if you notice that the feeling begins to fade, you may find that you are ready to let the item go. This happened to another client just last week. We were decluttering a closet and came across several items that had belonged to her mother. One sweater was easy for her to donate. She placed a second sweater in the donation box but after about five minutes took it back out and returned it to the closet. She simply wasn’t ready to let that one go yet. And that is okay. Progress is progress**.** ### **Closing Thoughts** Spring cleaning does not have to mean scrubbing every corner of your home. When approached thoughtfully, spring cleaning for hoarding can be the beginning of meaningful change. Small steps—one drawer, one shelf, one short session at a time—can gradually reduce clutter and help create a home that feels safer, calmer, and easier to live in. The important thing is to begin. If you are planning to do some spring cleaning this April, consider registering for the [12-week virtual decluttering course](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) that Jonda Beattie and I are teaching. I am always available to answer questions. Please send me an email to schedule a free 30-minute phone call. You can reach me at: diane@dnqsolutions.com or visit my website: <https://dnqsolutions.com> ### **Frequently Asked Questions** **Is spring cleaning a good time to start addressing hoarding behaviors?** Yes. Spring cleaning naturally encourages people to refresh their homes and take a closer look at what they own. The seasonal shift can provide motivation to begin reducing excess belongings and creating safer, more comfortable living spaces. **What if tackling hoarding in my home feels overwhelming?** Feeling overwhelmed is very common. Instead of trying to address everything at once, start with one very small area such as a drawer, a shelf, or a single box. Setting a short timer—perhaps 10 or 15 minutes—can make the task feel more manageable. **How do I decide what to let go of?** Begin with items that are clearly no longer useful, such as broken objects, expired products, or duplicates. Removing obvious discards first builds confidence and helps create momentum for making more difficult decisions later. **What is the difference between clutter and hoarding?** Clutter usually refers to disorganized items that can still be managed or cleared with some effort. Hoarding behaviors often involve a persistent difficulty letting go of possessions, even when they no longer serve a purpose, which can lead to overcrowded or unsafe living conditions. **Should I ask someone to help me?** Many people find it helpful to work with someone they trust. This could be a friend, family member, or a professional organizer who understands hoarding behaviors and can provide guidance without judgment. **What if I make progress but the clutter returns?** Maintaining progress takes time and practice. Creating simple routines for discarding or donating items regularly can help prevent accumulation and keep your home feeling more manageable. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Uncategorized, Understanding Hoarding --- ### [Think Decluttering Is Boring? 5 Great Ways to Make Decluttering More Fun](https://dnqsolutions.com/think-decluttering-is-boring-5-great-ways-to-make-decluttering-more-fun/) **Published:** March 8, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Even though I am an experienced professional organizer, decluttering can sometimes feel overwhelming and like something I don’t want to do. So, if this is how you feel — I get it. Decluttering can be both overwhelming and boring. Having said that, though, there are good reasons to declutter your home, many of which I have written about before. I’ll review some of them shortly. If you have decided that decluttering is what you want to do but you’re having trouble doing the work involved, here are five ways to make decluttering more fun. Try one or more of them and let me know if they work for you. Before I share the five ways to make decluttering more fun, I want to review some of the best reasons to declutter your home. ### **Reasons to Declutter Your Home** #### **Find the Things You Want** It’s easy to lose things when your home is filled with clutter. Clear the clutter, create homes for the things you use most often, and simplify your life. When the things you use regularly are kept in their place, it’s much easier to find them. **Make Your Home Safer** Clearing your home of clutter removes tripping hazards and makes your space safer. When you have less clutter, your home is also easier to clean. If you hire a housekeeper or cleaning company, it will cost less because it will take less time to clean. **Use the Rooms the Way You Want** Clutter can get in the way of everyday tasks. It fills counters, takes over chairs, and piles up in bedrooms. When you declutter your home, you intentionally create space for living and doing the things you want to do in your home. **Invite Friends and Family Over** If your home is messy, you may not feel comfortable inviting family, friends, or even repair professionals inside. It can feel embarrassing to let someone else see the mess. Decluttering your home can help you feel more confident about welcoming people in. **Reduce Stress** Clutter is often the result of delayed decision-making. It accumulates when you don’t decide what to do with something. Perhaps you put the object down and say you’ll deal with it later. As we know, later is not a time and so the item stays where you put it. Clutter attracts clutter. Looking at clutter (reminders of decisions left unmade) can feel stressful. Remove the clutter and reduce the stress. ### **5 Ways to Make Decluttering More Fun** #### 1. **Go on a Treasure Hunt** Instead of intently looking for things that you don’t use or want, look for things you love. Set these items aside and then review the things you don’t love. Going on a treasure hunt is a simple way to make decluttering more fun because you’re focusing on the things you want to keep instead of the things you’re letting go. #### 2. **Create a Playlist for Decluttering** If you like music, create a playlist of upbeat, happy songs to play while you declutter. Listening to music — and maybe even singing along — can keep you happily engaged. When the playlist ends, your decluttering session ends. #### 3. **Use the 10–10 Decluttering Strategy** This strategy asks you to set a timer for 10 minutes and then find 10 things to recycle, toss, donate, or shred. It’s a fun challenge that makes decluttering feel like a game. It’s quick, focused, and surprisingly productive. #### 4. **Declutter with a Friend (Accountability)** Decluttering is often more fun when you involve someone else. You can set yourself up for success by enlisting an accountability partner. Tell your friend what you plan to declutter and when you’ll do it. If you want, take before-and-after photos to share with them. It’s easier to follow through when you know someone will ask about your progress. #### 5. **Declutter with a Friend (Side-by-Side)** There’s another way to do this. Invite a close friend to declutter alongside you. They can offer an objective opinion about things you’re deciding whether to keep or let go of. If your friend also wants support, you can take turns helping each other — one session at your home and the next at theirs. Decluttering doesn’t have to feel like a chore. With a little creativity, you can turn it into an activity that is engaging, motivating, and even fun. ### **FAQs** **Why does decluttering feel so overwhelming?** Decluttering often feels overwhelming because it involves making many decisions. Breaking the work into small sessions and using fun strategies (like the ones above) can make the process feel much more manageable. **How long should a decluttering session last?** Short sessions often work best. Try 10–20 minutes at a time. Using a timer or a playlist is a great way to stay focused without feeling burned out. **What if I don’t know where to start?** Start with an easy space like a single drawer, shelf, or small surface. Success with a small project builds momentum for tackling larger areas. **Can decluttering really reduce stress?** Yes. Clutter often represents unfinished decisions and tasks. Reducing clutter can help your home feel calmer and easier to manage, which reduces daily stress. **What if I have trouble letting things go?** This is very common. Sometimes having support from a friend or a professional organizer can help you make decisions more confidently and move forward. ### **Call to Action** If you feel stuck when it comes to decluttering, you don’t have to tackle it alone. As a professional organizer, I help people sort through their belongings, make decisions with confidence, and create homes that feel calmer and easier to manage. If you would like support as you declutter your home, **I’d love to help.** Visit **[DNQ Solutions](https://dnqsolutions.com)** to learn more about working with me, or reach out to schedule a consultation. Maybe you would like support but are not ready to have someone else in your home. Consider joining a [virtual organizing group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) I run with Jonda Beattie. We have a new group starting in April. Email me to schedule a free consultation to find out more about working with me in person and/or the virtual organizing group. You can reach me at: diane@dnqsolutions.com. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [How to Tackle Downsizing and Downsize Joyfully](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-tackle-downsizing-and-downsize-joyfully/) **Published:** March 1, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** If you have been following me, you may remember that the final quarter of 2025 had me selling my home and putting most of my belongings into storage. ([You can refresh your memory here](https://dnqsolutions.com/final-quarterly-goals-how-to-finish-the-year-strong/).) This past week I arranged to have everything taken out of storage and brought to a warehouse where Ruth Hartmann of Ruth’s Reselling will price everything in preparation for a gigantic sale beginning on March 5. I want to share the lessons I learned so you, too, can **downsize joyfully** if you (or someone you love) are preparing for a similar transition. ### **Work with a Trusted Professional** I hired another professional organizer to work with me. Yes. It’s true. I am an experienced professional organizer. I can be objective with someone else’s things, but I knew I would make faster progress if I had someone there with me — someone I trusted who would prompt me to think differently. I hired Shanon McAulliffe from [Purple Dragonfly Organizing](http://www.purpledragonflyorganizing.com/about-me.html). Shanon and I have worked together before. I trusted her completely. If you want to downsize joyfully, don’t underestimate the value of having steady, compassionate support beside you. ### **Lessons from Three Experts on Hoarding Disorder** ICD ([Institute for Challenging Disorganization](https://challengingdisorganization.org/)) held a virtual three-hour event on Saturday, February 21st. Each of the three hoarding disorder experts gave a fabulous one-hour presentation. I kept some of their tips in mind as I opened boxes. To be clear, I do not have hoarding behaviors. I, myself, am more of a minimalist. As a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, I want to know as much as possible about hoarding behaviors. I believe everyone can benefit from insights shared by experts when preparing to downsize joyfully. #### **Congested Spaces** Dr. Mary E. Dozier used the word *congested* to describe spaces that are over-full. When I think about the word *congested*, I picture a traffic jam or someone with a head cold and congested nasal passages. These images were incredibly helpful. I don’t want any part of my home to feel congested. That visual alone helped me make clearer decisions. #### **Sit with the Discomfort** Dr. Randy O. Frost talked about letting go of our acquisitions. He shared videos from a patient named Marni describing her discomfort while parting with belongings. He reminded us that almost everyone struggles with letting things go, especially items that tug at our heartstrings. Sitting with discomfort is part of the process. Notice how long the feeling lasts. Acknowledge it. Tell yourself it will pass. I actively practiced this as Shanon and I unpacked boxes. Some things were easy to set aside to sell. I didn’t want to keep any extra glasses or plates because I had already taken what I needed before my belongings went into storage. Other items were much harder. I had saved a baby blanket my Aunt Daphne made for my son, Alex. It is adorable and has the alphabet with cross-stitched animals. The thought of selling it was uncomfortable. I told Shanon to put it in the “keep” pile. She gently asked, “What are you going to do with it?” I paused. I realized it would simply sit on a shelf in a closet. I had no use for a baby blanket now. And so, it went into the “sell” pile. That moment was a turning point in my ability to truly downsize joyfully. #### **Motivation Is Something You Do** Dr. David Tolin spoke about Motivational Interviewing. He reminded us that motivation is not something you *have,* it’s something you *do*. You can’t spur someone else into motivation. It must come from within. As Shanon and I worked from 9–5 for two days and 9–12 on the third, there were moments when my energy flagged. I wasn’t sure we would finish opening, sorting, and labeling all the boxes. During those moments, I questioned myself: Why am I making this effort? I thought about some of my clients (or their children) who have said they just want to be rid of everything without going through the sorting process. My answer was simple: I want to live with the things I love and use and be happy to let go of the rest. I was ready to downsize joyfully. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Warehouse-photo-2-IMG_3864.jpeg "Warehouse photo 2 IMG 3864 | DNQ Solutions")unpacking boxes with shanon### **Tell the Stories** One of the greatest benefits of working with someone you trust is that you can tell the stories behind the items. Not every object has a story. But when you come across one that does, sharing that story often makes it easier to let go. Two large solid wood chests of drawers had belonged to my father. They became mine when my father died. These chests were used in my sons’ bedrooms. They traveled to Singapore, Connecticut, and finally Atlanta without a scratch. Talking about my father and the journey of those pieces helped me acknowledge that they simply would not fit in my smaller home. The memories remain even without the furniture. ### **Say “Thank You” and Good-Bye** Years ago, I remember Marie Kondo suggesting we thank our belongings for their service before letting them go. At the time, I didn’t give it much thought. But as I walked through the warehouse one final time, I found myself softly saying “thank you” as I passed each table. I am not sad. I am grateful. I used and loved these items. Now they will benefit someone else. When I left, I turned and said, “Good-bye.” That simple act helped me downsize joyfully and I hope it will help you, too. ### **FAQs About How to Downsize Joyfully** **1. What does it mean to downsize joyfully?** To downsize joyfully means making intentional decisions about what to keep and what to release without resentment, guilt, or regret. It’s about focusing on what you’re moving toward, not just what you’re giving up. **2. Is it normal to feel uncomfortable when letting things go?** Absolutely. Discomfort is part of the process. Acknowledge it. Sit with it. Notice that it passes. That awareness helps you move forward with clarity. **3. Do I need professional help to downsize?** Not always — but having a trusted professional can speed up the process and help you stay objective. Even professional organizers benefit from support when it’s their own belongings. **4. How do I let go of sentimental items?** Tell the story. Take a photograph. Keep one representative sample instead of the entire collection. Honor the memory, not just the object. **5. How do I know if I’m ready?** If you can answer the question, “Why do I want to make this change?” you may already be ready. Motivation is something you do — not something you wait to feel. **Ready to Downsize Joyfully?** If you are preparing for a move, helping a loved one transition, or simply ready to live with less congestion and more intention, I would be honored to support you. You don’t have to do it alone. Whether you need hands-on organizing, virtual coaching, or a steady sounding board while you make decisions, let’s talk. Together, we can help you downsize joyfully. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Ways to Shower Your Home With Love: Caring for Your Home Every Day](https://dnqsolutions.com/ways-to-shower-your-home-with-love-caring-for-your-home-every-day/) **Published:** February 22, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Whether your home is a starter home or the place you expect to live for the rest of your life, caring for your home matters. When you intentionally take care of your space, it becomes the place where you feel most comfortable, grounded, and supported. What do I mean by caring for your home? I’m so glad you asked. People, animals, and plants thrive when they receive consistent care. While your home isn’t a living, breathing thing, it *does* function better (and feels better to the homeowner) when it is cleaned, maintained, and respected. Caring for your home is about creating conditions that allow it to support you in return. Here in Atlanta, recent nighttime temperatures dropped so low that frozen pipes became a real concern. To protect our home, we took preventative steps like allowing a small trickle of water to run from certain faucets. That simple act of caring for our home prevented what could have been a costly and stressful repair. When you care for your home, it stays in good shape and becomes the refuge from the outside world that you want it to be. ### **Simple Ways to Practice Caring for Your Home** Caring for your home doesn’t require dramatic overhauls. In fact, it’s the small, routine actions that make the biggest difference: - **Clean the windows** once or twice a year to bring in more natural light - **Change HVAC filters and service systems regularly** to improve air quality and efficiency - **Dust surfaces often** to reduce allergens and protect finishes - **Clean the kitchen frequently** to prevent grease buildup and reduce fire risk - **Keep vents clear** so air can circulate properly - **Clean bathrooms regularly** to prevent mold and mildew - **Address minor maintenance issues as soon as you notice them,** so they don’t turn into major problems Each of these tasks is a simple way of caring for your home and for yourself. ### **When You Care for Your Home, It Takes Care of You** A well-maintained home supports your health, safety, and peace of mind. It functions better, feels calmer, and provides a place where you can truly rest. Caring for your home is one of the most practical and overlooked forms of self-care. ### **Why Cleaning, Decluttering, and Tidying Matter** Cleaning removes what no longer belongs. Decluttering creates breathing room. Tidying helps your home support you and the things you want to do at home. Together, these habits form the foundation of caring for your home in a sustainable, supportive way. I understand that cleaning, decluttering, and tidying are most likely not at the top of your list of things to do. Most people find these tasks boring and unrewarding. I suggest you try thinking about these tasks differently. When you incorporate a tiny little bit of cleaning, decluttering, and tidying into a daily routine over time there is less to do. When there is less to do, it is easier to manage. ### **Frequently Asked Questions About Caring for Your Home** **What does caring for your home really mean?** Caring for your home means regularly cleaning, maintaining, and organizing your space so it functions well and supports your daily life. It’s about prevention, not perfection. **Why is caring for your home important?** When you care for your home, you reduce safety risks, avoid costly repairs, and create an environment that feels calm and restorative instead of stressful. **How often should I focus on caring for my home?** Small, consistent efforts work best. Daily tidying, weekly cleaning, and seasonal maintenance are often more effective than doing an occasional deep clean. **Is caring for your home the same as decluttering?** Decluttering is one part of caring for your home, but it also includes cleaning, routine maintenance, and making sure your space supports how you live now. **What if caring for my home feels overwhelming?** Start small. Choose one task, one room, or one short period of time. Caring for your home is a practice, not a one-time project. ### **Call to Action** If caring for your home feels overwhelming or hard to maintain, you don’t have to figure it out alone. I create realistic [routines and systems](https://dnqsolutions.com/) for families that make caring for their homes feel manageable, not exhausting. If you’re ready to show your home some love and create a space that truly supports you, I’d love to help. Consider [registering for a virtual 12-week course](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) I run with my colleague, Jonda Beattie. Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have. Email: <diane@dnqsolutions.com> ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [5 Great Organizing Tips for a Small Bedroom](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-a-small-bedroom-to-make-the-most-of-your-space/) **Published:** January 30, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** If your bedroom is small and disorganized, there’s no need to despair. Help is here. I have 5 great organizing tips for a small bedroom. It’s so important to organize a bedroom no matter how big or small it is. Why? I’m so glad you asked. The bedroom is one of the most important rooms in the home to organize. In general, an organized bedroom helps people relax. This room is supposed to be the room where a person can close the door and be completely at peace. An added benefit to having a peaceful and organized bedroom is the more relaxed a person is, the better they sleep. If your bedroom is small, it’s even more important to organize it. There is little worse than having your belongings in stacks on the floor or scattered here, there, and everywhere around your bedroom. All those [things are visual reminders to do some organizing](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-for-organizing-the-things-in-your-life-to-reduce-stress-clutter-and-mess/). Here are my [tips to guide you as you begin organizing ](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-top-3-benefits-of-organizing-your-closet-plus-tips-tools-to-use/)a small bedroom. Gather your supplies before you begin organizing your bedroom. You will need trash bags and a box or reusable grocery bag for things you want to move to a different place in your home. ### Declutter Your Bedroom Declutter your bedroom before you begin organizing. Grab one of your trash bags and remove all trash. Next take any dishes, cutlery, and glasses to the kitchen. Find all the papers, pile them, and schedule time with yourself to tackle them after you organize your bedroom. The most important thing you can do when [organizing a small bedroom is to continually declutter ](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-when-you-feel-overwhelmed-by-a-task/)it. Remember that clutter takes up space. To make the most of the space in a small bedroom you need to be intentional when you bring something in. Think about the organizing rule: one thing in and one thing out. This is important when space is at a premium. If you buy a book, for instance, which book will you remove from your bedroom (and possibly your home) to make room for the new book. If you buy a pair of shoes, which pair of shoes will leave your closet to make room for the new pair. Apply this rule ruthlessly to maintain the organization in a small bedroom. ## 5 **Organizing Tips for a Small Bedroom** ### 1. **Decide what you need** Since your bedroom is small, it’s important to decide what must stay and which things you want to have in there just because you like them. Are there certain collectibles you want to display in your bedroom? Do you like to keep your favorite books nearby on a shelf in your bedroom? The answers to these questions will determine which furniture or accessories to get. ### 2. **Use multi-purpose furniture** As you go about organizing a [small bedroom to make the most of the space](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-steps-to-control-clothes-clutter-in-a-small-space/), find furniture that can serve a few purposes. For instance, a bench at the foot of your bed may have storage in the seat. This is a great place to keep extra blankets, towels, or sweaters. The bedside table can have a drawer, some shelves, and also be a mini bookcase. If you have the space, [this bedside table](https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/shopping?q=tbn:ANd9GcRkWpA7aku1P9-DuXxWjTcS-iy-xZTcmZnsL0FHdJ8qC3_LEB4NGHWgR4QvS3f4vRmRF5UHDQ4_7WCMTf5NHDJwMnk0CUzIVixMo00X34ZtcbzW_dwMaB2wGQ) includes a small cupboard, charging station, and shelves above. You may instead decide to get a larger piece of furniture, like the one pictured on the top of this blog. If you take a close look at it, you’ll see there are cupboards to hide useful things like towels and shelving for books and more decorative items. ### 3. **Use the walls** Make the most of the vertical [space in your small](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-small-space-organizing-hacks-from-a-professional-organizer/) bedroom by using the walls. If you have lots of books or collectibles, consider using floating shelves. You can make a shape or pattern with the shelves and then use the colorful book jackets or the collectibles as the art on the walls. If you have lots of scarves, put hooks on a wall to display and store the scarves. Use a small screen with hooks to hang your necklaces. Hang it on the wall above your chest of drawers. This serves multiple purposes. It will keep your necklaces organized and off the top of the chest of drawers and it will help prevent the necklaces from getting tangled. An added bonus is that you’ll be able to easily see the necklaces and you’ll save time when getting dressed because you won’t need to untangle a necklace to wear it. ### 4. **Make the most of your space under the bed** As you’re thinking about [organizing your small ](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-a-small-house-with-no-storage/)bedroom, remember the hidden space under your bed. If your bed is low to the ground, get some bed risers to lift it up high enough so that you can use that space. If you are thinking about buying a new bed, look for one that either includes under the bed drawers or is high enough up off the ground to accommodate under the bed storage. Use these under-bed drawers to store things you don’t need to put your hands on all the time. This may include bulky clothes, out-of-season clothing, extra sheets and towels, and extra toiletries. ### 5. **Make the most of the space in your closet** If your closet is a walk-in closet, and there is room for it, move your chest of drawers inside the closet. Make sure you have enough space to fully open the drawers before you move it. This adds walking space in the bedroom. If you have plenty of long hanging space in the closet, think about adding an extra rod below one of the rods to make a double hanging section. [It would look like this](https://www.amazon.com/SimpleHouseware-Adjustable-Closet-Hanging-Chrome/dp/B01K07MY1K/ref=sxin_14_pa_sp_search_thematic_sspa?content-id=amzn1.sym.432a6361-82bd-4986-a20f-2d4d577f5af5%3Aamzn1.sym.432a6361-82bd-4986-a20f-2d4d577f5af5&crid=RDG6LI172KV0&cv_ct_cx=double%2Bhanging%2Bcloset%2Brod&keywords=double%2Bhanging%2Bcloset%2Brod&pd_rd_i=B01K07MY1K&pd_rd_r=656f836a-0f82-4bb6-8f33-b06fb92d83f3&pd_rd_w=qwaWG&p). Use the shelf space above the clothing rods to store handbags, tote bags, and small suitcases. Or use it for things like extra paper towels and toilet paper. If you have small things to keep on that shelf in the closet, you can [add a shelf](https://www.containerstore.com/s/closet/intimates-accessory-storage/expandable-closet-shelf/12d?productId=10016791) so you make the most use of that space. ### Final thoughts Use these great organizing tips for a small bedroom to help you get your bedroom organized. Remember to look up and think creatively about how to use the vertical space. Then look down and think about what you may be able to store under furniture. If you are buying furniture, look for multi-purpose furniture so you can make the most of the space. The other important thing to remember is that maintenance is a key component to organizing any room or space. Create the habit of making your bed in the morning. In the evening, reset your room before you go to bed. Put away laundry, remove dishes, cutlery, and glasses. Toss or recycle any trash. Cultivating these habits will maintain the peaceful atmosphere in your bedroom. Feel free to [contact me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) to schedule a free 30-minute consultation to get more personalized tips on organizing your space. Updated: January 30, 2026 ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Clutter, Organizing Strategies --- ### [Great Reasons to Use Planning Ahead to Stay Present](https://dnqsolutions.com/great-reasons-to-use-planning-ahead-to-stay-present/) **Published:** February 1, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** There’s a lot of talk these days about living in the moment and being present, focusing on today, and not worrying too much about what’s coming next. I agree that this is good advice. Constantly ruminating about the future can rob us of joy and increase anxiety. But I also know this: if we don’t do some thoughtful planning, the future has a way of barging in, usually at the worst possible time. The key is balance. Being present doesn’t mean avoiding forward thinking. In fact, planning ahead is often what allows us to intentionally engage with what’s happening now. ### **When You Don’t Plan, Things Sneak Up on You** If you wait until just before something is due to think about it, [you’re setting yourself up for stress](https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/difference-between-planning-and-worrying) or failure. Think about situations like: - Teaching a class and realizing too late that the outline, script, or slides aren’t ready - Booking plane tickets only to find the flights you want are sold out or hotel prices have doubled - Remembering an important responsibility at the last minute and scrambling to make it work Let’s take each situation and show how planning ahead reduces anxiety. #### **Teach a class** If you’re teaching a class, the goal is to hold the participants’ attention and give them meaningful content. Whether you are standing in front of them or seeing them through a computer screen, they will know if you have done the work to present a good class. If you haven’t done the work in advance, it will be difficult for you to fill the hour with interesting and informative content. You will be nervous, anxious, and will not be invited back. #### **Traveling** If you know where and when you’ll be traveling, it’s prudent to buy your tickets early, to reserve your hotel room, and to rent a car (if you need to) as soon as possible. I have lots of travel plans this year and have already started making many of my arrangements. Worrying about where to stay and how I’m going to get to these destinations is last on my list. I have many more important things to think about. It’s easy to make travel arrangements in advance. My best advice is to make them as soon as you know the dates. #### **Remembering your responsibility** Let’s imagine you’ve been asked to pick up the birthday cake for a friend’s surprise birthday party. The party is set to begin at 6pm. If you plan ahead, write yourself a note to stop work at 5:00, and set alarm on your phone you know you’ll get it done. If you just say to yourself that you’ll remember you run the risk of losing track of time and letting your friends down. ### **“Later” Is Not a Time on the Calendar** One of the biggest planning traps I see is assigning things to “later.” Later is not a time. [I say this to clients ](https://dnqsolutions.com)all the time and follow it up with, tell me when. Even telling me a block of time, like *after lunch* or *before I take a shower* is better than saying ‘later’. I tell clients that when you think about doing something later, you’re really saying that you don’t want to do it. When tasks are assigned to “later,” they vanish from your mind until they reappear as a task that requires immediate attention. Planning ahead and scheduling a time block, gives those tasks a place to land. #### **Forward Thinking Is a Form of Self-Support** When we plan ahead, we’re not being rigid or controlling, we’re being kind to ourselves. Planning ahead might look like: - Making sure supplies are on hand before you need them - Taking care of responsibilities in advance so they don’t weigh on you later - Preparing for time taking care of grandchildren by planning ahead **Reduce anxiety** by replenishing your emergency supplies so they will be available the next time you need them. **Reduce anxiety** by taking good notes, learning what your next steps are, then planning to do a little every day. **Reduce anxiety** by planning activities to do with grandchildren when you’re asked to take care of them. I’m spending a week taking care of my grandchildren while they are on a school vacation. I’ve planned an activity for us to do together that will take a week to complete. I’m going to bring all the supplies with me, so I won’t worry about finding the supplies where they live. When these things are handled ahead of time, your brain gets to relax. ### **Planning Ahead Creates Space for Presence** Here’s the paradox: planning ahead actually helps you stay in the moment. When errands are scheduled, tasks are assigned specific times, and chores are handled in advance (like taking out the trash or recycling) you’re no longer mentally tracking everything you might forget. Instead of thinking, *“I should remember to…”* you can focus on what’s happening right now. Planning and scheduling errands, tasks, and responsibilities reduces background anxiety. It quiets the mental noise and gives you permission to be completely where you are. ### **Presence Isn’t Accidental – It’s Prepared For** Living in the moment isn’t something that just happens. It’s often the result of good preparation. When you plan ahead, you’re telling your future self, *“I’ve got you.”* And when your future self feels supported, your present self gets to relax and breathe. Planning doesn’t pull you out of the moment. It’s what makes the moment peaceful. ## **FAQs** **Isn’t planning ahead the same as worrying about the future?** No. Worrying keeps tasks vague and unresolved. Planning gives them a specific place and time, which actually reduces anxiety and mental clutter. **How much planning is enough?** Enough to prevent surprises and quiet your mind. You don’t need to plan every minute, just enough to know that important tasks are handled or scheduled. **What if I like to be spontaneous?** Planning doesn’t eliminate spontaneity, it supports it. When responsibilities are taken care of ahead of time, you have more freedom to be spontaneous without stress. **Why does “later” create so much anxiety?** Because “later” isn’t a real time. Tasks assigned to later stay mentally active, pulling your attention away from the present moment. **How does planning ahead help with mindfulness?** Planning removes the background noise of unfinished tasks. When your brain isn’t busy reminding you what you might forget, it’s easier to focus on what’s happening now. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Planning & Schedule Management --- ### [How to Reduce Collections Without Losing What You Love](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-reduce-collections-without-losing-what-you-love/) **Published:** January 25, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** As human beings, we are gatherers. Gathering things to support the way we live and to have things we love around us is something almost all of us do. What happens when the things we gathered grow into a huge collection? The collections can take over our space, making it crowded. It can feel like an overwhelmingly difficult task to reduce collections, even when we know they have grown beyond what we can realistically enjoy. How do we decide what to give away when we love everything we’ve gathered? Do you remember your favorite stuffed animal? The one you needed nearby to feel safe or comforted as a child. My son, Andy, had one. It was a rabbit he called *Bunny*. Bunny went everywhere with Andy for years. Some parts were rubbed completely bare from love, while other parts were patched with random bits of fabric. Andy’s Bunny always reminded me of *The Velveteen Rabbit* by Margery Williams – a story that beautifully illustrates how love allows us to look past imperfections and see only beauty. But this idea can become problematic when it shows up in adulthood as anthropomorphizing objects and believing we must keep everything, so we don’t hurt its feelings. ### **It’s Hard to Reduce Collections When You Love Everything** We collect things because we love them. Maybe we love the way something looks or maybe we like the way something feels. No matter the reason, if we apply an emotional meaning to the things we collect it’s hard to be objective when we think about reducing the collection. As we start looking through our collections we probably indulge in a conversation with ourselves. The conversation may sound like this. We say to ourselves: “I loved this once.” Followed by “Remember how beautiful it was when it was new.” “This was expensive.” Followed by “I can’t let it go, that would be like throwing all that money away.” “I’ll feel guilty if I let it go.” Followed by “It belonged to Great-Aunt Suzie. She would hate it if I gave this away.” Once we engage in a conversation of this nature, all we can do is walk away because the task is overwhelming. ### **[Anthropomorphizing Objects](https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/07/health/empathize-inanimate-objects-anthropomorphize-wellness#:~:text=When%20people%20feel%20sympathy%20for,as%20we%20do%2C%20Shepard%20said.) Keeps Us Stuck** I overheard a client talking to some framed photos one day as they were emptying a box. The client told them that they were sure the photos were happy to be out of the box and with their family again. The client went on to say they would find a good place to hang them. We travel down a slippery slope when we assign feelings to objects. It is next to impossible to reduce collections when you are making decisions with your emotions. Letting the belongings go can feel like you’re betraying them. The truth is that objects don’t have emotions and can’t feel rejected. Another truth is that people often feel lighter when they create space in their home to notice and enjoy the things they have. This mindset shift is often the key to decluttering collections without guilt. ### **The Hidden Cost of Keeping Everything** As time goes on it becomes harder and harder to keep all of every collection. If you have a large home and space to display all these things, that’s great. But even then, things take time and energy to maintain. Plus, all these things create visual and mental clutter. Many people don’t stop loving their large collections, but they do stop enjoying them. ### **Try This Strategy to Reduce a Collection** One of the most effective strategies to reduce collections is to keep a small sample of the things you love instead of everything you own. What does keeping a sample mean? Well, you begin by reviewing the entire collection. Then you select a very few to represent the bulk of what you have amassed. How do you do this when you like everything? Here are my suggestions: - Ask yourself if you will buy this again? - Is this worthy of display? - Is it damaged or not as good as other items in the collection? - Are there some that are similar? - Are there some that were given to you but that you don’t like as much? This approach honors what you love without overwhelming your space. ### **Letting Go Doesn’t Erase the Memory** Remember that memories live in experiences, not objects. If you are fearful that you’ll forget the memory because it’s tied to an object, take a picture and then write down the story. You can create a book of photos and stories to reminisce. ### **Loving Less So You Can Love Better** Andy’s Bunny was special because he wasn’t one of many. He was irreplaceable. Our belongings become meaningful in the same way when we choose them intentionally. Reducing collections allows us to see and appreciate what we truly love instead of feeling buried by everything we own. You don’t have to love everything you have. Decide to love a few things well. ### **In Conclusion** If you struggle to reduce collections because decision-making feels overwhelming, emotional, or exhausting, you’re not alone, and you don’t have to do it by yourself. I help people with [ADHD and hoarding behaviors](https://dnqsolutions.com/areas-of-expertise/): - Break decisions into manageable steps - Reduce collections without shame or pressure - Create homes that feel calm, functional, and supportive You don’t need to love everything you own to live well. You just need support choosing what truly matters. Reach out to me for a free telephone consultation. You can reach me at: 678-537-1160 or email: diane@dnqsolutions.com ## **FAQs** **Is reducing collections the same as getting rid of everything?** No. Reducing collections is about keeping what truly matters and letting go of excess, not eliminating joy. **What if every item feels special?** That’s a sign the collection has grown beyond a manageable size. Keeping a sample helps you rediscover what you love most. **Why does personifying objects make decluttering harder?** When you assign emotions to objects, letting go feels like a moral failure instead of a practical choice. **How do I decide what to keep when reducing collections?** Start with favorites you would replace first if they were lost. Those are usually your true keepers. **What if I regret letting things go?** Regret is rare when decisions are made intentionally. Most people feel relief, clarity, and renewed appreciation for what remains. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [5 Reasons Your Loved One Is Hoarding - and How to Help](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-reasons-your-loved-one-is-hoarding-and-how-to-help/) **Published:** January 18, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Hoarding is so much more than piles and piles of things you have to climb over or plow your way through. Hoarding behaviors may be limited to drawers, cupboards, and closets that are filled to overflowing. Often, the items stored there are of limited or no usefulness, which can be deeply frustrating for family members. When your loved one is hoarding but keeping it contained, the home may look neat and tidy on the surface. Unfortunately, looks can be deceiving. Hidden clutter can still create emotional distress, safety concerns, and significant strain on relationships. Let’s review five common reasons your loved one is hoarding, along with compassionate ways you can help. In full disclosure, there are many reasons people hold onto things; these are simply some of the most frequently observed patterns. ### **1. A Desire to Keep the Past Alive** For some people, possessions serve as tangible links to memories, relationships, or earlier stages of life. Letting go of an item can feel like losing the memory—or even the person—associated with it. **How to help:** Acknowledge the emotional meaning behind the items. Avoid statements like “You don’t need this” and instead ask, “What does this item represent to you?” Offering ways to preserve memories—such as photographs or memory boxes—can reduce the pressure to keep everything. ### **2. A Desire to Honor Relatives’ Accomplishments** Items passed down from parents, grandparents, or other loved ones often carry a sense of responsibility. When your loved one is hoarding, it may be because they believe letting go is disrespectful or dishonors the person who once owned the item. **How to help:** Reframe the narrative. Help them see that honoring a person doesn’t require keeping everything they ever owned. Choosing a few meaningful items and letting go of the rest can be a thoughtful act—not a betrayal. ### **3. A Reluctance to Part with Things of Value** Many people who hoard have a heightened awareness of potential value – monetary, practical, or sentimental. The fear of “needing it someday” or “wasting money” can be paralyzing. **How to help:** Focus on present-day use rather than hypothetical future scenarios. Gently explore questions like, “How often do you use this now?” or “Would you know where to find it if you needed it?” These questions encourage realistic evaluation without judgment. ### **4. Delayed Decision-Making** When your loved one is hoarding, [decision-making](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0010440X20300298) itself may be the biggest challenge. Sorting requires repeated choices, and for some people, that process is mentally exhausting or anxiety-provoking. **How to help:** Break tasks into very small steps. Limiting sessions to short periods of time and reducing the number of decisions required at once can make progress feel possible rather than overwhelming. ### **5. Guilt and Fear of Discarding** [Guilt often shows](https://aclearpath.net/dealing-with-guilt-when-letting-go-of-inherited-items/) up as “Someone could use this” or “I should be grateful for what I have.” Fear may involve making the wrong decision or experiencing intense regret after discarding something. **How to help:** Normalize these feelings while setting realistic boundaries. Remind them that donating items allows others to benefit—and that regret, while uncomfortable, is survivable. Support and reassurance go a long way. ### **An Important Reminder About Diagnosis** As I’ve said many times before on this blog, hoarding disorder is a clinical condition diagnosed by a medical or mental health professional. When your loved one is hoarding to a degree that impacts health, safety, or daily functioning, professional support is essential. Organizing alone is not a cure, but it can be part of a larger, supportive plan. --- ### **Frequently Asked Questions** **How do I know if this is hoarding or just clutter?** [Hoarding behaviors ](https://dnqsolutions.com/hoarding-hoarding-behaviors-and-hoarding-disorder-what-is-the-difference/)involve persistent difficulty discarding items, significant distress at the thought of letting go, and negative impacts on daily life or safety. Clutter may be temporary; hoarding tends to be chronic. **Should I clean out the space while my loved one isn’t home?** No. This often damages trust and can intensify anxiety and hoarding behaviors. Lasting change requires involvement, consent, and support. **What should I say when my loved one refuses help?** Focus on concern, not control. Use “I” statements such as, “I’m worried about your safety,” rather than “You have to get rid of this.” **Can a professional organizer help if hoarding is involved?** Yes – especially one trained in [chronic disorganization ](https://dnqsolutions.com/understanding-chronic-disorganization-it-is-not-a-diagnosis/)and hoarding behaviors. A [knowledgeable organizer ](https://dnqsolutions.com/)works at the client’s pace and collaborates with other professionals when needed. **Is it possible for things to improve?** Yes. Progress may be slow and non-linear, but with compassion, education, and appropriate support, meaningful change is absolutely possible. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Understanding Hoarding --- ### [Three Best Elements to Make a Plan Succeed](https://dnqsolutions.com/three-best-elements-to-make-a-plan-succeed/) **Published:** January 11, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I believe Benjamin Franklin was famous for saying, *“If you fail to plan, you are planning to fail.”* I wholeheartedly agree. I’m a planner and a list maker. I love good plans. But here’s the truth: planning alone doesn’t create results. Follow-through does. This common misconception – that all you need is a good plan is what can prevent a plan from succeeding. ## **Why Good Plans Don’t Automatically Lead to Action** A participant in one of the classes I teach with [Jonda Beattie](https://www.timespaceorg.com/) recently shared something that resonated deeply with me. She said she’s great at planning, but not working her plan. The result? Her thoughtful, well-designed plans fall by the wayside, and nothing gets done. Over time, this leads to disappointment and self-doubt. When plans repeatedly go unfinished, it becomes harder to even start again. Before long, she predicts the outcome before she begins and that prediction stops progress in its tracks. ### **What’s Missing? Scheduling and Accountability** In my opinion, two key elements are missing: scheduling and accountability. Planning identifies what you want to do. Scheduling decides when you’ll do it. For a task to happen, it must be assigned to a specific day and at least a general block of time, like morning, afternoon, or evening. Without that bridge, even the best plans remain good intentions. Scheduling is what turns ideas into action. #### **When Motivation Is Low, Mindset Matters** When the time comes to follow your schedule, motivation may be low. You’re tired. The day has been long. The couch looks inviting. That’s when mindset can help you stay on track. Try telling yourself: - If I do this now, tomorrow will be easier. - My future self will thank me for this. - I don’t have to finish, starting is enough. - Small steps still move me forward. Scheduling isn’t about rigidity or perfection. It’s about creating a realistic structure that supports follow-through. When your plans live on your calendar, not just on paper, you give them a fighting chance to become reality. ### **Why Accountability Makes a Difference** This is where accountability comes in. When you share your plan with someone, a trusted friend, an accountability partner, or a professional with whom you’re working, you introduce a natural consequence. Someone knows what you plan to do and when you plan to do it. That person may check in, ask how it went, or help you reflect on what got in the way. Accountability isn’t about pressure or shame. It’s about follow-through. Once you’ve said your plan out loud to another person, you’re less likely to quietly abandon it. Instead, you’re more likely to ask, *What’s one [small step](https://dnqsolutions.com/small-steps-toward-change/) I can take so I can honestly say I tried?* For many people, accountability is the missing link between planning and doing. ### **Call to Action** If you find yourself planning endlessly but struggling to follow through, you don’t have to figure this out alone. I work with people to create realistic plans, workable schedules, and accountability systems that support real life, not perfection. Creating a schedule that works with your energy makes follow-through more realistic. [Reach out](https://dnqsolutions.com/) to learn how working with a professional organizer can help you move from planning to doing. ## **FAQs** **Why isn’t planning alone enough?** Planning clarifies goals, but without scheduling and accountability, plans often stay theoretical. Scheduling assigns time, and accountability supports follow-through when motivation fades. **What’s the difference between [planning and scheduling?](https://dnqsolutions.com/unlocking-success-the-power-of-planning-scheduling-plus-two-other-elements/)** Planning decides what you want to do. Scheduling decides when you’ll do it. Both are necessary for consistent follow-through. **How does accountability help with follow-through?** Accountability creates a gentle but effective consequence. When someone knows your plan, you’re more likely to act or reflect and adjust instead of giving up. **What if I’m bad at sticking to schedules?** You may not be bad at scheduling; you may be using schedules that are too rigid or unrealistic. Flexible schedules paired with accountability are often far more effective. **How much time should I schedule for tasks?** Start small. [Short, manageable time blocks ](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/time-management-coaching/)reduce overwhelm and make it easier to begin. Accountability helps you evaluate what works and adjust as needed. **What if I don’t feel motivated when it’s time to act?** Motivation often follows action. Knowing someone will check in or that you’ll revisit the plan can help you start even when you don’t feel like it. ### **Closing Thoughts** Planning shows intention. Scheduling shows commitment. Accountability helps you stay engaged when life gets in the way. When you put your plans on the calendar and share them with someone supportive, you’re making a promise to yourself that’s grounded in reality. You don’t need more motivation or better intentions. You need systems that honor your energy, your limits, and your real life. When planning, scheduling, and accountability work together, progress becomes possible, one small, doable step at a time. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Planning & Schedule Management --- ### [How to Clean Up, Declutter, and Organize Post Holidays](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-clean-up-declutter-and-organize-post-holidays/) **Published:** January 4, 2026 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Here we are. The New Year is underway, and many of us have high expectations for 2026. I know I do, and I imagine you do, too. Before we can truly embrace this new year, it’s important to clean up, declutter, and organize after the holidays. Yes, as tempting as it is to procrastinate and tell ourselves we’ll get to it later, there are many reasons to simply bite the bullet and clean up, declutter, and organize now. One of the best reasons? The new year often brings new routines, habits, or even a new job. It’s much easier to start something new when you’re not feeling overwhelmed by the stuff in your home. Below is a simple, step-by-step guide to help you clean up, declutter, and organize after the holidays. ### **[Put Away Holiday Decorations](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-put-away-our-holiday-decorations/)** Start by putting away your holiday decorations. As you do this, set aside anything you no longer want to use. - If decorations are tired or broken, throw them away or recycle them. - If they’re still in good condition, donate them. Next, take down your Christmas tree. - If you have a live tree, arrange for removal or curbside pickup if your town offers that service. - If you have an artificial tree, take it apart carefully and store it in a box or bag to keep it in good condition. Once the holiday items are stored, clean your surfaces and return your everyday décor to its place. ### **Put Away Holiday Gifts** Many gifts arrive in boxes. If you plan to keep and use the gift, recycle the box. The exception is electronics, which may need to be returned or serviced. Boxes take up unnecessary space. If you need boxes for shipping or storage, keep only a few. Otherwise, break them down and recycle them. More free space equals less clutter. As you put gifts away, notice whether a new item can replace something you already own. For example, I received a beautiful new sweater for Christmas. I don’t own one in that color, but I do have an older sweater with holes in it. Letting go of the old sweater makes room for the new one. I can donate it to [Goodwill](https://www.goodwill.org/) or [GreenDrop](https://www.gogreendrop.com/). ### **Clean Up, Declutter, and Organize as You Put Things Away** If your gift is clothing, look in the drawer, shelf, or closet where it belongs. Can you remove one or two items to make room? Before putting the new item away, take a few minutes to clean that drawer or shelf. It truly doesn’t take long to empty one space, wipe it out, and remove anything you no longer wear. Then neatly put everything back, including your new gift. If your gift belongs in the kitchen, decide where it will live. Is there something you can clean up, declutter, and organize to make space for it? Follow the same simple steps. Maybe your gift is a photograph or decorative item. I love receiving pictures of my grandchildren, and I imagine you enjoy displaying photos of people you love, too. Before adding something new to your space, take the time to clean up, declutter, and organize so it can be enjoyed rather than lost in visual clutter. ### **Reasons to Clean Up, Declutter, and Organize Post Holidays** One of the best reasons to clean up, declutter, and [organize small spaces](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-small-space-organizing-hacks-from-a-professional-organizer/) is confidence. You know there’s room for your new items, you know where they are, and you’ll actually use them. They won’t sit forgotten in a box at the back of a shelf. Another reason to tackle this now is to avoid a common mistake. Recently, my husband discovered two gifts he had tucked into a drawer to open later – and then forgot about. He only found them when he decided to declutter and organize the drawer. Both were books from his brother that he’s excited to read. Finally, when you clean up, declutter, and organize now, you begin the new year knowing your home is ready for what’s next. Decorations are put away, gifts are ready to use, and you can start fresh. If this is something you want to do but struggle with, [reach out to me](https://dnqsolutions.com). Send me an email to schedule a free consultation. We can work together in person if you’re in Atlanta or virtually if you’re anywhere else in the world. ### **FAQs** **How long should it take to clean up, declutter, and organize after the holidays?** It doesn’t have to happen all at once. Start with [small spaces ](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-steps-to-control-clothes-clutter-in-a-small-space/)– one drawer, one shelf, or one category at a time. Even 15–30 minutes a day makes progress. **What if I feel overwhelmed and don’t know where to start?** Start with the most visible area, like holiday decorations or gifts still in boxes. Seeing quick wins builds momentum. **Should I keep boxes for gifts I might return?** Yes, temporarily. Keep boxes only for items that may need to be returned or serviced, and recycle them once you’re sure you’re keeping the item. **What’s the biggest mistake people make after the holidays?** Putting things away without decluttering first. This often leads to overstuffed drawers and forgotten items. **Can a professional organizer help with post-holiday organizing?** Absolutely. A professional organizer can help you make decisions, create systems, and move forward without feeling overwhelmed. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [Final Quarterly goals: How to Finish the Year Strong](https://dnqsolutions.com/final-quarterly-goals-how-to-finish-the-year-strong/) **Published:** December 21, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** The final quarter of the year always feels like a race to the finish. It’s often a mix of reflection, holidays, busyness, and the desire to leave little undone. This year, my final quarterly goals were dramatically influenced by events beyond my control. If you’re just joining me here, I have been reviewing the ways in which having quarterly goals helps a person to maintain organization in their life. If you want to read about the previous three quarters, [you can do so here.](https://dnqsolutions.com/quarterly-goals-an-important-lesson-from-q1-of-2025/) ### **What My Q4 Goals Were** My intention was satisfaction. To be comfortable and accept “good enough,” to stay present, and to participate in the season in a way that honored my energy and my values. I can admit that while I met all my obligations to the best of my ability, my head was swimming at the rate at which my life turned upside down on me. Without sharing too many details, here are the highlights. In October I received an offer for my home that was too good to pass up. So, I packed up almost everything I own, put it into storage in November, and moved into a tiny house with my husband, Nick. In November I also gave a joint presentation at the 2025 International ADHD Conference with my colleague, Sara Skillen. After that I had MOHS surgery on 2 skin cancers on my face. In early December I was honored and delighted to give a virtual presentation at the JALO (Japanese Association of Life Organizers). This final quarter has been full of activity. None of these things were on my radar in January. There was no way that I could have predicted moving house this year or giving two different presentations back-to-back. I am proud of myself for showing up every day and for making sure that I continually took steps forward. ### **What Q4 Taught Me** **Good enough is often truly enough.** One of my final quarterly goals was to do everything I had committed to doing. And to make each project something I could be proud of – even if it wasn’t perfect. I did this by recognizing that perfection steals joy and realistic expectations create ease. **Clutter, physical or mental, needs attention** Clearing space, allowing myself to just focus on taking the next immediate step, made everything work more smoothly. The end result still matters and keeping it in mind helped me to guide my steps but paying closer attention to completing small actions prevented me from feeling overwhelmed. **Reflection brings clarity.** Looking back at the year, I could never have predicted what would enfold for me in the fourth quarter of this year. There was no way to prepare. I just had to ride the roller coaster. Yes, most of this has been hard – very hard, but the result is a good one and I am happy with it. ### **How My Final Quarterly Goals Shifted and Supported Me** I focused on solid habits and routines to support a sense of calm, prepared what I could ahead of time, and let go of anything that didn’t matter. I intentionally let go of things that I traditionally do like sending out Christmas cards to family and friends, baking Christmas cookies, and decorating the house for Christmas. I paid attention to what matters most and realized that being truly present is a gift to myself as well as others. As the title of the book “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff” advocates, I focused on the big rocks. ### **What I’ll Do Differently in 2026 (Based on the Final Quarterly Goals)** Instead of assigning goals to the fourth quarter, I will use the fourth quarter to fine tune the things I have been putting my efforts towards during the year. Then I will wrap them up. ### **Takeaway for You** Quarterly goals give you perspective. Even if you didn’t hit every target or any target at all, you can always identify growth. Think about the things you did which supported your efforts. Notice the things that didn’t go as expected, and ask yourself about the lessons you learned along the way. ### **A Question for Reflection** What surprised you most about your own growth this year? ### **Call to Action** Take 15 minutes to reflect on your final quarter. You will be amazed at how much you have accomplished. Would you like to create an action plan to achieve your goals in 2026? Then register for a 12-week virtual organizing class I am teaching with Jonda Beattie. You can [read more about it here.](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) This blog closes out my blogging in 2025. I’ll be back on Sunday, January 4, 2026. I hope you have a very Happy Holiday – See you next year! ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Summer Quarterly Goals: A Reason for Simple Maintenance](https://dnqsolutions.com/summer-quarterly-goals-a-reason-for-simple-maintenance/) **Published:** December 14, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Summer has a rhythm all its own. The days are longer and are often unstructured. It’s the season to travel, to visit and invite visitors, and to attend to long standing projects. These disruptions make routines harder to maintain but also offer new opportunities to practice flexibility and creative problem-solving. My summer quarterly goals had to adjust to this chaotic rhythm. In case you’re just joining me here, this blog is episode three of a four- or five-part blog series. You can read episodes [one](https://dnqsolutions.com/quarterly-goals-an-important-lesson-from-q1-of-2025/) and [two](https://dnqsolutions.com/second-quarter-goals-why-i-adjusted-my-expectations/) here if you want to catch up. ### **What My Summer Quarterly Goals Were** My intention was maintenance. Keeping my habits alive even when life felt like I had many parts to track. This was (and continues to be) important to me. And the truth? Some habits held beautifully. Others slipped. The habits that hold together my daily routine and work ethic stayed strong. But overall, Q3 reminded me that consistency doesn’t mean perfection. ### **What Q3 Showed Me** - **Maintenance is a goal all by itself.** Especially during seasons that lack structure. - **Small wins count.** A quick tidy-up, a 10-minute task, or using the triage method of getting things tackled kept me grounded. - **Disruption tests habits.** And offers insight into which habits are truly solid. - **Letting go is sometimes the healthiest choice.** Not every task deserves the importance we may assign to it initially. ### **How I Navigated Summer’s Chaos** I practiced “micro-maintenance”. Keeping lists for every project I was involved with and assigning firm due dates to specific tasks helped me keep my head above water. As some of you know, my biggest project (the 2025 ICD Conference) took place in mid-September. My two other big projects were not due until November and December. This let me focus my summer quarterly goals intently on the conference and slightly dial my efforts back on the other two projects. I also gave myself permission to let certain tasks pause periodically – like writing this blog. This kept frustration low and momentum steady. ### **What I’ll Do Differently in 2026 (Based on Q3)** I’ll set a single maintenance habit to focus on over the summer rather than trying to keep all the summer quarterly goals running at full strength. I am hopeful this will be possible in 2026. ### **Takeaway for You** Quarterly goals help you see progress in seasons that might otherwise feel lost. ### **A Question for Reflection** What is one habit you want to maintain during your busiest season? ### **Call to Action** Pick one, just one, habit to prioritize next summer. It will make a difference. Send me an email (diane@dnqsolutions.com) to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation or if you’ve already decided this is something you want to focus on, Jonda Beattie and I are teaching a 12-week course beginning on Monday, January 5 at noon ET or if you prefer evenings, Wednesday, January 7th at 6:30. We will begin by setting our intentions for the year and then break that intention down into four quarterly goals. Please visit the [Release Repurpose Reorganize website](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) to learn more. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog --- ### [Second Quarter Goals: Why I Adjusted My Expectations](https://dnqsolutions.com/second-quarter-goals-why-i-adjusted-my-expectations/) **Published:** December 7, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Spring always feels energizing. We have brighter light, longer days, and we naturally want to refresh our routines and spaces. The second quarter goals are often where quarterly goals meet real life, and this year was no different. If you’re just joining me, I am doing a series of four or five blogs (I haven’t decided yet) to review the ways in which setting quarterly goals instead of making one grand New Year’s Resolution can work for you. You can [read last week’s post ](https://dnqsolutions.com/quarterly-goals-an-important-lesson-from-q1-of-2025/)about the first quarter of 2025 here so you can catch up. ### **What My Second Quarter Goals Were** My intention was to focus on making progress in the projects that I had started in the first quarter. I worked on strengthening habits that were still solidifying from Q1 and making small physical improvements in places that felt cluttered or chaotic. Did it go as planned? Not entirely. And yet? I made meaningful progress. ### **What Q2 Taught Me** - **Flexibility is not failure.** Adjusting goals mid-quarter is a sign of paying attention to what is working, what is not working, and most importantly, not giving up. - **Boundaries matter.** Especially when commitments multiply. - **Maintenance is powerful.** Even when major progress was slow, the small daily resets kept things from sliding backward. - **Growth rarely looks linear.** In my case, growth zigzags and it takes pauses. It can be like when we’re anticipating spring and have some days that are glorious and some that feel like it’s still winter. ### **How I Adjusted in Q2** I narrowed my focus. Instead of trying to keep all my projects moving forward at the same rate, I decided to put concerted effort into one project and maintain the other projects until I had time to give them my full attention. I also paid attention to habits that help me stay on track like regularly reviewing my calendar to prevent myself from overscheduling, exercising, and proper nutrition. Doing daily resets of my home and office also helped. Plus, I gave myself permission to pause when life demanded it. These things kept me from feeling overwhelmed. ### **What I’ll Do Differently in 2026 (Based on Q2)** I’ll wrap up my first quarter goal before taking on anything new. Having said that, when I set my second quarter goals for 2026, I’ll intentionally make them simple. This will give me more breathing room. ### **Takeaway for You** Quarterly goals work because they let you shift direction without abandoning your bigger, overarching vision for the year. ### **A Question for Reflection** Where could loosening your expectations work to support your progress? ### **Call to Action** If your goals feel too intense, adjust them. It’s not giving up; it’s honoring your real life. Reach out to me to schedule time to talk if you’d like to set quarterly goals for yourself. Email me at: diane@dnqsolutions.com In 2026, Jonda Beattie and I will be offering a 12 week course called Organize Your Home 1 Quarter at a Time. We will meet once a week for one hour on Mondays from 12 – 1 ET or Wednesday evenings from 6:30 – 7:30. The course will begin on Monday, January 5th or Wednesday, January 7th. Information about this course will be available on [our website ](https://release)soon. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Quarterly Goals: An Important Lesson From Q1 of 2025](https://dnqsolutions.com/quarterly-goals-an-important-lesson-from-q1-of-2025/) **Published:** November 30, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** My friend and colleague, Jonda Beattie, and I always meet towards the end of the year to talk about setting our intentions for the next year. The beginning of a new year always feels full of possibility. In late 2024 we talked about the way setting quarterly intentions is easier to work towards than an annual resolution. I set my quarterly goals with enthusiasm. Each of the goals would be connected to my intentions, routines, habits, and the kind of year I wanted to create. But as always, real life nudged me in new and unexpected directions. And that’s the beauty of [creating quarterly goals](https://www.forbes.com/councils/forbescoachescouncil/2023/02/15/can-first-quarter-resolutions-really-make-a-difference-in-your-business/) for yourself: you don’t have to see the whole year clearly. You just need a short, manageable window of time to focus your efforts, adjust your routines, and pay attention to how life feels as you move through it. This post is the first of four or five (I haven’t decided yet) in which I am going to review the ways setting quarterly goals worked for me. As you will read (stay tuned for the last installment) my life took a dramatic turn during the last quarter of the year. The good news is that everything is fine and that having clear intentions as well as solid habits and routines kept me moving forward. ### **What My Q1 Goal Was** My intention for the first quarter was to create steadier routines. I planned to create habits that would support the work I wanted to do, the energy I hoped to maintain, and the tone I wanted to set for the year. Did I meet it perfectly? No. But did I work toward it consistently? Yes. And working toward it was the real measure of success. ### **What I Learned in Q1** - **Intentions guide you, even when you drift.** Reviewing them regularly helps you return to center. - **Small actions matter more than big ambitions.** I saw progress in all the tiny resets and course corrections. - **There is no perfect time to begin.** There is always something we can think of (if we want to) to prevent us from beginning. Q1 reminded me that momentum grows through doing, not waiting. - **The brain loves practice.** Every repetition (every morning routine and every tidy-up) reinforced the pathways I wanted to build. ### **What I’ll Do Differently in 2026 (Based on Q1)** I’ll choose a single clear intention for Q1 and anchor everything else to it. Instead of juggling multiple goals, I’ll set one primary direction and allow supporting habits to evolve naturally around it. ### **Takeaway for You** Quarterly goals keep things manageable. You don’t need a perfect plan. You just need a starting point and time. ### **A Question for Reflection** What intention would support you best in the first quarter of the year? ### **Call to Action** If you’re craving clarity, choose one intention for Q1 and let it guide your routines. If you’d like help identifying the right focus, I’m here to support you. Send me an email if you’d like to schedule a time to talk. You can [read about me](https://dnqsolutions.com) and the services I offer or email me at: <diane@dnqsolutions.com>. Here’s another option: join the [clutter support group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) I run with Jonda Beattie. Read more about the group to see if you think it would be a good fit for you. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Understanding Chronic Disorganization: It Is Not A Diagnosis](https://dnqsolutions.com/understanding-chronic-disorganization-it-is-not-a-diagnosis/) **Published:** October 19, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** When we talk about chronic disorganization, it’s important to understand that it’s not a diagnosis, it’s a pattern of behavior. This pattern of behavior affects how people live and function in their homes and can also impact their performance at work. People affected by chronic disorganization often struggle to maintain systems, stay on top of tasks, and feel overwhelmed, despite making repeated attempts to get organized. Consequently, understanding chronic disorganization is important if your goal is helping people who struggle with organizing. ### **What Chronic Disorganization Really Means** The expression chronic disorganization refers to a recurring pattern of behavior. Everyone becomes disorganized from time to time. This is especially true during stressful life events, big transitions, or busy seasons but chronic disorganization is different. It’s persistent and deeply rooted, often impacting quality of life, finances, and relationships. It doesn’t even go away after a marathon weekend of decluttering and organizing. This kind of disorganization doesn’t stem from laziness or lack of willpower. Instead, chronic disorganization often occurs alongside neurodiverse conditions such as ADHD, hoarding behaviors, and others which make getting organized more difficult. ### **Chronic Disorganization as an Umbrella** If understanding chronic disorganization is your goal, it can be helpful to think of it as the umbrella under which many contributing factors live. Contributing factors like ADHD, hoarding disorder, anxiety, and other neurodiverse conditions can all exist beneath this umbrella. Each of these factors brings unique challenges (many of which overlap), but the shared outcome is the same: a persistent struggle to create and maintain order. For example: - Someone with ADHD may have trouble with attention and follow-through, leading to piles, missed deadlines, or incomplete organizing projects. - A person exhibiting hoarding behaviors may form strong emotional attachments to belongings or struggle with decision-making about what to keep. - Others may simply not have organizing skills, so they lack the foundation to maintain order once it’s established. All these paths lead to the same place, a life affected by chronic disorganization. ### **Understanding Chronic Disorganization Helps Professional Organizers** The good news is that there’s hope. Professional organizers who specialize in chronic disorganization understand that each person’s situation is unique. They can: - Identify the underlying factors contributing to disorganization. - Teach practical skills and routines tailored to the individual’s learning styles and the way they want to find their belongings. - Provide body doubling (working alongside the client) for focus and accountability. - Recommend resources and professionals when a person needs additional support. Rather than applying a one-size-fits-all approach, professional organizers meet clients where they are, without judgment, and help them create sustainable systems that honor their abilities and needs. Once a system that works for the homeowner is in place, the organizer and the person affected by chronic disorganization work together to create a maintenance plan and easy-to-follow daily routines. ### **A Compassionate Path Forward** Understanding chronic disorganization as a broad pattern of behavior instead of a fixed label opens the door to change. It allows people to see that what they’re experiencing is not a personal failure, but the result of complex factors that can be addressed with the right tools, support, and patience. ### **FAQs About Chronic Disorganization** **What causes chronic disorganization?** No one has ever identified a cause for chronic disorganization. All we know for sure is that it is a pattern of behavior which is often accompanied by one or more factors including ADHD, hoarding behaviors, neurodiversity, anxiety, depression, or a lifelong lack of organizing skills. For more information check out the [Institute for Challenging Disorganization](https://challengingdisorganization.org) **Is chronic disorganization the same as hoarding?** No. While chronic disorganization and hoarding behaviors often co-exist, they are not the same. Hoarding Disorder is a diagnosable mental health condition, whereas chronic disorganization is a long-term pattern of behavior which results in difficulty maintaining order that may or may not include hoarding tendencies. **Can a person fix chronic disorganization?** A person can manage chronic disorganization with the right strategies, routines, and support. Working with a professional organizer trained in chronic disorganization can help individuals develop sustainable systems and learn new skills. **How can I tell if I’m affected by chronic disorganization?** If you’ve tried repeatedly to get organized but find that clutter and disorganization quickly return and the situation affects your daily life or peace of mind you may be affected by chronic disorganization. **How does a professional organizer help with chronic disorganization?** A professional organizer offers nonjudgmental support, practical strategies, and accountability. They focus on building skills, creating systems that fit your learning style, life, and helping you make lasting changes. ### **Take the First Step Toward Change** If you recognize yourself or someone you love in this description of chronic disorganization, you’re not alone. Help is available. Working with a compassionate, experienced professional organizer can make a world of difference. At[ DNQ Solutions](https://dnqsolutions.com), I specialize in helping clients affected by chronic disorganization, ADHD, and hoarding behaviors to create sustainable systems that work for them. Together, we’ll take small, manageable steps toward clarity, calm, and control. Contact me today to schedule a consultation and start your journey toward a more organized and peaceful life. You can reach me at diane@dnqsolutions.com --- ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Understanding Hoarding --- ### [3 Good Reasons to Organize Your Email and Documents](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-good-reasons-to-organize-your-email-and-documents/) **Published:** October 12, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** When you think about organizing, you probably think about closets, drawers, or kitchen cabinets. But the reality is that in today’s world, our *digital* spaces often need just as much attention. Whether it’s an overflowing inbox, a Downloads folder bursting with random files, or documents scattered across cloud drives, digital clutter can be just as stressful as physical clutter. The good news is that it’s possible to bring calm and order to your digital world by cultivating simple routines and habits. This will make it easier to find what you need, reduce overwhelm, and keep things running smoothly. Here are 3 good reasons to motivate you to get started. ### **1. Save Time and Reduce Stress** An organized digital space means less time searching and more time getting things done. If you’ve ever spent precious minutes hunting for a missing file or rereading the same email for the third time, you know how exasperating this kind of digital disorganization can feel. The first thing to create is a daily *email triage* habit. Spend a few minutes before you start your work each morning reviewing your inbox: - Respond to quick messages right away. - Delete what you don’t need. - Flag or move messages that require a longer response into a labeled “Action” folder and schedule a time in your day to address them. This small, consistent habit keeps your inbox manageable and helps prevent the mental clutter that comes with seeing hundreds (or thousands) of unread messages. ### **2. Prevent Digital Overload and Extra Costs** Just like cluttered countertops can make a kitchen feel chaotic, a [cluttered digital environment](https://bemorewithless.com/digital-declutter-checklist/) creates hidden stress. Over time, too many saved downloads and old files can slow down your devices, eat up cloud storage, and even cost you extra money if you have to purchase more space. Set aside a few minutes each week to: - Empty or organize your Downloads folder. - Move important items into permanent, clearly labeled folders. - Delete duplicates, outdated files, or anything you no longer need. A little regular maintenance goes a long way. When you control your digital clutter, you’re not only keeping your devices and storage tidy, but you’re also saving yourself from feeling overwhelmed and unnecessary expenses. ### **3. Find What You Need When You Need It** There’s nothing more satisfying than instantly locating a document when you need it. Create a consistent system of naming and filing your documents to make this possible. Start by creating large topical folders, such as: - **Business** - **Finances** - **Home** - **Personal** Within each folder, add subfolders for specific projects, years, or categories. Then, develop a simple naming convention for example, *2025\_Taxes\_Receipts.pdf* or *ClientName\_ProjectProposal.docx.* or *Year, Month, Topic.pdf* When every file has a home and a clear name, you’ll always know where to look and you’ll save yourself from unnecessary frustration. ### **How I Can Help** If these 3 good reasons have motivated you to start but the thought of creating digital organizational habits feels overwhelming, you don’t have to do it alone. As a professional organizer, I help clients: - Design simple, easy-to-maintain digital systems that match their thinking style. - Create routines for managing email, files, and cloud storage. - Stay accountable while forming new habits that make digital organization feel natural and sustainable. Together, we can build a personalized plan to help you to declutter your digital life and create better digital organization habits, one small, manageable step at a time. ### **FAQs** **Q: How much time should I spend each day organizing digital files?** A: Start small! Even five to ten minutes a day can make a big difference. The key is consistency. Once you build the habit, maintaining your system becomes effortless. **Q: What if I’m afraid of deleting something I might need later?** A: Create a “Hold” or “Maybe Keep” folder. Review it monthly, and if you haven’t needed an item by then, it’s usually safe to delete it. **Q: I have thousands of old emails. Where do I start?** A: Start from today forward. Create a fresh system and maintain it daily. Then, when you have time, work backward through older messages in small batches. **Q: Do I need to buy special software to organize my digital files?** A: No. Most people can create an effective system using the tools they already have like folders, search features, and clear naming conventions. **Q: How can a professional organizer help with digital clutter?** A: A professional organizer can guide you in creating logical folder structures, setting up naming conventions, and developing routines that work with your lifestyle. Having someone to support you through the process can make it easier to follow through and stay consistent. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [How to Find the Best Place to Start Organizing](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-find-the-best-place-to-start-organizing/) **Published:** September 28, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** One of the most common questions I hear is: *“What is the best place to start organizing?”* People often feel stuck before they even begin because they think there must be one “right” answer. The truth is, there is no universal best place to start. [The best place ](https://www.quora.com/What-room-is-the-best-to-start-cleaning-out-and-organizing)is where it makes sense for you right now. ### **Listen to Your Current Needs** Instead of following a prescribed formula, pay attention to what’s currently happening in your life. An example may be thinking about decorating for the upcoming holidays. Maybe you want to organize the holiday decorations beginning with the ones you usually put up at Halloween. Sort the decorations as you use them into these four piles: Use this year Keep because you still like them and may decide to use them next year Donate because they are still good enough to use and you know you won’t use them again Toss or recycle because they are falling apart Once you have created your piles, deal with them. Take the decorations to a donation site, store the ones you are not using this year, and toss or recycle the ones that you don’t want. The key to any organizing project is to choose what matters most to *you* in this season. Organizing with a purpose gives the task meaning, and you’ll see the benefits right away. ### **Make a Plan and Take It Step by Step** Once you’ve decided on a best place to start, don’t tackle the entire project at once. Break it down: - Decide what you want to change. - Figure out how to get it done. - Schedule short, focused work sessions. Here’s a simple checklist to guide you: ### **3 Steps to Pick Your Best Place to Start** 1. **Notice Your Needs** - Ask yourself: *What’s happening in my life right now?* - Example: holiday decorating, hosting guests, preparing for a new season. 2. **Choose One Space** - Pick the space that feels most useful or urgent. - Keep it specific “the kitchen counters” instead of “the kitchen.” 3. **Make Mini-Plans** - Break it down into small, doable steps. - Schedule short work sessions (20–30 minutes). - Celebrate when you’re finished! By taking it in stages and following this process, you’ll stay energized and avoid the frustration that comes with trying to tackle too much. ### **Celebrate Small Wins** Starting in the space that makes sense for you ensures you’ll see quick, satisfying results. Those small wins build momentum which makes the process rewarding and makes it easier to move on to the next project. ### **Remember: Maintenance Matters** Organizing isn’t a “once and done” exercise. To keep your space functional and mostly clutter-free, you must maintain it. That can mean: - A 10-minute daily tidy-up. - Putting things back after using them. - A weekly reset to deal with piles before they grow. When you maintain the organizing you have put in place, you prevent backsliding and enjoy the calm, ordered space you’ve worked so hard to create. ### **In Conclusion** There is no wrong place to begin organizing. The best place to start is the one that feels most meaningful and useful to you right now. Listen to your life, start where it makes sense, and then maintain the organization. Step by step, you’ll create spaces that support and reflect the way you want to live. --- **FAQs** **Q: What if I feel like *everything* needs to be organized? Where do I start?** A: Choose the space that will make the biggest difference in your daily life or your upcoming plans. It could be as small as your kitchen counter or as specific as your Halloween decorations. **Q: How much time should I spend on an organizing project?** A: Start with short sessions – 20–30 minutes at a time. You’ll be surprised at how much you can accomplish without feeling overwhelmed. **Q: Do I have to finish one space before starting another?** A: It’s usually best to finish one project before moving on, but it’s okay to shift if your priorities change. The goal is progress, not perfection. **Q: How do I keep from backsliding once I’ve organized a space?** A: Build in a simple maintenance routine. Spend a few minutes each day putting things away and do a weekly reset to keep clutter under control. **Q: Is there ever a “wrong” place to start?** A: No! Any place you start is the right place, because it means you’re taking action. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Planning & Schedule Management --- ### [The Emotional Rollercoaster Ride of Planning and Enjoying Big Events](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-emotional-rollercoaster-ride-of-planning-and-enjoying-big-events/) **Published:** September 14, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Big events like weddings, conferences, or family reunions can take months or even years to plan. You spend so much time anticipating, organizing, and stressing over the details, only for the event itself to flash by in a day or two. For smaller events like a special celebratory meal, it can be over in mere hours. It’s no wonder that people often describe the whole process as an emotional rollercoaster ride that is filled with highs, lows, excitement, anxiety, joy, and sometimes even a [touch of sadness](https://dnqsolutions.com/getting-organized-can-be-an-emotional-process-top-3-reasons-to-do-it-anyway/) when it’s all over. I can speak about this from personal experience. Hosting family meals and celebratory events is something I love to do. I am also a volunteer on the [annual ICD Conference](https://www.challengingdisorganization.org/education-and-events/upcoming-events/2025-icd-in-person/) Committee and understand the time and attention putting together an annual event for an organization takes. ### **The Emotional Rollercoaster Ride of Planning** At the beginning, there’s usually a rush of excitement as you imagine what the event will look like and all the people you’ll share it with. But as the date gets closer, the list of tasks grows longer. Suddenly, you may find yourself worried about details like the timing of the awards or toasts, the table arrangements, or whether there will be enough food and if most people will find something they like to eat. Stress and anxiety can creep in, making the fun of planning feel more like pressure. The important thing to remember is this: most of those tiny details that keep you up at night will go unnoticed by your guests. People come for the experience, not perfection. Recognizing this truth helps to ease the anxiety you may be feeling and gives you the freedom to focus on what really matters. ### **Enjoying the Event: Being Present in the Moment** When the big day finally arrives, emotions run high. You may feel joyful, relieved, overwhelmed, or all of the above. It’s easy to get caught up in monitoring every detail, but if you do, you risk missing the moments you’ve worked so hard to create. This is where good planning pays off. If you’ve prioritized the essentials and delegated where possible, you can release the urge to micromanage. Let yourself laugh, dance, connect, and savor the experience. After all, the memories made will outlast any imperfect flower arrangement or schedule delay. ### **After the Emotional Rollercoaster Ride: The Bittersweet Letdown** When the event is over, you may feel a strange mix of relief and sadness. After months of planning and anticipation, it can be hard to shift gears back to everyday life. This post-event dip is completely normal. Think of it as the slowing of the emotional rollercoaster ride because after the highs and thrills, you’re adjusting back to steady ground. One way to ease this transition is to take intentional time to reflect. Look through photos, write down your favorite memories, or share stories with others who were there. Acknowledging and celebrating what went well helps you carry the joy forward rather than focusing on the fact that it’s over. ### **How to Balance Planning and Presence** - **Set priorities:** Decide what really matters to you and let the smaller details go. - **Delegate tasks:** Trust others to handle pieces of the puzzle so you’re not weighed down attending to every detail. - **Plan buffer time:** Build in pauses so you can step back, breathe, and take it all in. - **You will not please everyone:** Remember the quote from John Lydgate, “You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”. - **Celebrate afterward:** Give yourself space to savor the success and memories. Whether it’s a wedding, a conference, or a family reunion, the goal isn’t perfection – it’s connection and joy. ### **In Conclusion, Savor the Gift of the Moment** Big events are by nature intense, full of emotion, and fleeting. By recognizing the emotional rollercoaster ride for what it is, you give yourself the grace to plan well, let go of perfection, and be present. The real success of any event isn’t measured in flawless details, but in the laughter, love, connections, and memories you and everyone at the event take away. Are you planning a big event and feeling the stress of juggling all the details? Don’t ride the emotional rollercoaster alone. [Reach out today](https://dnqsolutions.com), and let’s work together to create a plan that allows you to stay organized, let go of perfection, and fully enjoy your special moments. ### **FAQs About Handling the Emotional Rollercoaster Ride of Big Events** **1. Why do I feel anxious even when I’m excited about my event?** It’s completely normal to experience both excitement and anxiety at the same time. Planning a big event takes time, energy, and emotional investment, so your body responds with a mix of adrenaline and nerves. Recognize that both feelings can exist together. **2. How can I stop stressing about every little detail?** Prioritize the elements that matter most like the people and the overall experience. Most guests or attendees won’t notice small imperfections, so give yourself permission to let go. **3. Why do I feel a little sad after the event is over?** The emotional rollercoaster ride doesn’t stop the moment the event ends. After weeks or months of planning and anticipation, it’s natural to feel a letdown once the big day has passed. Think of it as your emotions settling back into balance. Reflecting on memories, looking at photos, or sharing stories with friends and family can help extend the joy. **4. What’s the best way to enjoy my event while it’s happening?** Delegate where you can, trust your preparation, and intentionally pause to soak in the moment. Even just a few minutes of stepping back to breathe and look around will help you anchor the memory of the day. **5. Can planning too much take away from the fun?** Yes, if you become overly focused on perfection, you risk missing the joy of being present. The key is balance: plan well enough to feel confident, but flexible enough to let go when the moment arrives. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Planning & Schedule Management --- ### [Budgeting Your Life for Better Self-Care and Balance](https://dnqsolutions.com/budgeting-your-life-for-better-self-care-and-balance/) **Published:** September 7, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I know that budgeting is a great strategy to use. You probably know this, too. Most people think about budgeting as it applies to managing their expenses. Some people also realize the benefits of budgeting their time so, what if we took this idea of budgeting a step further and applied it more wholistically to our life? Did you know that our brain is fantastic at budgeting. It works behind the scenes budgeting our internal functions for us. All day long, without us even thinking about it, our brain directs blood flow and oxygen as well as chemicals like adrenaline and dopamine to where our body needs them. Are you wondering how this applies to budgeting your life? Budgeting, as a concept, involves paying attention to your available resources and to the things you want to do. This can be a bit of a juggling act. Just like balancing on a bongo board requires you to shift your weight from right to left, budgeting your time, energy, and money is tricky. ### **The Brain as a Budget Manager** Every second, [your brain is allocating resources](https://lisafeldmanbarrett.com/books/seven-and-a-half-lessons-about-the-brain/). It directs energy to your heart, lungs, muscles, and thoughts. Just like budgeting expenses and time, it’s a constant balancing act. If something unexpected happens, your brain quickly reallocates energy to deal with the emergency. This is one reason rest and sleep are so important. While our brain is still firing, there isn’t as much going on when our body is at rest so our brain can pay attention to other things. We can help our brain manage our body functions by paying attention to budgeting in different aspects of life which helps to reduce our feelings of stress, anxiety, and overwhelm. ### **Budgeting Money** Most people are familiar with budgeting money. You have income, expenses, and hopefully some savings. A budget for money helps you live within your means, avoid surprises, and plan for things like vacations, gifts, and for the future. The best reason to budget your money is that when you know where your money is going, you feel more in control. That same sense of control can come from spending time and budgeting your life in other areas. ### **Budgeting Time** Time, unlike money, cannot be saved or earned. Each day you get the same 24-hour allotment. That’s why budgeting time to make the best use of the time available to you is so important. When you use calendars, schedules, and routines, you give yourself a structure that makes the day more manageable. You can plot your daily tasks, chores, appointments, and errands into the calendar which helps you to avoid over-committing. Budgeting your time in this way lets you create space for the things that matter, including downtime and rest. ### **Budgeting Daily Tasks and Attention** Our to-do list may be a mile long, but if we don’t decide which tasks truly deserve our attention, we tend to spread ourselves too thin. Consider creating a task or attention budget. Why? Well, because when distractions eat away at our energy we end up trying to do too many things one right after another, losing focus, and feeling like we are spinning our wheels instead of making measurable progress. Creating a task budget means prioritizing what must get done, blocking time for it, and saying “no” to things that don’t align with your stated intentions. It’s about choosing how you want to spend your mental and physical energy. ### **Budgeting for Self-Care** Have you ever thought of budgeting your life for self-care? I bet you haven’t. Too often, self-care is treated like an optional expense, something we’ll get to if and when there’s time. But [research shows self-care](https://www.snhu.edu/about-us/newsroom/health/what-is-self-care) is essential, not an indulgent practice. Think of it as one of the most important line items in your budget. Whether it’s rest, exercise, healthy meals, reading, or simply taking quiet time for yourself, self-care is an investment that strengthens every other part of your life. By budgeting for self-care, you’re ensuring that your most valuable resource (you!) is well cared for. This will give you the energy and metal bandwidth you need to care for others. ### **In Conclusion** Your brain already knows the importance of budgeting. It does it all day long to keep you alive. You can follow its lead by creating budgets for your money, time, tasks, and attention. And remember, self-care belongs at the top of your list. If you don’t make room for it, it won’t happen. So, this week, ask yourself: *What can I budget differently to prioritize what matters most to me?* ### **FAQs About Budgeting Beyond Money** **1. Why should I budget more than just money?** Budgeting isn’t only about finances. By budgeting your time, daily tasks, and attention, you gain more control over your life and create space for what matters most – including self-care. **2. How is budgeting time different from managing a calendar?** A calendar shows your commitments, but a time budget helps you set limits. It ensures you don’t overcommit and that you intentionally leave room for rest, transitions, and self-care. **3. What does it mean to budget my attention?** Budgeting attention means deciding in advance what deserves your focus each day. It helps reduce distractions and prevents you from spreading yourself too thin. **4. Isn’t self-care something I can just do when I have time?** Often, “when I have time” never comes. Treating self-care as a non-negotiable budget item guarantees that you make time for it instead of pushing it aside. **5. How do I start budgeting for self-care?** Start small. Block 10–15 minutes each day for something restorative like a walk, journaling, reading, or simply resting. Over time, you can expand your self-care budget just like you would increase savings. ***Diane N. Quintana*** *is a Certified Professional Organizer, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/). Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, [hoarding behaviors](https://dnqsolutions.com/hoarding-hoarding-behaviors-and-hoarding-disorder-what-is-the-difference/), autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President-Elect of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Hoarding and Boundaries: When Collections Grow Beyond Control](https://dnqsolutions.com/hoarding-and-boundaries-when-collections-grow-beyond-control/) **Published:** February 23, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Have you ever seen the words hoarding and boundaries used in the same sentence before? I don’t think I have. They are together here because I think there is an opportunity to help a person challenged by hoarding or over-collecting by asking them to think differently about boundaries. ### **The Challenge of Boundaries in Hoarding** Applying boundaries to a home that has been [filled to overflowing](https://www.amazon.com/Filled-Up-Overflowing-Disorganization-Overboard-ebook/dp/B08R96XDJX) is challenging. This is true whether a person has a diagnosed hoarding disorder or has hoarding tendencies. As a reminder, below are some of the [characteristics of a true hoarding disorder](https://hoarding.iocdf.org/?_ga=2.67051818.500441019.1740343173-99118920.1740343173) - Difficulty parting with possessions driven by the belief they need to save them even if they have little or no value - Distress at the thought of letting something go - Rooms cluttered to the point they can’t be used for their original design This differs from general clutter as it has a huge impact on the way in which a person can live. When there is general clutter in a home, the homeowner will usually be able to make decisions to remove or rehome it and the clutter typically does not invade all the areas of the home. The boundaries I want to talk about in this post are physical boundaries. Ones that are self-defining as in a drawer, a cupboard, shelf, closet or room. I am aware that asking someone who has been collecting and hoarding things for a long time to limit themselves is difficult. They do not think in terms of a space being full, they are more likely to move on and fill another space when the first area is difficult to access. ### **Reasons Boundaries and Hoarding Feel Impossible** - **A Different Perspective on Space:** People with hoarding tendencies often don’t think about the boundaries their collections cross or exceed. They don’t recognize the space their collection takes up. - **Emotional Attachment to Things:** Items are often viewed as holding the memory of an event or a person. The belongings can serve to represent who they were or what they did at different times in their lives. - **The “More Is Better” Mindset:** This mindset promotes the belief that acquiring more enhances their security or will allow them to be prepared in the future. A belief that they are holding onto things ‘just in case’ they may be needed. Most of us can relate to this if we look back at our behavior during the height of the Covid pandemic. Things like toilet paper and other staples disappeared from stores. These things were hoarded ‘just in case’ we couldn’t find them. - **Difficulty Making Decisions:** Many people challenged by hoarding also have difficulty making decisions. They worry they may be making a wrong decision and struggle with ‘what if’ scenarios. ### **The Impact of an Expanding Collection** Unfortunately, the impact of the accumulation of things has a negative effect on family members or housemates. This creates tension between the people who occupy the home and puts a strain on their relationships. The question remains; how can family members help someone put boundaries on hoarding? ### **Shifting the Mindset: How to Begin Establishing Boundaries** Helping someone with hoarding tendencies to recognize the need for limits or boundaries requires a difficult conversation. They may acknowledge that they need to do something about the collections and the clutter. Probably, they will tell you that they will do it their way and on their time schedule. But, as we know, the project is probably overwhelming which makes it difficult to start. What if instead of talking about boundaries as things which are imposed on the person’s stuff, we talk about the opportunity to showcase and highlight the collections in specific places? And we talk about safety as well as respect for the family’s shared spaces. #### **Defining Personal vs. Shared Space:** We can also help the person shift their mindset through a conversation about the ways in which other people in the home would like to use the space their collection (or hoard) is occupying. Remember a conversation is a two-way street. It is one in which everyone participating takes turns to listen and share their thoughts without placing blame. The hope is that during the conversation when everyone is actively listening, an agreeable plan can be created. #### **Recognizing the Need for Limits:** During the conversation, the family members can identify places in the home where things must be tidier. Places like the entry, the kitchen, the bathroom, and the family room are shared spaces. Keeping an excessive hoard away from these areas shows respect for everyone in the home and promotes safety. #### **Setting Small, Achievable Goals:** Instead of asking the person with hoarding tendencies to clean up the bathroom, ask them to clean and tidy the counter around the sink in the bathroom. That is a small, achievable goal. The measurable boundary is the countertop. Help them to figure out what will fit easily within this boundary. Then help them to find easy to remember places to keep the things that don’t fit on the countertop. Think creatively. Maybe there is vertical space available to use near the counter. Perhaps the back of the bathroom door is a place to install some shelving. Understanding the physical space provides boundaries which will naturally limit the amount that can be housed there. #### **Seeking Support:** Boundaries and hoarding will not exist happily together without some support. Family members and friends can help a loved one. But this sometimes backfires because of their close relationship. Therapists typically work with someone in their office. Professional organizers often go to the home and provide hands-on help. The best support is when the person challenged by hoarding works with a therapist, a trained professional organizer, and has trusted family members there to provide emotional support. ### **Conclusion: Boundaries and Hoarding** [Creating boundaries ](https://dnqsolutions.com/simplify-your-life-create-boundaries-by-scheduling-your-time-wisely/)with our belongings can be a difficult task for anyone. When we like something, a natural inclination may be to gather more of it. For someone who has hoarding tendencies determining boundaries is even more difficult. Encouraging progress, reducing the hoard a little bit at a time, so that it will fit within the agreed upon boundaries takes patience and understanding. Ask the person challenged by hoarding tendencies to think about boundaries differently. Boundaries set up by the family as a group can create better safety within the home and also a livable and peaceful environment for the entire family. I would be happy to have a conversation with you about the ways in which boundaries can help within a hoarded home. Email me to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation. <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Uncategorized, Understanding Hoarding --- ### [The Power of Routine: How Daily Habits Keep Clutter Under Control](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-power-of-routine-how-daily-habits-keep-clutter-under-control/) **Published:** March 23, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I think clutter is one of those things that just creeps up on us. We may notice a small pile on the kitchen counter on Monday and then by Friday the small pile has somehow grown into a mountain and is spilling over onto the kitchen floor. When my children were living at home there were times when I tossed things (clutter) into shopping bags and stuffed them into a closet if friends were coming over for dinner. Have you ever done that? Of course you have. I don’t think there’s a single person alive who hasn’t done that at least once. The challenge is to keep clutter under control. What I know to be true is that small consistent routines will prevent clutter from becoming an overwhelming mess. ### **1. Why Clutter Builds Up** Clutter builds up when we don’t deal with the things that have accumulated regularly. It may be that the item belongs to another family member, and we’re waiting for them to come and deal with it. Perhaps we’ve picked up a flyer or other information during the day. Maybe we’re tired and put the things aside to tackle later. Typically, when we tell ourselves we’ll do or think about something later, we’re really telling ourselves that we don’t want to do it and promptly forget all about the task. Having solid d[aily routines can help us keep clutter under control](https://dnqsolutions.com/turn-intentions-into-actions-daily-routines-for-clutter-control/) with a series of tried-and-true steps to take. ### **2. The Habit of Resetting Spaces** Cultivate the habit of resetting the rooms or spaces in your home that are most frequently used [every day.](https://dnqsolutions.com/show-love-for-yourself-on-valentines-day-every-day/) I’m not talking about doing anything complicated or time consuming. Rather, I’m advocating to once a day clear the kitchen counter, put things back where they belong, and tidy up so that the next day you can start fresh. If you do this every day, it won’t take long because there won’t be too much to do. ### **3. The Power of the One-Minute Rule** Have you heard of the one-minute rule? No? It goes like this, if a task takes less than a minute, do it right away. This keeps clutter under control because it keeps it from accumulating. Here’s an example: when you get the mail, put the flyers, catalogues, and any solicitations in the recycling immediately. This will leave you with the mail that needs your attention. Take this mail and put it where you will deal with it at the appropriate time. ### **4. Schedule Time to Declutter** Schedule time with yourself once a week to check areas in your home that tend to accumulate clutter. In my house, shoes tend to accumulate near the front door. Why? Well, because I don’t wear shoes in my house, and I don’t always wear the same shoes. So, once a week I take the shoes back to my closet and put them away. Maintaining this area by my front door is easy because I do this once a week. If I didn’t, I know it would become hazardous. I could trip over the accumulation of shoes. Think about which area of your home to declutter regularly and then schedule time to attend to that space once a week. If clutter accumulates in multiple areas, then schedule several times during the week to deal with it. ### **5. Be a Careful Shopper** Advertisers are very clever and with the advent of artificial intelligence, they can now insert targeted ads into our social media feed and our computer as we are scrolling online. Before you hit that ‘Buy Now’ button, review your options. Ask yourself: - Do I already have something like this? - Where will I keep it? - What will I remove to make room for this new item? Get into the habit of pressing the pause button and thinking through these questions. This will help you to avoid impulse buys. ### **6. Make a Donation Box** Things turn into clutter when we decide that we don’t want or use them anymore. When that happens, we put them aside and they collect one on top of the other. We can keep clutter under control by making a donation box. Then we have a place to put things we no longer need, use, or love. One of my clients keeps a large plastic tub in a corner at the bottom of the stairs to her basement. It is her donation box. When she comes across something she doesn’t want anymore, she puts it in the box. She takes the box to her donation site once a month, empties it, and brings it home until the next time. ### **7. Maintenance and Flexibility are Key** The importance of regular household maintenance cannot be underestimated. When a person takes a few minutes here and there to[ put things away ](https://dnqsolutions.com/understanding-disposaphobia-aka-the-fear-of-throwing-things-away/)or remove them from the home, their home stays relatively clutter free. Flexibility is another important tool to use. Knowing that if you don’t have time (or are too tired to) reset a room at night that you can take a few minutes the next day and nothing bad is going to happen is critical for your peace of mind. Maybe a few odds and ends will pile up. That’s ok as long as you plan to take care of them. It’s important to adjust the daily habits and routines to fit your current needs. ### **Conclusion** Let’s review. The daily habits to cultivate to keep clutter under control are the one-minute rule and resetting the room/space. If you make those two things part of your daily routine you will find less and less clutter accumulating. Why? It’s simple. You won’t be giving clutter an opportunity to pile up. If your goal is to keep clutter under control, try implementing the one-minute rule first. When you’ve made that part of what you do, add resetting the space once a day. Taking time to build habits gradually will encourage those habits to stick. Email me at <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> to schedule a free 30-minute phone conversation if you’d like to know more about how you can control clutter. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [How To Make The Most Of Your Time](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-make-the-most-of-your-time/) **Published:** August 24, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** We often talk about “time management” as if we can bend time to our will. The truth is, no matter what we do, time marches on. It doesn’t stop and wait for us, no matter how much we want it to. Each day holds twenty-four hours, and that will never change. What we *can* do is make the most of your time by being clear about your focus and your priorities. Many of my clients find themselves frustrated because they lose track of time during the day. They may open social media “for just a few minutes” or start researching something online, only to look up an hour later wondering where the time went. These activities can feel like a break or even productive, but without limits, they steal time away from you. What’s a person to do? With a little structure and awareness, you can make the most of your time within the constraints of the time you have available. ### **The Social Media Trap** Social media and online rabbit holes are some of the biggest time thieves. Scrolling reels and videos may feel relaxing and fun, but it’s easy to get pulled in far longer than you intended. Here are a few simple strategies to help: - **Set a timer.** Give yourself 10 – 15 minutes and stop when the alarm goes off. - **Schedule your breaks.** Build short “scroll sessions” into your day instead of leaving them open-ended. - **Check in with yourself.** Ask, *Is this the best use of my time right now?* When you’re intentional, social media can be a refreshing break without derailing your day. ### **Be Realistic When Planning** Another common struggle is forgetting to account for the space *between* appointments. Travel time, setup, or even just a few minutes to decompress after a meeting need to be part of the daily plan. When we pack our schedules too tightly, we set ourselves up to [feel overwhelmed when we’re constantly moving from one task to the next.](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-when-you-feel-overwhelmed-by-a-task/) Instead, try leaving at least 15 minutes between commitments. That buffer time helps you transition smoothly, prevents you from always feeling like you’re running behind, and helps you make the most of your time. ### **Make the Most of Your Time & Schedule Your Tasks** Tasks don’t get done just because they’re written on a to-do list. They need a specific place in your schedule. - Assign actual **time slots** to your top 2 – 3 priorities. - Resist the urge to overload your list. - Use reminders on your calendar to make space not only for work, but also for breaks and personal time. When each task has a “home,” it’s far more likely to be completed. ### **Tools That Help** There’s no one-size-fits-all system. Some people thrive with paper planners, while others prefer digital calendars. Still others use a mix of both methods. That’s what I do because I like to see everything that’s happening, one week at a time. It’s also easier for me to remember what’s in my calendar if I write it down. Try different tools until you find what fits your style. A few ideas to consider: - **Timers and alarms** for focus sessions. - **Daily reviews** at the end of the day to see what worked and what needs adjusting. - **Simple checklists** for quick wins. ### **Final Thoughts** Time keeps marching forward whether we like it or not. But we can make the most of our time by being intentional about how we use it. When we limit distractions, schedule realistically, and give each task a place in our schedule we can feel more productive and more at peace. This week, try one or two of these strategies. Notice how your day feels when you give your tasks a home and leave space for what really matters. ## **FAQs** **Q: What’s the best way to limit social media distractions?** A: Set a timer for 10–15 minutes and stop when it goes off. Keeping your phone out of reach during focused work also helps. **Q: How much space should I leave between appointments?** A: At least 15 minutes for small transitions, more if you need travel time or a mental reset. **Q: I always make to-do lists but never finish them. What should I do?** A: Instead of long lists, choose your top 2–3 tasks and put them directly on your calendar. **Q: How do I know if I’m using my [time wisely](https://dnqsolutions.com/simplify-your-life-create-boundaries-by-scheduling-your-time-wisely/)?** A: Ask yourself: *Is this activity moving me closer to my goals, or just filling time?* **Q: Is it okay to take breaks if I’m trying to be more productive?** A: Absolutely. Breaks are essential for focus and energy, just make them intentional and time limited. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/). Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President-Elect of the [Institute for Challenging Disorganization](https://challengingdisorganization.org/) and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Planning & Schedule Management --- ### [Reset Your Habits for a Successful Fall](https://dnqsolutions.com/reset-your-habits-for-a-successful-fall/) **Published:** August 17, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Summer has a way of giving us permission to throw aside some of our habits and routines. Long days, relaxed schedules, and spur-of-the-moment plans can be wonderful for our spirits, but they often leave our habits a little scattered. As we move into fall, life naturally picks up speed. Children head back to school, work demands ramp up, volunteer groups shift back into high-gear, and the calendar starts to fill again. This seasonal shift is the perfect moment to pause, take a breath, and intentionally evaluate your habits and routines. Decide habits and routines you want to carry forward, which ones to leave behind, and which new habits might bring you greater balance and joy in the months ahead. ### **Pause and Reflect** Before making changes, it’s important to understand where you are now. Take a few minutes to think about your current daily and weekly routines. Did you drop any habits over the summer? Do you miss them, or were they more of an obligation than a benefit to you? Which habits did you continue to use this summer season, and why? Ask yourself: - What’s working well? - What’s draining my energy? - What would make my daily life smoother? Answering these questions and any others that occur to you gives you the clarity to make choices that will work for you. ### **Prioritize What Matters Now** Once you’ve reflected, decide where you most want to focus your energy this fall. It’s tempting to overhaul everything at once, but that’s a recipe for burnout. Instead, select between one and three focus areas. Here are a few ideas to start off: - **Decluttering** – Clear both mental and physical space by letting go of items you no longer use, need, or love. - **Repurposing a Space** – Create a meditation nook, a hobby table, or a quiet reading corner. - **Exercising More** – Boost your mood and energy with regular movement, even if it’s just a 10-minute walk after dinner. - **Cooking at Home** – Explore new recipes, improve your health, and save money in the process. Think of these priorities as your compass for the season, they’ll help guide your decisions and keep you moving in the right direction. ### **Ease into Your New Habits** With your priorities in place, it’s time to weave them into your life. Try to avoid the “all or nothing” mindset and instead start small so it’s not overwhelming. Schedule a single decluttering session, try one new recipe this week, or add one extra workout to your calendar. Make it easier for yourself and pair new routines with existing habits, like meditating right after your morning coffee or doing a quick tidy-up before heading to bed. Being consistent is what matters. ### **Accountability Helps Solidify Your Habits** Find a way to hold yourself accountable. Consider tracking your progress in a journal or app or sharing your goals with a friend who’ll cheer you on. Speaking your intentions out loud creates a sense of accountability to yourself and to the person with whom you’ve shared your goals. Accountability isn’t about guilt; it’s about encouragement. Celebrate the small wins along the way. I encourage my clients to reward themselves as they celebrate each win. ### **Revisit and Adjust** Life is unpredictable, and what works today may need tweaking tomorrow. Set aside time each month to review how things are going. Ask yourself: - Is this habit helping me feel better? - Does it still fit my current schedule and priorities? - Is there a different approach I want to try? Be kind to yourself when things don’t go perfectly. A reset doesn’t have to be rigid; it should be flexible enough to grow and shift with you. ### **Embracing the Fall Reset** Think of this as more than just getting “back on track.” It’s an opportunity to design your days with purpose, to make space for what truly matters, and to enter the busy months ahead with a sense of calm and control. Whether your focus is decluttering, nurturing your health, or simply carving out time to breathe, your fall reset can be the fresh start you need to thrive, not just survive, in the season ahead. So, grab your calendar, your favorite pen, and maybe even a cozy blanket, fall is calling, and your refreshed habits and routines are waiting. What about you? Which habits or routines are you excited to refresh this fall? Share your thoughts in the comments or tag me on social media. I’d love to hear how you’re making this season your own. **Diane N. Quintana** is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC ](https://dnqsolutions.com)and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com). Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President-Elect of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [Overwhelmed by Urgency? How to Prioritize When Everything Feels Critical](https://dnqsolutions.com/overwhelmed-by-urgency-how-to-prioritize-when-everything-feels-critical/) **Published:** August 10, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I often help clients gain control over the things they have to do when they are overwhelmed by urgency. Together we create a plan to finish most of their tasks without panicking or burning out. I’m sharing today that even professional organizers reach out for help with this very thing when their schedule becomes overfull. I spent time talking to my friend and colleague, Jonda Beattie, on Friday after our class. Have you ever felt like a hamster on a wheel – running and getting nowhere? Well, this is how I was feeling. It seemed to me that, although I was working on my projects, I wasn’t getting enough done. Together Jonda and I reviewed all the things on my mind, my calendar, and my list of urgent tasks. She told me she worries about me. I let her know that I feel better after talking through my plan to get most things done. Today I want to review with you my process for managing my list. ### **Understand Why Everything Feels Important** When we are under a lot of pressure or feel stressed, our brains can default into fight-or-flight mode. This causes us to want to have everything under control. When this isn’t possible, we may feel as if things are more important than they are. In my case, I was getting (still am getting) lots of email related to one of my projects. I felt as if I had to respond to each one quickly. This created a false sense of urgency. The reality is that people can send an email at any time day or night, weekday or weekend. Jonda helped me understand that just because people wrote to me, I didn’t have to respond immediately. I am now holding these messages and responding to them when I have the time – not necessarily immediately. *Mini-Tip:* Keep a “pressure journal” for 2–3 days note what felt urgent vs. what was. ### **A Quick Reality Check – Is *Everything* Really Important?** You are probably already aware of The [Eisenhower Matrix](https://www.eisenhower.me/eisenhower-matrix/): Urgent vs. Important. It is a great way to visually assign tasks to one of 4 quadrants.The 4 quadrants are: Urgent, Not Urgent, Important, Not Important. Another way to think of this is: Time Sensitive, Not Time Sensitive, Want To Do, Don’t Care If It Gets Done. If you want to you can draw the quadrants and assign your tasks. In my case, I have multiple projects which are all coming due around the same time. Each project has tasks that must be done but not all the tasks are time sensitive. I asked myself the following questions. You may find these questions helpful when you’re overwhelmed by urgency and trying to figure out what to do first. Questions to ask: - What’s the worst that happens if this doesn’t get done today? - Who is making this a priority – me or someone else? - Will this still matter a week/month from now? *Mini-Tip:* Color-code or label tasks by importance – not just due date. ### **Build a Simple Prioritization System** You probably know as well as I do that simple solutions are the best because they are easy to follow. Here are 4 ideas to help you build a simple prioritization system. **The 3-Task Rule:** Try to pick your top 3 meaningful tasks each day. **Task Buckets:** If you have many things on your list, separate them into categories (e.g., “Must do today,” “Nice to do,” “Delegate or defer”). I separated my list into project titles. Then I ranked each item in the individual task bucket. That helped me identify the tasks that could wait. This is like The Eisenhower Matrix. **Time Blocking:** Schedule your top tasks, then allow overflow time for unexpected things. **Don’t overload the list:** If everything’s important, nothing gets the focus it needs. *Mini-Tip:* Use visual reminders to make tasks more manageable. ### **Ways to Create Calm When You’re Overwhelmed by Urgency** **Breathe** to reset your nervous system. This may sound silly, but we forget to breathe deeply when our nervous system is on high alert. Take some deep breaths and drink a glass of water. This will help you reset. **Use a brain dump** to get everything out of your head. **Create a “parking lot**” list for tasks that matter but not right now. I put the things that could wait into the “parking lot’. Creating a place to keep these ideas helps me because I know where they are. *Mini-Tip:* The “2-minute grounding” practice: close eyes, take 3 deep breaths, ask: What is the best use of my time right now in this minute. Don’t think about it, just do it. ### **Avoiding Burnout While Still Getting Stuff Done** **Know your best time of day:** Do the hardest and worst things when you know you’re at your best. For me, it’s first thing in the morning. **Allow yourself** to be done for today. If you focus on finishing the time sensitive things first, you can pick a time to finish work for the day. Knowing that the rest can (and will) wait for tomorrow. **Say no** to things outside your top priorities. I am still working on this skill. Far too often, I try to fit things in because someone asks me to do it. I’m realizing that fitting things in is not fair to myself or to the people who’ve ask me because they’re not getting my complete attention. The importance of rest and recovery, even when it feels counterproductive. *Mini-Tip:* Build in 10-minute transitions between tasks to reset and recharge. ### **Conclusion: You’re Allowed to Slow Down, Even When It Feels Like You Can’t** Intellectually, we know that when we’re anxious, nervous, stressed, and feeling overwhelmed it’s hard to do anything well. So, when you start feeling like you’ve jumped onto the hamster wheel and have let your emotions take over, stop, breathe, and slow down your thoughts. Factor in time, 5 – 10 minutes to move between projects. This lets you process what you’ve just done and get ready for the next task You can do this. It will take practice. The more you use one or more of these strategies the less overwhelmed by urgency you will feel. Remember, there’s no shame in asking for help. I reached out to a friend for help to take control of the things on my list and you can too. Alternatively, consider joining Jonda and me on a Monday morning for our [Clear Space for You virtual organizing group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/). We’d love to see you there! **Diane N. Quintana** is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/). Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President-Elect of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Work/Life Balance?](https://dnqsolutions.com/work-life-balance/) **Published:** February 20, 2012 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** There’s been alot of buzz about work/life balance recently. From what I read, there seems to be this quest for a perfect alignment of energy devoted to work and energy devoted to other endeavors. I do not believe that such a thing exists. Have you ever played on a see-saw? If you haven’t, perhaps you know what one looks like and can imagine what it would be like. A see-saw is rarely perfectly balanced and if it is completely level it’s because both children are approximately the same size and weight and both are able to touch the ground gently in order to maintain that balance. Phew! alot of work goes into creating that perfect balance, which probably lasts for a millisecond. If it’s so hard to balance a see-saw why do people expect that there should be a balance between their work life and their home life? Let’s go back to the see-saw for a second and look at this in a slightly different way. When children are having fun playing on a see-saw one end is up and the other is down. Of course, there are the moments when the see-saw is balanced in the middle – brief moments. Maybe that is the way to look at the quest for balance between work and home activities. Sometimes, home gets a little more attention and sometimes work. Instead of striving for a perfect balance why not go for a give and take approach? Understanding that there are instances when scheduling work related activities take priority over home activities as there are times when the home life will be top priority. I believe that when you make peace with that concept and accept that there can not ever be a perfect balance you end up creating your own harmony between the two concepts – work activities and home or other activitiees. Isn’t that what this is really about anyway? Creating a feeling of harmony in your life so that you can do your work and have time for the other things in your life that fulfill you. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** having fun, millisecond, perfect alignment, perfect balance, top priority, work life balance --- ### [The Clutter Cost of Buying in Bulk](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-clutter-cost-of-buying-in-bulk/) **Published:** March 23, 2016 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** ![Marketplace](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/marketplace.jpg "Easter Baskets the case of the lingering clutter | DNQ Solutions") Shopping for groceries and other household supplies is expensive. There’s no denying that. The stores entice us with sale notices and the BOGO (Buy One Get One) stickers on certain items. I’m all for getting something for free but is it really free? When we buy in bulk, buy more than what we can realistically use, there is a cost to us beyond the actual monetary one. It is the cost of clutter. It’s so tempting to go to a big box store and buy lots of the things we use at a lower price point. It’s a great way to save money. But what is the cost to us when we get home and have no place to put all of the extra supplies? Some people have big pantry closets where they can store lots of supplies. For these people there may not be any clutter cost because they will be able to put the extras they buy away. They have the shelf or cupboard space to house the extras. What about those of us with limited storage space? Our cupboards and shelves are small. They already hold our necessary supplies and can only be refilled when our current supply (the one we actually use) runs out. There’s no room to store extras. We can get creative and use the open space above the cupboards to store things like extra rolls of paper towel and toilet paper. That space can also be used for extra boxes of cereal or power bars. If there is no space above the kitchen cabinets then these supplies typically land on the kitchen counter or on the floor! I bring this up because recently I was working in a home and the home owner had been shopping at a big box store. The home was a small one. The kitchen was tiny. It was perfectly adequate for this single person’s needs but did not have space available to store extra snack food, paper towels, toilet paper and light bulbs. These items all landed on the living room floor leaving little room for the home owner and her dog to move around. We ended up moving many of the paper goods to a spot in a corner of the living room. We put the extra snack food in containers and stacked them in the extra bedroom. These are fine temporary solutions. My advice to my client was to find a friend to shop with if she wants to continue buy in bulk for the cost savings. The two of them could share the cost of the food and divide the things they bought. A win/win for everyone! Do you buy groceries in bulk? Do you have a great way of storing the extras? Write me back and let me know! ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter --- ### [Home. What Does this Word Mean to You?](https://dnqsolutions.com/home-what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/) **Published:** February 23, 2017 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** ![House on wooden floor home concept](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/home-with-heart.jpg "| DNQ Solutions") Home. What does this word mean to you? For me, it is more than a place. It is a feeling of belonging. A feeling that I am safe and at peace inside this place. I have moved many times to three completely different countries and to two very different regions within the United States of America and yet I’ve been able to create this feeling for me and my family in each spot. So, I ask again, what does home mean to you? Is it the house in which you grew up? Will that place always represent home to you? If it does, do you now want to create a similar feeling where you are currently living? Here’s another question for you to ponder: what does your childhood home contain that makes it feel this way? My childhood home now belongs to someone else. Years ago, whenever I went back to visit my mother it was the scent of her perfume that brought memories flooding back for me. Also, my mother was there. We would spend time together gardening, playing tennis, and reminiscing. The other thing that made my childhood home so special to me was the familiar furnishings: photos, paintings, and furniture. When we sold my mother’s house I was able to keep a few of the items that meant something to me. I do mean only a few. I incorporated them into my décor so that I have a little bit of my childhood home mixed in with my furnishings. Do you want your home to contain a few memories? Would you prefer to create your own memories and leave your childhood home behind? If you choose to bring some of the furnishings from your childhood home into your current home be selective. Be sure to ask your partner, if you have one, if they agree with your choices. One thing is for sure, you do not want to create additional clutter in your home simply because you want to bring part of the past into your present. Ask yourself these questions: 1\. Does this bring back a special memory? 2\. Do I love it? 3\. Will this add to the overall atmosphere of my home? 4\. Will this fit in? 5\. Does it have a purpose? If you can answer more than one of these questions positively then by all means bring it in. If you need to create the feelings of safety and peace inside your home take a look around and ask yourself what is bothering you about your home. 1\. **Are things out of place?** If they are, do you have too much of something? 2\. **Do you know how to put your belongings away?** If they are not put away, what is preventing you from doing so? 3\. **Can you find what you are looking for?** If you can’t, think about reorganizing some of your cupboards, drawers, and closets. 4\. **Do you have to do a major clean up before inviting someone over**? This is called CHAOS. The Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome. Work on creating a habit of putting things away when you are finished with them. This will reduce the amount of clutter in your home. If you need to create order in your home so that it will be your place of refuge take the time to figure out where you want to start. Ask yourself what area is bothering you the most? Think about the way you want it to look. What is your vision for the room or area? Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** home, memories, Peace, Place of Refuge, Safety --- ### [Clutter Tolerance](https://dnqsolutions.com/clutter-tolerance/) **Published:** September 20, 2017 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/cluttered-desk.jpg "| DNQ Solutions") I was having a discussion with an organizing colleague and friend last week about our organizing businesses. This friend of mine, in addition to being a great organizing professional, is also an artist. She sees things with an artist’s eye. She has a wonderful way of placing furniture, objects, and pictures and making them enhance the room. It’s a real talent. Our discussion revolved around clutter, of course. We were talking about how some clients have lots and lots of clutter around them. These clients want to be organized. They know they have too much and need help figuring out what to keep, what to recycle, what to discard. They also need help deciding how to keep the things they want and need to keep. These clients still want to have a fair number of belongings around them – out and visible. For many of these individuals if something is put away, out of sight, it may as well be non-existent. They have to see it to know they have it. Other clients tend more to the minimalist side of things. These individuals like to have completely clear counters and surfaces. The issue here can be if there is someone (like a nanny) working in the house who isn’t bothered by mail on the kitchen counter and they forget that the homeowner is completely against having anything cluttering up the space. This is a matter of tolerance. How much clutter can you tolerate in your home? Last week, when hurricane Irma – now tropical storm Irma – was swirling around Atlanta, I was at home. I didn’t want to go out in the wind and rain. I wanted to work at my desk but there was stuff (papers and receipts) cluttering the surface. I decided it was time for me to organize my desk top differently. Now, I fall somewhere in between the two extremes I described above. I like to have some knick-knacks out and about but too much distracts me. I took everything off the top of my desk. Then I made some decisions about what can stay and what I had to find a new home. It didn’t take me too long and before I knew it I was sitting at my newly organized desk. I was so happy with the results that I went on to organize my office supply closet. A few things had gotten out of place. It only took a few minutes for me to return the closet to good order. I discovered that my tolerance level for clutter on my desk is low. In other words, I really do like and work best when my desk is clutter free. This realization has helped me be really productive this week. I can sit down and get right to whatever is on my mind to tackle. What is your tolerance level for clutter in your home? Is there a room or a spot in your home that you want to be completely clutter free? Write me back – I’d love to know! Below I’ve attached some links to some of my favorite organizing books. One of them is a book I wrote, Of course! Please note that these are affiliate links through Amazon and, at no additional cost to you, I will earn an affiliate fee if you decide to make a purchase. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter, organizing, Productivity --- ### [New Routines and Habits](https://dnqsolutions.com/new-routines-and-habits/) **Published:** November 1, 2017 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane-with-granddaughter-e1509540760480-scaled.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")I wrote several posts earlier this fall about routines and habits. I’m circling back to this topic because I recently spent the best weekend with my son, daughter-in-law and their baby – my first grandchild! This baby was born in mid-October and so was very new in this world. My son and his wife very quickly figured out that their previously established routines and habits would have to change. They needed to create new routines and habits to accommodate this addition to their family. They had read lots of books on child-care, but nothing ever really prepares you for the magnitude of the changes needed when you bring home a newborn. The two of them were up every couple of hours the first few days which meant they were exhausted. The baby was getting plenty of sleep. She would sleep a few hours, be awake for a bit for a feeding and diaper change, and a little bit of play and then go back to sleep. This routine worked well for the baby but not so much for my son, Alex, and daughter-in-law, Judy. After a day and a half of this they realized they had to change what they were doing. First, they recognized they had to take advantage of the times the baby was sleeping and grab an hour or so of shut eye themselves. Then, they understood they couldn’t keep up with feeding every two hours to three hours around the clock. This baby was going to have to learn to sleep more at night and be awake more in the day. Alex and Judy are tidy folks by nature. They like to have everything in its place. Their habit had been to keep their all living spaces very tidy almost all the time. They were finding that they had to develop a new routine for keeping their home tidy – the way they like it. They quickly learned that they had to make use of available time – time when they weren’t actively engaged with the baby or napping – to do a few chores. Alex and Judy divided and conquered. Alex would shower, and Judy would tidy up a bit in an area. Then Judy would shower, and Alex would do some tidying or other work, like bill paying or paperwork. Both Alex and Judy work outside the home. They want to have good routines and habits established so by the time the baby starts going to daycare they will be comfortable with these new routines. Another thing they discovered was that it now takes more time to go anywhere. Before the baby, all they had to do was decide they were going for a walk, or to get coffee or something and go. Now, they realized, they have to pack the baby bag with diapers, a change of clothes, and maybe a blanket first. (As the baby grows they will also want to include toys and maybe some snacks and a water.) Then get themselves ready, including the stroller, then get the baby ready and finally get out the door. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Stroller-e1509540940234-scaled.jpg "Ways to Shower Your Home With Love Caring for Your Home Every Day | DNQ Solutions") They made a note to themselves to allow lots of extra prep time in order to get anywhere on time. Sometimes we make the decision that we want to change the way we are managing ourselves and create a new habit or routine. Sometimes life itself forces us to change what we are doing and how we do it. This is what happened to Alex and Judy. The arrival of their precious new baby has made it necessary for them to alter their routines. Have you experienced a change in your life which makes it necessary to rethink how and/or when you do the things you want to do? Write me back. I’d love to know. If you want, I can help you come up with some great strategies to get you back on track! ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** habits, home maintenance, Household Chores, Routines, time management --- ### [10 Tips for Stress-Free Holiday Decorating](https://dnqsolutions.com/10-tips-for-stress-free-holiday-decorating/) **Published:** December 3, 2017 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Christmas-Tree-2017-e1512319477778-scaled.jpg "| DNQ Solutions") I love to decorate my house for Christmas! I love to get out my decorations and scatter them around the house so that most of the common areas have some kind of decoration. So many of these decorations hold beautiful memories for me. Some my children made through the years, some I received as gifts, some I purchased as reminders of places we traveled, but most of my ornaments are needlepoints that I made. I tried to add one or more needlepoint ornament every year! I even get out the children’s read aloud holiday books and display them on a table in my living room. Since decorating for the holidays can be a stressful process I thought I’d share my strategies for getting my house ready for the holidays without stressing! 1\. Take out all the boxes of decorations ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Christmas-Decorations-1-e1512319709119-scaled.jpg "| DNQ Solutions") 2\. Put them in altogether in one spot – decorate from that spot. This way you avoid scattering boxes all over your home and unnecessary clutter. 3\. Think about the places in your home you want to decorate (living room, dining room, family room, entry..) 4\. Decide when you want to have your decorating completed. 5\. Start looking through your decorations. 6\. Are there any that you no longer love? (if yes, donate them now! People are looking for decorations!) Here’s a picture of the decorations that I’m giving away this year. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Christmas-donations-scaled.jpg "How to Know Which Habits are Good to Cultivate and Which to Let Go | DNQ Solutions") 7\. Are there any that don’t fit your decorating scheme this year? (if yes, pack them up and put them away. You do not have to use every decoration every year!) 8\. As you go about decorating your home, put away the tabletop decorations you keep out currently in the box you use for your holiday decorations. 9\. If you have special holiday mugs or dishes pack away your everyday mugs or dishes as you get them out. 10\. Now that you’re finished sit back and admire your creations! Take pictures so that you can recall what you put where in case you want to create a similar decorating scheme next year. I hope these tips help you as you go about doing your decorating for the holidays! ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** donations, holidays --- ### [Take Care of Yourself to Reduce Stress](https://dnqsolutions.com/take-care-of-yourself-to-reduce-stress/) **Published:** December 20, 2017 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/relaxing-by-the-fire.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Warming and relaxing near fireplace with a cup of hot drink. This is the perfect time to reflect on what we (you and I) can do to take care of ourselves during this busy time of year to reduce stress – actually, if we take care of ourselves year-round that would be best! Each of us has three parts to think about when we talk about self-care. Brain, Body, and Heart & Soul It’s clear that when you take good care of your body it is easier to stay healthy. A nutritionally sound diet (by diet I mean way of eating) is complete with protein, fruits and vegetables. It’s easier to maintain a healthy weight when you eat this way. Having said that, when we (by that I really mean I)over- indulge in holiday treats we know this is only temporary. Refrain from empty snacking. By that I mean snacks with little or no nutritional value (think chips). Snack on healthy nuts, like almonds or a piece of fruit. Drink plenty of water. Especially when you’re out at a party. Have a glass of wine, beer or cocktail and then also a glass of water. This will help to limit the amount of alcohol you consume and also to dilute the alcohol in your body. It’s clear that everyone gets thirsty but did you know that your muscles need water to keep working well for you? Also, your brain works better when your body is well hydrated. These are just a few of the very good reasons to make drinking water a habit. [Read this article](https://primaryvitality.com/benefits-drinking-water/) to learn about the health benefits of drinking water. About your brain. Research shows that your brain actually hits its peak around age 30. Wow! That’s kind of depressing. However; research also shows that we can open new neural pathways to keep our brains healthy by exercising and learning new skills. So, if we want to keep our brains as active and healthy as possible it’s important to do physical and mental exercise. You can play online computer games targeting different areas of your thinking skills like processing speed, memorization, language skills. You can workout at a gym. Keeping your body strong also helps to keep your brain strong and active. You can also do what I do and dance! Research shows that dancing is the one form of exercise which combines physical exercise with mental agility. When you dance you learn new steps and new routines. There are all sorts of benefits to learning to dance. Read this article for more information: <https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/dance-health-benefits> What about your heart and soul? It’s very hard to continually give of yourself; your time, talents, love and energy without recharging. Think about ways in which to recharge the battery of your heart and soul. Do something for yourself. Here are some suggestions: A visit to a spa Lunch with a friend Go to a movie you’ve been wanting to see Buy yourself some flowers Take some time alone to read a book Do a project for yourself Write a letter Write your thoughts in a journal Go to church or some other place of worship You will probably think of other ways that will work best for you. The idea is that when we take care of our whole self we will have the resources which will allow us to be our best selves. Have a safe and Happy Holiday! ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** habits, Self-care --- ### [2018: A Transformative Year](https://dnqsolutions.com/2018-a-transformative-year/) **Published:** January 16, 2018 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_0389-scaled.jpg "How to Manage Your Expectations and Be Successful | DNQ Solutions") I took my own very good advice for self-care and took a vacation for 10 whole marvelous days. This is the view from my balcony. Paradise on earth for me. I love to swim, lounge on the beach, read good books and eat lots of good seafood. I did all that and more. I really relaxed. It’s been sometime since I took extended time to completely unwind. It felt so good. I’m already thinking about where I may go at the end of 2018. I had plenty of time to think about the new year and how I wanted to devote my time and energy. I came to some great conclusions. I decided my word for this year is: Transformative. I’m going to change, transform, the way I manage some of the extra things I do. One of the first things I did when I returned to Atlanta was transform my living room. I had rearranged it in my mind as I was lounging on the beach. When I got home and looked at the present arrangement I thought I just had to move things around. I was right. The new arrangement fits better and I’m loving it. It has transformed the way I work on my sewing. I’m sewing a stocking for my granddaughter. I have to finish the needlework by June so that it can be made into a Christmas stocking. The new furniture placement puts a nice strong light behind my easy chair. Perfect! I’m also planning to transform my closet this year. I’m lucky to have a walk-in closet. Although, it is not a finished space. My plan is to take advantage of the Elfa sale at [The Container Store](http://www.thecontainerstore.com) and transform my closet with shelves, drawers and divided hanging space. My first step will be to take the closet’s measurements and then I’ll take myself to [The Container Store](http://www.thecontainerstore.com). That will be a treat! If you need a closet make over, take a look at the new Elfa storage options at [The Container Store.](http://www.thecontainerstore.com) My first week back at work was very busy and the new system for recording my client sessions is working like a charm. That has transformed my office time. These first few months of 2018 are already jammed with presentations, workshops and projects. I decided to create a schedule for giving some time to each thing I have to do. This way I don’t get behind in any one project and as one finishes I can devote a little more time and attention to new projects. It’s not that I’m really doing anything innovative. It’s more that I’ve transformed the way I’m thinking about it. Just that shift in mind set is enough. Taking that time for myself to rest and relax was the best gift I could have given myself. My thinking is clearer. I have identified my personal and work goals for 2018. This will be a transformative year for me. It has already begun. I’m excited to share this journey with you. Do you have a word to describe your year? I’d love to know. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** mindset, scheduling, transform --- ### [Situational Disorganization](https://dnqsolutions.com/situational-disorganization/) **Published:** October 2, 2018 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/messy-dining-room-1-e1538506322608-scaled.jpg "Reasons Why Connecting In Person is Very Important | DNQ Solutions")What is situational disorganization? It is disorganization resulting from a new and different, sometimes temporary situation. This type of disorganization can be overwhelming, stressful and lead to feelings of anxiety. Some examples of situational disorganization are: Moving Divorce Death of a loved one Remodeling your home New baby Newly diagnosed illness I’m experiencing situational disorganization first hand because my kitchen is being remodeled. I moved everything out of my kitchen and the sitting area adjacent to the kitchen. I piled everything into my dining room so that I could still use my living room. The entry into the living and dining areas have been sealed in heavy duty plastic. This is so the dust from the kitchen remodel doesn’t completely coat the living and dining room. One section has a zipper in it so that I can let the dogs through the living room and out to the backyard. My dogs are learning a new routine! They run down the stairs from the third floor and have learned to sit in front of the plastic with the zipper and wait for me to unzip the thick plastic. They dash through the opening and then sit at the door to the garden waiting for me to open the door. My dining room is a disaster zone. I have set up a temporary kitchenette in my family room in the basement. This is fine. I can deal with it because I know it’s temporary. I know that when my new kitchen is installed I’ll be able to put my belongings and furniture back in place. My dining room will be back to normal and my family room will no longer be where I take my meals. Meanwhile, my dogs and I are making the best of the situation. Here are some strategies for dealing with situational disorganization. **Evaluate priorities**: what is important to take care of? Think about meals, shelter, and health. **Delegate**: let friends and family (and work) know what’s going on so that they can help you. **Routines**: as much as possible stick to routines that work for you. Things that can be done routinely can provide a sense of comfort and familiarity. **Plan**: take time every evening to think about what worked today. Ask yourself the following questions: What did you accomplish today? What do you want to accomplish tomorrow? Keep it simple. Give yourself the grace to try new ways of doing routine things. **Be Patient**: Forgive yourself if things don’t go exactly as you’d hoped. This is a new situation. It takes time to arrive at what works well under these different circumstances. You can learn more about situational disorganization by checking out [The Institute for Challenging Disorganization fact sheet](https://www.challengingdisorganization.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44:fact-sheets-for-the-public&catid=20:site-content): In my case, I know things will return to normal. Sometimes, like in the case of disorganization caused by having a baby, you arrive at a new normal. You develop new routines, new ways to maintain organization, new strategies. It’s life. Are you, or have you ever been, situationally disorganized? Let me know! ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies, overwhelming --- ### [What Kind of Clutter Do You Have?](https://dnqsolutions.com/what-kind-of-clutter-do-you-have/) **Published:** October 20, 2018 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/paper-pile-2-scaled.jpg "Auto Draft | DNQ Solutions") Did you know that there are several different types of clutter? The first thing that comes to my mind when I think about clutter is physical clutter. This kind of clutter is obvious. You can see it, touch it, and sometimes taste it and smell it. ### **PHYSICAL CLUTTER:** Examples of physical clutter are piles of magazines, unopened mail in piles, shoes left around on the floor in no apparent order, clothes piled on chairs, toys left laying around, cleaning supplies, dirty tissues or paper towels, used plates and cutlery. I bet you can think of even more examples of physical clutter. But what about non-tangible clutter? The clutter that you do not see, touch, or smell but that is lurking there in the background. It can hold you back from making progress and can be even more bothersome than physical clutter. I’m calling it mental clutter. For me, mental clutter is all the ideas and notions of things to do that swirl around in my head. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/cluttered-brain.jpg "| DNQ Solutions") ### **MENTAL CLUTTER:** This mental clutter sometimes prevents me from participating fully in the activity in which I am currently involved. You see, my body is there but my mind is thinking about remembering the things that I want to do for the rest of the day. Mental clutter can even keep me awake at night. Does this ever happen to you? I’m so busy trying to remember all the things that I want to do that I don’t let myself fall asleep. We all know that it’s important to your body to get rest – to sleep. Did you know that it’s also important for your brain? Here’s an interesting article that talks about the importance of sleep and your brain. <https://www.simplesmartscience.com/importance-sleep-brain/> Recent research shows that your mind is very active at night. Your brain essentially reboots while you sleep. It files away things you’ve done that you no longer need to think about and ponders solutions for things that are bothering you. That’s why you can sometimes wake up with a solution to a problem – it occurred to you suddenly in the middle of the night. ### **BRAIN DUMP:** I clean up my mental clutter by doing a brain dump. A brain dump is sitting down and making a list of all, and I do mean all, the things I want to either remember or do. I am a paper and pen girl, so I make my list in a notebook that I can carry around with me. If you like to use electronics you can make a list in your device. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Brain-dump-list.jpg "| DNQ Solutions") Then I sort my list. I prioritize my tasks and projects and ask myself these questions: 1\. What are the time sensitive tasks? 2\. What needs to happen first? 3\. Is there a task that hinges upon another task? 4\. How long will these tasks take to accomplish? 5\. Can I delegate any of these tasks? ### **PRIORITIZE and PLAN:** Once my list is sorted and my questions answered I get out my planner and schedule my tasks. My planner is a physical calendar. This system works just as well with an electronic calendar. I try not to over-schedule myself as then I get to feeling overwhelmed and wonder how on earth I’m going to get everything done! Just as organizing physical clutter is never a once and you’re done forever project clearing your mind is never a one-time event. Things crop up. I do a brain dump when I’m feeling like it’s time to get things off my mind and onto a piece of paper. I have been following this routine for five or six years and find that it works really well for me. I don’t stay awake at night trying to remember everything I want to do tomorrow, and I am very present in what I am doing now. My mind isn’t tempted to wander thinking about the various ideas and notions. If you find that you not only have physical clutter but also mental clutter give this system of doing a brain dump a try. Do you have a different way of dealing with mental clutter? Write me back and let me know! ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter --- ### [Pack Your Patience](https://dnqsolutions.com/pack-your-patience-2/) **Published:** December 2, 2018 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/packing-a-suitcase-300x200.jpg "| DNQ Solutions") Everyone knows that during the month of December lines can be long and traffic miserable. Even knowing that, we sometimes forget to bring patience along with us. We forget to allow extra time for traveling or waiting in line. More than that, we forget that everyone has their own agenda – a place to be and things to buy. We all have somewhere else we’d rather be than waiting in line. It doesn’t matter if it is the line at the grocery store, the mall, the TSA security line we all have a time clock ticking away in our heads. What to do, how to handle this gracefully? Here are my suggestions. 1\. **Pack your patience** and don’t forget grace! If someone is being short-tempered, put yourself in their shoes. 2\. **Grace** Give people you encounter the grace of understanding. Maybe they have not allowed as much extra time as you have. Maybe the clerk at the check-out counter is having a hard day with lots of customers in a hurry. 3\. **Remember to Breathe** practice inhaling and exhaling. Focusing your attention on your breath – the inhale and exhale – has a calming effect and will take your mind off of waiting in line. 4\. **Smile** Look at the person facing you, connect with them and smile. A smile is a wonderful, warm greeting. It relaxes the tension in your face. It also gives you and the person receiving the smile a good feeling. Share smiles. 5\. **Be Kind** Kindness costs you nothing and the blessings you receive are endless. **Here are 5 simple, free, examples of ways to show kindness** 1.Hold the door open for the person coming behind you. 2\. Give a friend a compliment 3\. Let a car in front of you 4\. Let a person cut the line in front of you – particularly if they have children with them! 5\. Smile! I bet if you put your mind to it, you could think of other ways to show kindness. Remember as you go about your days to bring patience, grace and kindness along with you. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Interview Series: Hoarding Expert Cris Sgrott](https://dnqsolutions.com/interview-series-hoarding-expert-cris-sgrott/) **Published:** April 30, 2019 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Over the next few months, we will be interviewing professionals who work with the hoarding population. We are asking them to share their insight on people who hoard and people who think they have the hoarding disorder. We recently interviewed Cris Sgrott. Cris is a Certified Professional Organizer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, ICD Master Trainer, productivity consultant, speaker and business success educator dedicated to helping individuals and businesses become productive, organized, and successful. Cris was born and raised in Brazil and moved to the US at the traumatic age of 15. She has lived in several states and driven cross country twice. Cris loves road trips, and to watch independent/weird movies that nobody else seems to enjoy. Whenever she has time, you can find her riding her road bike, hanging out with people, or of course organizing something at the house! ## Questions & Responses #### **What training have you taken?** *I earned my* [*NAPO*](https://www.napo.net/) *(National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals) CPO® certification in 2011. I have taken lots of training through* [*ICD*](http://www.challengingdisorganization.org) *(The Institute for Challenging Disorganization)and in the same year, 2011, earned my CPO-CD® – and became a Master Trainer in 2014. I completed Denslow Brown’s Coach Approach for Organizers Foundation Courses and I am currently working on my certification for* [*NASMM*](http://www.nasmm.org) *(National Association of Senior Move Managers).* #### **What percentage of your clients do you suspect have hoarding tendencies?** *There are seven organizers on my team. I, personally, work fewer hands-on hours now and less than 5% of the clients we work with have hoarding tendencies. 60% to 70% of our clients are chronically disorganized or have ADHD.* #### **As you start working, are there times when you discover this is something other than hoarding?** *Yes. It seems like 100% of the time they have something else going on in their brain. We see clients with childhood trauma, depression, people going through transitions, people suffering a lot of loss. I find that hoarding is often a surface diagnosis. Go below that and you find something else. I always say that we are one nervous breakdown away from becoming a hoarder.* #### **What tool do you use to determine the amount of clutter?** *We use the ICD clutter/hoarding scale. Usually our clients are just at a 3, although recently we had a level 5. I teach a class to real estate agents and use the clutter/hoarding scale to inform them about what severe clutter looks like. The class helps us all talk using the same language.* #### **How do you determine if the working area is safe for you and your client?** *My organizers are good and very tolerant and have a lot of compassion. We do discuss the projects to determine if we need pest control, hazmat suits, or gloves. We always bring a change of clothes. We are not afraid of the bugs. I had a client once that called to say she had one “mice”. We called for pest control and I believe they killed over 200.* #### **Do you usually work alone or with a team? If you work with a team, who do you want on your team?** *We have a team of seven. We use our own Policies and Procedures handbook. Before hiring, I make certain that the applicant has the same core values as my company.* #### **Would you be willing to share something you learned – maybe the hard way from a client?** *I learned a couple of things in the past. I no longer allow anyone else to call for a potential client. The person I am going to work with must make the call themselves. The person I’m working with must be invested in the project – it doesn’t matter if someone else is paying me.* *Also, I never start new clients around the holidays anymore. The holidays are a highly charged time. I had a client have a massive panic attack once because of this. She had no support and she called me for 3 days about every 3 hours.* *I presented a class with Roland Rotz, Ph.D. titled Case Study: Ethical Disasters in Chronic Disorganization (December 2013) for ICD in which we discussed identifying red flags and green flags (a term coined by Dr. Rotz) when working with a client. If you are a premium ICD subscriber you can access this class through the ICD vault.* #### **What advice would you give someone who is considering going into the field?** *Understand what is happening. Get all the education you can. Don’t start off your career with a difficult hoarding situation. See if you can assist or shadow someone who works in this field before you try it on your own. Everything I learned about hoarding, I learned through ICD.* #### **Do you have a shareable list of resources for people challenged by hoarding or their families?** *I have an extensive list of resources for people who want to recycle stuff on my* [*website*](http://www.organizingmaniacs.com) *if they live in the Washington, D.C. area, there are also several national resources. Anyone can take advantage of my video book club which are also on my website and on our YouTube channel.* Thank you very much for this fabulous time spent together learning more about the work you do. If you are or if you know a professional who works with people with hoarding tendencies, please feel free to get in touch with us. We’d love the opportunity to talk with you, too! Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, ICD Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people challenged by ADD, Hoarding, and Chronic Disorganization. Jonda S. Beattie is a Professional Organizer and owner of Time Space Organization based in the Metro-Atlanta area. As presenter, author of three books as well as a retired special education teacher, she uses her listening skills, problem solving skills, knowledge of different learning techniques, ADHD specialty, and paper management skills to help clients tackle the toughest organizational issues. Jonda does hands on organizing, virtual organizing, and moderates a Zone Plan Teleclass for those who prefer to work on their own with organizational coaching. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Understanding Hoarding **Tags:** Education, The Hoarding Disorder, The Institute for Challenging Disorganization, The National Association of Productivity and Organzing Professionals --- ### [Interview Series: Hoarding Expert; Alison Lush](https://dnqsolutions.com/interview-series-hoarding-expert-alison-lush/) **Published:** May 10, 2019 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Over the next few months, we will be interviewing professionals who work with the hoarding population. We are asking them to share their insight on people who hoard and people who think they have the hoarding disorder. We recently interviewed Alison Lush. Alison is a member of Professional Organizers in Canada (POC) and The National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO). She is also a Certified Professional Organizer, a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, and an ICD Master Trainer. Because she lives in Quebec, she conducts her business in both French and English. Everything related to organizing that Alison studied, she wondered about in terms of her own life. She developed the understanding that she has a “relationship” with her things. There is a flow – things come in and things go out. Her home supports her goals. Alison never wants to stop learning. She recognizes the importance of education and plans to be engaged in professional studies forever. ### Questions & Responses #### What training have you taken? *I began with training from the POC (Professional Organizers in Canada). I have earned my* [*NAPO*](https://www.napo.net/) *(National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals) CPO® and my CPO-CD® (Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization) through* [*ICD*](http://www.challengingdisorganization.org) *(The Institute for Challenging Disorganization). Recently I earned my Master Trainer certification.* #### What percentage of your clients do you suspect have hoarding tendencies? *I believe that it is less than 5%. We must remember that only medical professionals – psychiatrists – can make that designation.* #### As you start working, are there times when you discover this is something other than hoarding? *The term hoarding is used too loosely and too quickly. The term should never be used unless a proper diagnosis has been made. For example, I had someone come to me and say, “I have hoarding disorders.” She had seen professionals and social workers and was very involved in the process. When I met her she was preparing to move. She had been in her current home for 17 years. As we started to work, the diagnosis seemed not right. She had no trouble getting rid of items, even items I had left behind for her to take out. When I asked her again about who diagnosed her, she stated, “Oh, I diagnosed myself.” When she was in the program, the staff accepted her diagnosis as gospel. After more work and conversation, I suggested that she might be affected by chronic disorganization rather than hoarding.* #### What tool do you use to determine the amount of clutter? *I use the ICD Clutter-Hoarding Scale®. I also do an interview with the client. I used to rely on my eyes but now I go with the feeling. I try to go into the home like I am wearing blinders – like I am blind, and I only listen to the client. I ask myself: What is the client feeling about the clutter? If I didn’t, I might want to start clearing an area that didn’t bother the client. I want to be sure I am addressing the needs of the client. Thanks to the Clutter-/Hoarding Scale®, I also pay attention to odors and safety issues.* #### How do you determine if the working area is safe for you and your client? *I pay attention to the rats’ nest of cords. I want to be aware if circuits are being overloaded. I also listen to the client. If they say something like, “Oh, we had a flood upstairs last year.” I start to look at the structure and to look for mold. I am conscious of the air quality. I also am always aware of what exits are available.* #### Do you usually work alone or with a team? *I tried a couple of times to work with a team, but I have found that trust and instinct are critical and very personal, so I prefer to work alone.* #### Would you be willing to share something you learned (maybe the hard way) from a client? *I had a client who called but seemed very ambivalent on the phone. But she also seemed very desperate. I met with her. She lived in the upper level of a duplex with the owner living on the main level. She had to move in two months. I proposed bringing in two organizers to help sort. She agreed to that arrangement. She put down a deposit. When we arrived about 10 minutes before our appointment and were sitting in the car, she called us and told us not to come in. She didn’t feel ready. We gave her some time and waited in the car. She never let us in even though she prepaid. Lesson: listen to your gut.* *Another client owned 14 properties. The entire first floor of the area we were to work in was filled with flat baskets and these baskets were filled with paper. This was her filing system. She was wanting to micromanage the job. I referred two junior organizers and a tech person to her. She wanted help getting a filing cabinet set up. When I tried to talk to her, several times she put up her hand and said, “Stop talking!”. I finally got on the phone with her for about a half hour and basically fired myself. I felt we were not the right fit. I closed the account and sent her the $57 left in the account. She was not happy with me or the way I closed out the job. I wish I had never started, and I wish I had kept a good paper trail. Lesson: when there have been verbal conversations, follow up with an email spelling it all out and keep copies of the email correspondence.* *Then there was Christopher. I worked with Christopher for two and a half years. He had a white-knuckle grip on everything. If he had a corner piece of Styrofoam from years back, he wanted to hang onto it because it might come in handy. I had helped him unload a part some years ago. How do I know if this is Chronic Disorganization or hoarding? If the client is willing to let you walk out with some of the items you have sorted, it is probably not hoarding. If there is a very powerful emotional psychic glue between the client and him letting go of items, it might very well be hoarding. Lesson: know what you are working with.* #### What advice would you give someone considering going into this field? *Get a good education. Volunteer in the professional community. Really become a part of that community. The professional community provides great resources. You can ask questions in the online forums to get advice when you are stuck.* #### **Do you have a shareable list of resources for people challenged by hoarding or their families?** *I would love to share my YouTube channel –* [*https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSO8GIf5LswoDiU3OgBjdqw/videos*](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSO8GIf5LswoDiU3OgBjdqw/videos) *. Just last week, my most popular video passed 250K views, and very soon I will have 5000 subscribers.* Thank you very much for this fabulous time spent together learning more about the work you do. If you are or if you know a professional who works with people with hoarding tendencies, please feel free to get in touch with us. We’d love the opportunity to talk with you, too! Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, ICD Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people challenged by ADD, Hoarding, and Chronic Disorganization. Jonda S. Beattie is a Professional Organizer and owner of Time Space Organization based in the Metro-Atlanta area. As presenter, author of three books as well as a retired special education teacher, she uses her listening skills, problem solving skills, knowledge of different learning techniques, ADHD specialty, and paper management skills to help clients tackle the toughest organizational issues. Jonda does hands on organizing, virtual organizing, and moderates a Zone Plan Teleclass for those who prefer to work on their own with organizational coaching. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Understanding Hoarding **Tags:** Education, Institute for Challenging Disorganization, NAPO, The Hoarding Disorder --- ### [Interview Series: Hoarding Expert; Ann Zanon](https://dnqsolutions.com/interview-series-hoarding-expert-ann-zanon/) **Published:** June 8, 2019 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Over the next few months, we will be interviewing professionals who work with the hoarding population. We are asking them to share their insight on people who hoard and people who think they have the hoarding disorder. We recently interviewed Ann Zanon. Ann is a compassionate hoarding expert with over 8 years of experience working with the hoarding population. She is a member of the [Institute for Challenging Disorganization ](http://www.challengingdisorganization.org)(ICD) where she holds several certificates of study in methods of working with clients who hoard. After her move to Houston, Texas last year, she discovered that the laws in Houston relating to hoarding are sadly insufficient and is collaborating with other professionals to start a Houston Hoarding Task Force to make some changes. She is planning a full-day workshop in 2020 to help educated people who work and/or live with people who hoard. She is a member of a mastermind group which focuses on education and sharing hoarding remediation methods. She also has set up a Special Interest Group focused on Hoarding through the [National Association for Productivity and Organizing Professionals](https://www.napo.net/) (NAPO), Ann has a heart for serving people, working hard, and helping her clients achieve their goals. Besides being a Certified Professional Organizer®, she is also a wife, mother of three grown children, and formerly owned a bakery. ## Questions and Responses **What training have you taken?** *The majority of my training has come through* [*ICD*](http://www.challengingdisorganization.org) *(The Institute for Challenging Disorganization) where I have earned most of the certificates offered. I have also earned my* [*NAPO*](https://www.napo.net/) *(National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals) CPO® (Certificate for Professional Organizers). My first training was working in an informal mentoring situation under Faith Manierre, CPO-CD® in Connecticut.* **What percentage of your clients do you suspect have hoarding tendencies?** *I have moved now and so my clientele has changed. When I was in Connecticut, I would say it was about 75% – 80%. However, not all were diagnosed with hoarding disorder.* **As you start working, are there times when you discover this is something other than hoarding?** *I do. I’ve had clients with severe ADHD and many clients suffering from depression and anxiety. In Connecticut, I worked with a lot of clients with PTSD due to the 9/11tragedy and Sandy Hooks shooting. I have also worked with clients challenged by bi-polar disorder and one client who had Borderline Personality Disorder plus other issues.* **What tool do you use to determine the amount of clutter?** *At first, I used the ICD [Clutter-Hoarding Scale®](https://www.challengingdisorganization.org/clutter-hoarding-scale) and I love how inclusive it is. But many clients don’t have the bandwidth to follow that scale so I often use the Clutter Image Rating Scale developed by the International OCD(Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) Foundation and Dr. Randy Frost.* **How do you determine if the working area is safe for you and your client?** *I rely on both my visual and tactile senses. I worked in one house where there were 34 cats downstairs but that was OK because the downstairs area was set up as a shelter and was staffed and very clean. But upstairs she was taking care of some hospice cats and this area was not clean and you could both see and feel where cats had sprayed and urinated. So, we had to dress accordingly and use gloves and masks for our safety. I also talk and listen to the client for any clues that something might be unsafe.* **Do you usually work alone or with a team? If you work with a team, who do you want on your team?** *In Connecticut I always worked alone. Clients are so embarrassed to even have one person in and I did not like them to have to face more than one. Here in Texas I sometimes use a team, especially if we are in a time crunch.* **Would you be willing to share something you learned – maybe the hard way from a client?** *Never assume anything is trash. I had one gentleman I was working with and on top of his dresser there were little round paper balls all wadded up. I started tossing them into the trash when he turned around and stopped me. These little paper balls were a fidget thing – tactile objects he kept in his pockets that he played with to help him focus.* **What advice would you give someone who is considering going into the field?** *Whenever someone is coming into the profession, I tell them to get the education necessary to be successful for yourself and your client. Look at your motivation as to why you are doing this.* *I was working once with a woman in her 50s. She had 2 children and her husband was straying. Her daughter told her she was marrying another woman and that they were both having babies. Her son got married to his High School sweetheart (who the woman adored) and then quickly got divorced. Her world had turned upside-down in a matter of a just a few months and the stress of these changes were more than she could handle. The woman was very depressed and cried a lot.* *I came home and cried each day. The lesson here is that you must learn to take care of yourself. I learned to work with my heart when I was with the client but then get into my head when I was at home. Find out who can help you with restoring your heart after you leave a client.* **Do you have a shareable list of resources for people challenged by hoarding or their families?** *This is something I am working on. I will have resources up on my [website](http://www.a2zorganizing.com) soon.* Thank you very much for this fabulous time spent together learning more about the work you do. If you are or if you know a professional who works with people with hoarding tendencies, please feel free to get in touch with us. We’d love the opportunity to talk with you, too! Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, ICD Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people challenged by ADD, Hoarding, and Chronic Disorganization. Jonda S. Beattie is a Professional Organizer and owner of Time Space Organization based in the Metro-Atlanta area. As presenter, author of three books as well as a retired special education teacher, she uses her listening skills, problem solving skills, knowledge of different learning techniques, ADHD specialty, and paper management skills to help clients tackle the toughest organizational issues. Jonda does hands on organizing, virtual organizing, and moderates a Zone Plan Teleclass for those who prefer to work on their own with organizational coaching. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Understanding Hoarding **Tags:** Education, NAPO, The Hoarding Disorder, The Institute for Challenging Disorganization --- ### [Chores!](https://dnqsolutions.com/chores/) **Published:** June 9, 2019 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** ## Love them or hate them – still gotta do them What is it about chores that makes them so hard to do, so easy to put off? First, let’s talk about the word – chore. **Where does the word ‘chore’ come from?** According to etymology: chore is written in the New Oxford American Dictionary as “(originally dialect and U.S.): variant of obsolete char or chare (see charwoman)”, which the same pronunciation as the modern verb char. It ultimately comes from Middle English cherre (odd job). Essentially, the word ‘chore’ is linked to doing a job. Usually, a job around the house like cleaning, taking out the garbage, making the bed, doing the laundry, emptying the dishwasher – I could go on and on. **Did you do chores as a child?** I did. But, some I only did when specifically told by my mother to do it, or else! And we all know what that means… The chores I did routinely, without even giving them a second thought were: making my bed, doing the dishes, emptying the dishwasher and setting the table. Chores I hated to do were dusting, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms and taking out the trash. **What’s the reason?** Do you have dogs? Do they shed? If they do, what do you do about all that hair? I have two dogs and I routinely vacuum everyday because they both shed, and I really dislike having lots of dog hair floating around my home. That’s my motivation for vacuuming. If you know the reason you’re doing something it can be easier to tackle. Find the reason for doing chores. Wiping the kitchen counter at night keeps the counter clean for the next day of food prep. Doing laundry regularly keeps the task reasonable. If you wait until you have no more clean clothes you may be doing laundry all day! **Chores and Routines** Many of my clients do not have a routine for doing chores. Consequently, chores are rarely accomplished. When you can make doing a chore part of your daily or weekly routine it becomes less of a drag on your time and more simply a part of what happens on that day or at that time. Like once a week, change your sheets. Put the dirty ones in the wash. Then be sure to do that load of laundry so you have clean sheets for the next week. Here’s a link to an [article](https://www.today.com/home/how-often-you-should.) that talks about why you should change your sheets once a week. **Responsibility** Giving age appropriate chores to children is a way to teach responsibility – not only to the home (keeping it looking nice) but also to the family (no one member of a family should take care of all the chores!). My 18-month-old grand-daughter goes to daycare. She is being taught to pick up and put away toys at the daycare. Her parents were told to continue that at home. Have her put away toys and books when she is finished with them. Of course, she is not doing this by herself. She’s too young for that right now but, she is learning to take responsibility for her belongings. Here is a [link](https://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/parenting-challenges/motivating-kids-to...) to an article to guide you in selecting age appropriate chores for children. **Make Chores Fun!** You can play music. Sing and dance along as you run the vacuum. Create a chores play list. Set a timer – see how many toys can be picked up or clothes put away before the timer runs out. As Mary Poppins says “In every job that must be done, have an element of fun and SNAP the job’s a game”. **Good Enough** Remember to praise your children when they do their chores, even if it is not done as perfectly as you would do it yourself. You are teaching a learned skill. Practice makes perfect – let your child keep on trying. If you criticize the way in which the chore was done, you may end up with a child who resents even trying because they fear it won’t be good enough. This is true for you, too. If you live alone or are sharing your home with a partner or roommate accept ‘good enough’ as the result of a chore being done. **Benefits** When you grow up doing chores, chores are no longer a dreaded activity, or an intrusion upon your day. They are simply part of what you do. Most likely there will be days when you don’t want to do the assigned chore – so don’t do it. That’s ok because there are other days when you do the chore routinely. Skipping a day or a chore every now and then is not the end of the world. How do you feel about doing chores? Do you do them with a grumble because you must? Or, are they part of your routine, a part of life, a part of what makes your home operate smoothly? Please share your opinion! Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, ICD Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people challenged by ADD, Hoarding, and Chronic Disorganization. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Children and Chores, Good Enough, Household Chores, Responsibility --- ### [Interview Series: Hoarding Expert; Amy Bowles](https://dnqsolutions.com/interview-series-hoarding-expert-amy-bowles/) **Published:** June 16, 2019 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Over the next few months, we will be interviewing professionals who work with the hoarding population. They are hoarding experts. We are asking them to share their insight on people who hoard and people who think they have the hoarding disorder. We recently interviewed Amy Bowles. Amy is the president of Tucson Professional Organizers, in Tucson, Arizona. She is also a member of the [American Psychological Association](http://www.apa.org), the [Institute for Challenging Disorganization](http://www.challengingdisorganization.org) (ICD), and the [National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals](https://www.napo.net/) (NAPO). Her company’s name, *Been There Done That Organizing, LLC,* reflects the fact that Amy herself has struggled with hoarding behaviors. She has personally been where her clients are at: overwhelmed with clutter and too much stuff. Helping people discover a less debilitating and more joyful life is her passion. ### Questions & Responses **What training have you taken?** *I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology and have nearly completed a master’s degree in rehabilitation and mental health counseling.* *I have taken classes through NAPO and ICD and I have attended 6 NAPO annual conferences and 2 [ICD annual conferences.](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-to-attend-the-icd-conference/) I worked with my own organizer, ICD subscriber Elaine Kraus owner of Whole [Life Organizing ](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-when-you-are-overwhelmed/)in Charlottesville, Virginia, for 2 yearswhen I began de-hoarding my own house. I apprenticed for nearly a year with a local therapist who specialized in working with hoarding clients. She ran a [support group](https://dnqsolutions.com/beyond-the-chaos-navigating-clutter-through-the-virtual-support-group/) that I adapted and made into my own when she stepped down as facilitator. I am a member of the Arizona Hoarding Task Force and I participated in an episode of the Hoarder’sTV show in 2016 as a support organizer. I have also watched every single episode of Hoarders at least 3 times (does that count?) and have learned a lot from the show about what is helpful and **what is not** when dealing with hoardingbehaviors.* **What percentage of your clients do you suspect have hoarding tendencies?** *I have determined that 53% of my current clients exhibit hoarding behaviors and/or engage in compulsive acquiring. Of those, 95% have diagnosed, co-occurring mental health disorders and/or physically disabling conditions. I also work with a large number of clients whose primary diagnosis is Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Both groups experience chronic disorganization as a symptom of their diagnoses.* **As you start working, are there times when you discover this is something other than hoarding?** *Not usually. During the phone intake and at the in-person consultation I “interrogate” my prospective clients mercilessly (\*laughs\*). I know just about everything before we start working except maybe their social security number – but I’ll probably find that out too when we get to the paperwork! In seriousness, I ask a lot of specific medical questions right at the beginning – like are there thyroid issues or diagnoses of sleep apnea or diabetes – to see if there is something that medically can be addressed first. I do not want to attribute thoughts and behaviors to a mental health disorder like hoarding when those thoughts and behaviors may be (at least partially) a result of a physiological problem. I ask all about their life–history (the good, the bad, and the ugly), their mental health diagnoses, and any challenging or traumatic experiences they have lived through. Ultimately, my clients need more coaching than organizing. Some may argue that these types of questions are outside the “lane” of a professional organizer, but I submit that I am much better equipped to provide effective coaching, guidance, encouragement, and organizing help if I learn as much as possible about my clients strengths and weaknesses from the outset.* **What tool do you use to determine the amount of clutter?** *I prefer the CIRS (Clutter Image Rating Scale), developed by Dr. Randy Frost and the [International OCD Foundation](https://iocdf.org) . If there is evidence of animal hoarding or squalor,then I may use Christiana Bratiotis’ [HOMES](https://vet.tufts.edu/wp-content/uploads/HOMES%20SCALE.pdf)assessment, the [UniformInspection Checklist](http://www.philadelphiahoarding.org/resources/Uniform%20Inspection%20Checklist%20-%20Quick%20Reference.pdf) created by Marnie Matthews, or the [ClutterHoarding Scale®](https://www.challengingdisorganization.org/clutter-hoarding-scale-) developedby ICD. Using these scales can help me provide other helpers, like code enforcement, Adult Protective Services, Child Protective Services, pest control or landlords, with a better idea of the extent of the problem.* **How do you determine if the working area is safe for you and your client?** *I start by asking to meet all family members, to make sure everyone is on board with the process. I have also been known to Google particularly troubled clients, and to sometimes perform background checks on certain clients. I also find out in advance if clients have pets, and at the in-person consultation, I determine if those pets need to be crated or put outside while we are working. In addition, I ask first by phone, and then in person about pest infestations, bedbugs, mold, mildew, leaks, rotting food, the use of candles or other fragrances, and the use of space-heaters. Once we begin working together, I also request that clients move objects that are located near HVAC systems and encourage them to keep it that way.* *If necessary, to keep myself safe while working, I will wear an N95 mask, or a respirator, if needed. Of course, I have Tyvek suits available, goggles, and a variety of gloves. I also have waterproof and regular boots, if needed. At most clients’ homes I simply wear a hat and jeans and either a short or long-sleeved t-shirt and sneakers..* **Do you usually work alone or with a team? If you work with a team, who do you want on your team?** *I find it very difficult to work with a team, though I do enjoy it when the opportunity arises. I have involved a team for some short-term bigger jobs, but I find my strength is in the one-on-one work. And I have found that most clients simply aren’t ready for the team approach until we have worked one-on-one for 18-24 months. I would love to clone myself… because this is exhausting work. I would love to find someone like me, who has overcome hoarding and can help others change their minds in order to change their lives.* **Would you be willing to share something you learned – maybe the hard way from a client?** *I have learned that 4 hours of yelling at me is my limit. (Thankfully, such experiences are few and far between and the overwhelming majority of my clients are no different than me: they are creative, interesting, funny, thoughtful, helpful humans whose lives have taken a massive wrong turn.) I have a fairly high tolerance for chaos, and my boundaries tend to be somewhat flexible. I am non-judgmental because I know, first-hand, that most of my clients need love, affection, compassion, empathy, kindness, and encouragement more than anything else that I could provide. I have learned that the course corrections most clients need are small but there are a LOT of them needed for clients to effectively turn their lives around, and I am in there with them for the long haul.* *I honestly believe that most people, most of the time, are doing the best they can with the skills they have. But still… four hours of yelling is my limit.* *I guess I have learned my most valuable lesson from myself, and it is this: My **unhelpful** behaviors and actions do not determine my value, just as my **helpful** behaviors and actions also do not. My value remains unchanged, no matter what I do. And I am worthy of love, affection, forgiveness, and everything good in the world. **I do not have to earn it.** And this is true for everyone. I want to pass this understanding on to my clients, and if they gain nothing else from me, it is **this** truth that is the catalyst for significant, positive change. I think it was Carl Rogers who said “the curious paradox is that when I accept myself just as I am, then I can change.”* *Generally speaking, hoarding is primarily a collection of unhelpful thinking and behaviors, and good news: oncewe figure out how to accept ourselves, both thoughts and behaviors can be changed!* **What advice would you give someone who is considering going into the field?** *Make sure that you have figured out what empathy really is. And maybe… give up the idea of organizing (\*laughs\*). You cannot focus on the “stuff,” because it’s not about the stuff! Hoarding is having an emotional problem letting go of stuff – it’s not about about acquiring too much stuff, but about letting go of it.* *Ultimately, clients need unconditional acceptance, consistent, unwavering, optimistic hope (that they will regularly borrow from you), complete faith in their ability to change their thinking, and an arsenal of self-help tools that you can share to help them develop their self-efficacy and self-esteem as they venture into effective decision making. You want your clients to become independent and to have faith in themselves that they are capable of making good decisions. They have made so many unhelpful decisions (on a regular basis) that this trust in themselves (and in others) is hard to come by. Stand by their side, earn their trust, and then teach your clients to stand on their own, and trust themselves.* **Do you have a shareable list of resources for people challenged by hoarding or their families?** *I have a library of books I regularly receive from one client and share with the next. I also always keep my library stocked with the books**: Buried in Treasures**, **Stuff and the Meaning of Things**, **Digging Out,** **Boundaries** (Cloud & Townsend), and **Women Who Love Too Much**. I happily refer clients to my [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/AmyElizabethBowles) page:* <https://www.facebook.com/amybowlesbtdto/>*, and I invite clients to join some of the Facebook support groups I participate with – Hoarding [Cluttering Support Group](https://dnqsolutions.com/a-review-of-projects-conquered-through-virtual-clutter-support-groups/) and Women with ADD. I routinely refer clients to the local Buried in Treasures workshop in Tucson, which is currently held twice a year for roughly 16 weeks. My own local support group, Excess Denied, is private, but those who are interested may contact me at <excessdeniedtucson@gmail.com>. I also offer virtual and in-person coaching and organizing, as well as public speaking on the issue of hoarding behavior. I can be reached at amy@BTDTOrganizing.com.* Thank you very much for this fabulous time spent together learning more about the work you do. If you are or if you know a professional who works with people with hoarding tendencies, please feel free to get in touch with us. We’d love the opportunity to talk with you, too! Be sure to check back to see who we interview next! Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, ICD Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people challenged by ADD, Hoarding, and Chronic Disorganization. Jonda S. Beattie is a Professional Organizer and owner of Time Space Organization based in the Metro-Atlanta area. As presenter, author of three books as well as a retired special education teacher, she uses her listening skills, problem solving skills, knowledge of different learning techniques, ADHD specialty, and paper management skills to help clients tackle the toughest organizational issues. Jonda does hands on organizing, virtual organizing, and moderates a Zone Plan Teleclass for those who prefer to work on their own with organizational coaching. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Understanding Hoarding **Tags:** Education, professional organizer, The Hoarding Disorder, The Institute for Challenging Disorganization, The National Association of Productivity and Organzing Professionals --- ### [Interview Series: Hoarding Expert; DorothyTheOrganizer](https://dnqsolutions.com/interview-series-hoarding-expert-dorothytheorganizer/) **Published:** August 11, 2019 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Over the next few months, we will be interviewing professionals who work with the hoarding population. We are asking them to share their insights on people who hoard and people who think they have the hoarding disorder. We recently interviewed [Dorothy Breininger](http://www.dorothytheorganizer.com). Dorothy, also known as DorothyTheOrganizer has worked years on [A&E’s hit show, **Hoarders**](https://www.aetv.com/shows/hoarders). She has served on the board of directors for the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals, is a member of the Institute for [Chronic Disorganization ](https://dnqsolutions.com/struggling-with-chronic-disorganization-these-3-tips-will-help-get-you-motivated/)and sponsor for the Los Angeles Hoarding Conference. Dorothy has appeared on the Today Show, Dr. Phil Show, and featured in the LA Times, Forbes Magazine, Women’s Day and Entrepreneur Magazine. She has authored *Stuff Your Face or Face Your Stuff*, *When I Roll Out of Bed Tomorrow Morning, I Just Want to Be Happy*, and co-authored *Time Efficiency Makeover: Own Your Time and Your Life by Conquering Procrastination.* Dorothy is a sought-after national speaker, a United States Small Business Association Award Winner, and a multi-year recipient of NAPO’s “Most Innovative Organizer Award”. ## Questions & Responses #### What training have you taken? *I started in 1995 and almost all is self-taught. The first cases I worked with, I did not even know was hoarding. I got in on the ground floor around the time when Randy Frost and Gail Steketee were doing their research. David Tolin was writing his book and doing research also. I called on some different local government agencies like HUD, Adult Protective Services (APS), the Housing Authority, Code Enforcement Agency to name a few to see if they were willing to help with some of the cases. In 2003, with other local government officials, I started a hoarding task force. In 2004 the CDC started calling hoarding an epidemic. I learned from working with all these people and groups.* #### As you start working, are there times when you discover this is something other than hoarding? *Sometimes the person who is calling about a family member (who they believe has a hoarding problem) actually is so overwhelmed with clutter in their head that they perceive the other person’s clutter or collection as hoarding. Their mind is over-full of thoughts. You can call it mental clutter or mental hoarding. Some famous people in LA have so many fans that are always receiving gifts. They also get tons of swag and freebies from vendors and awards shows. The celebrities don’t know what to do with all of this stuff, so they keep it. They generally have very big houses with lots of room, but these items accumulate. Is it a hoard? To some perhaps. To the celebrity, it’s a mass validation of the successful career.* *As an aside, I want to say that I work for a show called **Hoarders.** We realize that this label “Hoarders” is not a nice label to use when talking about an individual with a challenge.* #### What tool do you use to determine the amount of clutter? *I use the ICD® Clutter-Hoarding Scale®. Therapists use it and when I teach, I pass it on. But I also use the five senses. Hearing: both what people say and noises in the house, Smell, Sight, Touch, and Taste. I also look for visual density. If you look at a shelving unit and you see it is not only full of books but also stuffed full. In all the nooks and crannies between and on top of the books. Then they add a hook and may add a string that they connect to another hook and put items on the string. That is visual density.* #### How do you determine if the working area is safe for you and your client? *Two ways. First, I just go on an assumption that it is always dangerous. Even if I don’t see anything at first, I assume something might be under the hoard. Second, if there is any obvious abusive behavior going on. (for example, substance abuse or verbal abuse), we may walk away from a job. We also ask them how they would like to be referred to – not as a hoarder but perhaps as a collector or a packrat.* #### How do you put your team together when working on a project? *We want physically strong people usually for the TV show – emotional strength or physical strength. Everyone must know that there should not be any laughter in front of or too near the client. If the client hears laughter, they assume people are laughing at them. The team must be super respectful and must be able to touch and show affection. When doing interviews, we ask each applicant to “share about a tough time in your life.” It is important to have a [personality](https://dnqsolutions.com/6-gifts-for-the-organized-person-in-your-life-that-they-will-truly-appreciate/) fit.* #### Do you have different lead organizers depending on the level of the hoard? *Yes, on a just-completed hoard we had 40 people working. It was a huge job. Some of the people were friends and family. We also had bio teams and community teams. We place the teams in different areas around the home. Most of the people on the teams have no training. I train them as we go. Each team has a leader. For this hoarding job I had 6 teams. Every morning we had a team meeting. The worker bees are on one side of the room and the team leaders are on the other side. I give general instructions to the whole group and more specific instructions to the team leaders.* #### Do you come up with a set of rules when working with a client? *It depends. If a client gets bogged down and can’t think of any rules for things to keep then, we work on some criteria like “We can get rid of it if it’s soiled or if it’s broken.”* #### Would you be willing to share something you learned – maybe the hard way – from a client? *In my 30s when I started working, I was absolutely sure that my way would be the best way to complete a job and I was would do marathon work – overtime, into the night, very late. (laughter). I pushed too hard. Through my experience, I learned that when a client pushes back, that means something – like they are tired, can’t work as fast as I was expecting. I was always willing to compromise my health, or sleep or healthy eating to keep working. I’ve changed big time here.* #### **We are fascinated by the fact that before you started on the show, you once spent a year and $40,000 of your own money helping a 76-year-old avoid jail. Could you tell us more about that event?** *I bring this back to NAPO. I became program coordinator and then chapter president of my local chapter. LA county called NAPO and asked if anyone could work with a person who hoards. Because of my volunteering, I was known in the NAPO Chapter the call was referred to me. They had a “hoarder” that was going to be put into jail if he could not meet code compliance. I agreed to take on the job. Then they told me, “But, we can’t pay you.” This individual (Lloyd) lived in a tough neighborhood in LA.He had 5,000 bikes and bike parts. He had all these wheels hanging from the ceiling. It was a beautiful hoard. He was an engineer in the past and was now sleeping on a recliner on the front porch in an area where there were murders regularly.* *I had to pay people to help me.* *We formed a task force for Lloyd. Building and safety, vector control, HUD, Senior Services, professional organizers, volunteers, City Council women, prosecutors, a judge – we all formed this task force. We saw a lot of crossovers on what the groups did. I did not get paid for this work and I did pay many other individuals for their help on this case. Once the clean up was done, Lloyd met a woman from church and he proposed to her. Of course, we organized the wedding and we ended up on the Today Show with Ann Curry and Katie Couric! Shortly after this the Hoarders TV Show contacted me.* #### What do you think about the expression “passive decline”? *Judith Kolberg and I were in Japan at a conference in December and I heard her use the term, ‘passive decline.’ It’s not a term I’ve used so far. I do [feel it effectively describes the state of a home ](https://dnqsolutions.com/control-paper-clutter-in-your-home-feel-more-energized/)in which there is very little human activity anymore – either because a person has run out of space, energy, and motivation to either deal with the hoard or add to the hoard.* #### What advice would you give someone considering going into the field? #1. *Self-care. Get yourself in the right frame of mind. If you intend to stop work at 5:00 – then stop. And ff you need extra sleep, get it. But if you must take a moment to return an urgent family phone call while with a client, excuse yourself and do so (off the clock).* #### Do you have a shareable list of resources for people challenged by hoarding or their families? *If you go to my* [*website*](http://www.dorothy.com.vhost.zerolag.com/dorothy-the-organizer-team/)*, there are resources listed for hoarders.* #### Do you have any articles or books that you’ve written that you’d like to share? *Stuff your Face or Face your Stuff (Hoarding food on my body vs. hoarding stuff in my home)* *Saving our Parents DVD (scams, hoarding, etc with our aging parents)* *DorothyTheOrganizer Master Organizer Class releasing in October* Thank you very much for this fabulous [time spent](https://dnqsolutions.com/time-spent-with-family/) together learning more about the work you do. If you are or if you know a professional who works with people with hoarding tendencies, please feel free to get in touch with us. We’d love the opportunity to talk with you, too! Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, ICD Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people challenged by ADD, Hoarding, and Chronic Disorganization. Jonda S. Beattie is a Professional Organizer and owner of Time Space Organization based in the Metro-Atlanta area. As presenter, author of three books as well as a retired special education teacher, she uses her listening skills, problem solving skills, knowledge of different learning techniques, ADHD specialty, and paper management skills to help clients tackle the toughest organizational issues. Jonda does hands on organizing, virtual organizing, and moderates a Zone Plan Teleclass for those who prefer to work on their own with organizational coaching. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Understanding Hoarding **Tags:** chronic disorganization, Education, professional organizer, The Hoarding Disorder, The Institute for Challenging Disorganization, The National Association of Productivity and Organzing Professionals --- ### [Organize Your Closet](https://dnqsolutions.com/organize-your-closet/) **Published:** October 13, 2019 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Do you have lots and lots of clothes? Take some time and organize your closet. I’ve been talking about the concept of good enough. The definition is a personal one. What may be good enough for me may not be good enough for you. Think about that as I talk about [organizing your closet and clothes.](https://dnqsolutions.com/ideas-for-organizing-clothes-without-a-closet/) No matter the size of your closet unless you purposefully put your clothes away it can devolve into a disaster area quickly. Instead of letting your clothes drop into a heap on the closet floor, put them away. Let’s talk about the different types of clothes you may have in your closet and where to put them. #### Blouses and Shirts [Organize your closet](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-top-3-benefits-of-organizing-your-closet-plus-tips-tools-to-use/) by hanging blouses and shirts on the top row of a double hang bar. If your budget allows, get slim fabric covered hangers. This way the blouses (particularly silky ones) will stay on the hanger instead of slipping to the floor. You have the option to group your shirts/blouses in a few different ways. Group them by shirt sleeve length (sleeveless, short-sleeved, long sleeved) And by color. The reason for doing this is simple, when you group these tops by color, you’ll easily be able to find the top you’re looking for. It will be faster to pull an outfit together. You won’t have to sift through the different tops and colors until you find the one you want. This is totally up to you and honestly requires more maintenance because to keep everything in order is a little bit more time consuming. Decide to what length you want to go to organize your tops – how much is good enough for you? #### T-Shirts Do you fold or hang your t-shirts? If you have the hanging space, hanging your t-shirts is faster and easier than folding them. And if you keep your t-shirts folded on a shelf in your closet, try to put the clean ones on the bottom of the stack. But if your t-shirts are kept in a drawer, try to fold them so they are kept upright on edge – not stacked. It’s easier to put them away and easier to rotate them. Do what’s easiest for you. #### Slacks and pants Do you long hang your pants or fold them over a bar? If they are folded over a bar, hang them on the bottom row of a double hanging system. If you long hang your pants, get hangers with a soft grip so they don’t leave a mark on your clothes. No matter which hanging method you employ, group your pants by color. Keep black pants together, blue, gray, khaki – you get the idea. I suggest you do this for two reasons. The first is so you see how many of each color you have, the second is to make it easier for you to put outfits together. If you have a lot of pants of one color or another, ask yourself how many pairs of pants of this color do I need? If it’s part of a work uniform, you may need one pair for each day you work or at least one pair to wear, one in the closet, and one in the wash. You decide what is good enough for you. #### Jeans Do you fold or hang your jeans? Are they dressy jeans? Work in the garden jeans? Are jeans part of your personal uniform? How many pairs do you have? If you fold them, do they fit on a shelf in your closet or can they go in a chest of drawers in your bedroom? #### Dresses and skirts Fashion and what is fashionable changes all the time. I tend not to [pay too much attention](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-3-best-reasons-to-pay-attention-to-your-bed/) to what is fashionable and to wear what works for me. Do you? Hem lengths change all the time, too. Some skirts are short, some long, some mid-calf. If your skirts are short enough, you can hang them on the bottom rod of a double hang system. Hang long skirts in an open or long hanging section in your closet. Group dresses and skirts together according to function. Work clothes belong together as do church clothes and party clothes. #### Shoes Shoes can be a real problem. They tend to clutter up the floor of the closet. Do you have certain pairs of shoes you wear only on special occasions? Separate those pairs of shoes out first. Keep those pairs high up on a shelf and store them in clear plastic boxes. You’ll be able to see them (you’ll know where to find them) and they will stay clean. Also, the boxes are easy to stack so if you have more than one pair of shoes that you wear infrequently, they can be stacked one on top of the other. Organizing your closet this way will keep the closet floor clutter free. Do you have shoes you wear to work? Shoes you wear on the weekends. How about shoes you wear for exercise. Group the pairs of shoes according to use. They’ll be easier to find that way. Try to put them in the pair when you take them off. I tend to kick my shoes off in my closet. Matching them as a pair makes it easier for me when I’m looking for shoes in the morning. #### Handbags or Purses I love my handbags and have lots of them. But I change them out frequently. Sometimes I want a big bag and sometimes a smaller one. I keep mine on a couple of shelves in my closet. Upper shelves or storage bins work well for keeping handbags together. #### Accessories Then there are other accessories like belts and scarves. Stores like [Target](http://www.target.com), [The Container Store](http://www.thecontainerstore.com), and [Walmart](http://www.walmart.com) have a variety of hangers made for the purpose of hanging these accessories. They also have hangers for blouses, skirts, dresses, and pants. Check out these stores to find what is good enough for you. #### Multiple Sizes Finally, let’s talk about multiple sizes. Some people store multiple sizes of clothes in their closet. I understand weight fluctuates. Be honest with yourself. If you’re hanging on to clothes that are 2, 3, or 4 sizes too small and have been hoping to be that size again for several years it may be time to remove those clothes from your closet. Give them away or sell them. They are taking up valuable real estate in your closet. The best reason to organize your closet is to make your life easier. It’s a good feeling to either walk into or reach into your closet and find the clothes you want to wear each day without having to hunt for them. You can follow these tips on your own or [give me a call](http://www.dnqsolutions.com) and together we can organize your clothes in a way that is good enough for you. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** closet organization, Good Enough, professional organizer, Residential Organizing, The National Association of Productivity and Organzing Professionals --- ### [How to Organize for a Move to a New Home](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-for-a-move-to-a-new-home/) **Published:** February 16, 2020 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Learn how to organize for a move to a new home. Moving is a stressful endeavor. Read these tips and they will reduce some of the anxiety and thus relieve your stress. Whether you are selling your home and then moving down the road, moving from apartment to apartment, or preparing to move across the country into your first home there are some simple steps to follow so that your move can be as stress-free as possible. ### **Timeline** Create a realistic timeline for yourself. If you are single this is a fairly simple process. Answer these questions for yourself. If you are not, sit down with your partner to answer these questions: 1. When do you have access to the new home? 2. How far are you traveling? 3. Are you hiring a moving company or renting a truck? 4. When do you want to have everything packed up and ready to go? #### **Packing Up Process** Now that you know when you want to have everything packed up and organized for your move to a new home you can plan the packing up process. Even if you are hiring a company to pack your belongings, you will want to go through every zone to make sure the packers will only be packing things you want to have with you. There are several distinct zones in almost everyone’s home: kitchen, bedroom, desk (or home office), dining area, and living area. Some homes also have a shed, garage, or tools zone. Think about the different zones in your home. #### Use a Calendar An important step to [organize for a move to a new home](https://dnqsolutions.com/create-your-home-organizing-sweet-spot/) is to use a calendar. I’m a paper and pen person and always do my planning on a paper calendar. I recommend everyone, even those who generally use an electronic calendar, use a paper calendar for something as involved a planning a move. You can print a monthly calendar view as well as a weekly view with plenty of space to write in. When you use a paper calendar it is easy to see at a glance when you have scheduled things to do. Since life goes on, even when you are beginning to [organize a move to a new home](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-for-a-move-to-a-new-home-2/), it’s important to be able to see what you have to do to prepare to move as well as the other commitments you may have. Schedule packing up one zone at a time in your calendar. If you have the luxury of time, allow a week for each zone. #### **Supplies:** Buy your supplies one zone at a time. I know you can return unused boxes to the supply company but it’s best if you can buy what you need a little at a time. This way you’re not cluttering up your space with random supplies. #### **You will need**: 1. Boxes (book boxes are the easiest to carry – get more of these and less of the bigger boxes) 2. Tape 3. Permanent markers 4. Small note pad and pens (to inventory each box) #### **How to pack each zone** As you go about packing up each zone in your home do yourself a favor and only pack the things that you **use**, think are **beautiful**, and that you **love**. #### **Things that are broken** Things that are broken need to be fixed before they are packed or removed (toss or recycle). If you don’t use something, let it go. You know I’m talking about that piece of kitchen equipment that looked so fabulous in the store or online but that you have only used once since you brought home. #### **Clothes** Clothes you don’t wear need to leave so that someone else can wear them. #### **Children’s toys** If you have children, go through their toys and remove the ones they have outgrown or no longer play with. Consider inviting your friends with younger children to come over and let them take any toys that you are letting go. Trash is simply that, trash and can be tossed. If you no longer want something you have options. You can sell it yourself, take it to a consignment store, or donate it. No matter what, I can not stress this enough, do not pack things that you don’t want. Let’s say you come across something that great-aunt Suzie gave you when you graduated from college. You don’t like this thing, you don’t use this thing, you really don’t want this thing, but you are hanging on to it because it was given to you by someone you love. Give yourself permission to remove it from your possessions. Take a picture of it so that you will remember the gift. Let someone else have the benefit of owning it. Acknowledge that it is taking up valuable real estate in your current home. Since you are getting organized to move to a new home, let this thing move on to someone else. #### **Packing boxes** 1\. Make a list of the contents of each box you pack 2\. Number your list (box #1 has these items) 3\. Put the number on the outside of the box – write really large – put the number on multiple sides. 4\. In addition to the number, write the name of the room in which the box will go at the new home. This is important. You may pack a box in your current home in the family room and the contents of the box may go to the office in your new home. 5\. Also, make an [inventory](https://dnqsolutions.com/services/home-inventory/) of all the furnishings you are bringing with you. This can be a photo inventory. HomeZada has a fabulous, easy to use [home inventory](https://dnqsolutions.com/reasons-to-create-a-comprehensive-home-inventory/) app which you can download. #### **Details** One of the details to attend to as you organize to move to a new home is to go to the Post office (you can also do this online) and fill out the form to change your address. [Here](https://www.usa.gov/moving) is a link to the information. Pack your vital documents into a box (or boxes) that will go with you in your car. You want to have immediate access to these important papers, just in case. Also, it’s a good idea to keep them in your possession. Pack your jewelry to take with you in your car. Consider packing a small box of handy cleaning supplies because you may want to dust a cupboard or wipe down the bathrooms and kitchen counters with a Clorox or Lysol wipe. #### **If you are selling your current home** If you are selling your home to move to a new home, check out [this](https://www.redfin.com/blog/how-to-sell-your-house/) article. There are fabulous tips on what to do to make your current home more attractive to home buyers. #### **Finally** Remember to breathe. Selling your home, organizing your home to move to a new home, and moving are stressful life events. Go through the contents of every area of your home, one area at a time. Tune into yourself, your partner and your children. Take mini breaks and do as much as you can in advance. Please reach out to me for more information on how to organize for a move to a new home. Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, moving, Organizing Strategies, reduce clutter, reduce stress --- ### [Control Paper Clutter in Your Home & Feel More Energized](https://dnqsolutions.com/control-paper-clutter-in-your-home-feel-more-energized/) **Published:** March 1, 2020 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Do you want to feel more energized? One way is to control the paper clutter in your home. Have you ever noticed the effect that clutter has on you? Clutter has the super-power of removing energy from people. It multiplies like bunnies it it’s left alone. Before you know it, clutter’s everywhere. Give yourself more energy and put energy back into your home by taking [steps to control the clutter ](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-steps-to-control-clothes-clutter-in-a-small-space/)in your home. There are many [kinds of clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/what-kind-of-clutter-do-you-have/). This week I’m talking specifically about [controlling the paper clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/clutter-control/) in your home since it’s tax season. ### **Paper clutter** Just the thought of finding the [papers necessary to file taxes overwhelms some people](https://dnqsolutions.com/paper-decluttering-tips-for-people-with-mounds-of-paper-mail-documents/). Talk about zapping energy and strength. What if you knew exactly where to put any and all papers related to taxes as soon as they made their way onto your computer screen or into your snail mailbox? Awesome, right? Every year, in December, I create a manila folder (I use a red one) for my taxes. I label it for the next tax year (Taxes 2020) and put it in the hanging file, labeled TAXES. Then as I receive anything tax related: letters acknowledging a donation, 1099s, interest statements etc. I put them in the red manila folder. If I get them digitally, I print them so I can put them in my taxes folder. One [way I control the paper clutter in my home](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-simplest-way-to-declutter-your-home/) by having a place to put everything tax related. I have everything I need in this folder when I’m ready to do my taxes. Simple. ### **O.H.I.O.** Piles of paper, piles of files, little scraps of paper, post-it notes written and left here and there rob people of energy because it takes energy to figure out what to do with all these piles, notes, and scraps. You have to read each note and take time to remember its significance. Then, you have to decide what to do next. It could take you quite a bit of time if you need to find a document or a specific note you left yourself. That’s a time waster and an energy thief. If this is happening to you, let’s turn it around and get that energy back. Some people teach the [O.H.I.O](https://mncconsultinggroup.com/free-resources/white-papers/the-ohio-method/). rule for paper. O.H.I.O. stands for Only Handle It Once. I’ve never been able to follow this rule. Sometimes, I simply don’t have time to take care of the next step involved in handling each paper. So, I put it down and it ends up in a pile. Does this sound familiar? In all honesty, I’m a bit of a paper piler. I’ve learned through trial and error how to [control the paper clutter ](https://dnqsolutions.com/whos-in-control-of-your-free-time-you-or-your-clutter/)in my home by reducing my tendency to pile paper. I’m going to share my strategy with you here. By the way, an added benefit is that you can also apply this same [strategy to your digital documents.](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-to-organize-documents-on-file/) ### **Assign an action** When you open an envelope and look at the contents, think about your next step. Write the verb associated with your next step on the top of the paper. For instance: Pay, File, Read, Call or Email. Then there are the things you just don’t know about. I write Pending on these. You may also have a folder labeled: Ask if you have a partner you want to check with before acting. By the way, these are just some of the more common action folder names. You may come up with different action words with which to label your action folders. Have a desktop hanging file holder or a stadium file folder sorter nearby to hold these action files and folders. ![Desktop hanging file holder](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/10042560-desktop-hanging-file-transp-2-1024x1024.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Reduce paper clutter with this acrylic desktop hanging file holder from the container store These are temporary holding spots for these papers. ![3 section vertical folder holder](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/3-SectionVerticalFileTranslucent_x.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Control paper clutter with this vertical folder holder from the container storeThere are lots of different types of either desktop file holders or stadium file sorters. Look for them at these stores [The Container Store](https://www.containerstore.com/), [Targe](https://www.target.com/)t, [Walmart](https://www.walmart.com/), and [Office Depot](https://www.officedepot.com/) . ### Strategy Once you have sorted your papers into action files, plan to revisit these action files regularly. After all they are meant to be a temporary holding spot to control the paper clutter in your home. My suggestion is open each folder once a week, look through it, and schedule actions to take in your calendar. You do not want to merely collect papers in these folders. Work this strategy by continually revisiting these folders and emptying them. You can apply this strategy digitally by creating action folders for your email. Once you have taken the action (paid the bill, replied to an email, scheduled an appointment) delete the email. This reduces email clutter. Email or digital clutter is a topic for another day. When you control the paper clutter in your home, you are in charge. The clutter is not robbing you of energy. Just the opposite. Feel more energized by knowing that you have your papers under control. You know the actions to take to stay on top of your to-do list. Piles of paper and piles of files will not accumulate because you have places to put them. Check out my [website](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/home-office-organization-ideas/) for more tips on organizing files. Feel free to reach out to me to help you create action files and folders to control the paper clutter in your home that work for you. We can meet in person if you are in the Atlanta area or virtually if you live elsewhere. Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies, piles of paper, reduce clutter, Taxes --- ### [Downsize Your Files By Weeding Them](https://dnqsolutions.com/downsize-your-files-by-weeding-them/) **Published:** March 15, 2020 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Since many of us find ourselves practicing social distancing by staying home, take advantage of this time to downsize the amount of paper in each file folder and weed your files. #### Control those paper piles If you’ve been following the blog this month, I’m talking about paper. I started out by asking you to consider [controlling the paper piles](https://dnqsolutions.com/control-paper-clutter-in-your-home-feel-more-energized/) on your desk and in your office by assigning an action to each paper. From there I moved to talking about an action file holder which could sit on top of your desk. Your next steps are to [schedule time](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-art-of-planning-and-scheduling-carving-out-time-for-yourself/) each week to look through each action folder and follow up. One of the actions involves [filing documents.](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-to-organize-documents-on-file/) #### Weed the folders Here we are. You’ve opened the [file drawer](https://dnqsolutions.com/thinking-of-organizing-that-file-drawer-2/) and your files are stuffed with papers. If you only have a few minutes, file the papers as you intended then schedule some extra time next week to downsize the files in these drawers. I’m not suggesting that you weed through every hanging file in the drawer in one sitting. That would be overwhelming and would make me want to just close the door on the office. Downsize a few folders at a time. #### Questions to ask Some downsizing can happen organically. When you go into your file drawer and take out the manila folder in order to put in a document, look at the other documents in the folder. Ask yourself these questions: 1. Do you need everything in the folder? 2. Is some of the information out of date? 3. Does the current document replace the information in the folder (insurance companies generally send an update to your policy each year)? 4. Have you ever opened this folder? If not, then consider removing it. #### Archive some files You can often downsize the hanging files by moving any that are no longer active files and placing them in an archival box. I recommend archiving files which hold supporting documents for your taxes and files like volunteer positions you no longer hold. There are other papers, they could be paid invoices, that you’re hanging onto because they contain information you think you may need one day regarding a home improvement project. Buried in the invoice might be the name and brand of the paint you used when you repainted your home. The invoice would also be dated, so you would know when that happened. #### Home maintenance information Have you heard of [HomeZada](http://www.homezada.com)? This is a home inventory program that also allows you to keep track of useful home management information as well as an inventory of your possessions. It gives you, the homeowner, peace of mind by providing you with a place to store this valuable information in case of a natural disaster or robbery. HomeZada is the perfect place to scan and store invoices like the one mentioned above and any other invoices related to home improvement projects. It can also keep track of when you changed the batteries in your carbon monoxide and smoke detector devices. After you scan the invoices and upload them to your personalized HomeZada account you can then recycle the papers and downsize those files. You may even be able to eliminate them altogether. Creating space in your file drawer. #### Home inventory While you’re at home and perhaps looking for something productive to do, why not take pictures of your furnishings, artwork, and other possessions and create a home inventory using HomeZada? This will help you as you continue working on controlling your paperwork. Downsize your files by weeding out the records of home improvement projects. Scan and store that information in HomeZada. It will be your place to look for any information about your home and its’ contents. [Contact me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) if I can give you more information about downsizing your files or about the benefits of [creating a home inventory.](https://dnqsolutions.com/reasons-to-create-a-comprehensive-home-inventory/) We can meet on the phone, in person, or virtually through either Zoom or Skype. Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** Filing, home improvements, home inventory, home maintenance --- ### [Feeling Out Of Sorts? Organize Your Day](https://dnqsolutions.com/feeling-out-of-sorts-organize-your-day/) **Published:** April 19, 2020 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Are you feeling out of sorts? You know, sort of blah? Well, I think you probably have realized you are not alone. Many of us are feeling that way. One day sort of blends into the next. There is not a whole lot to distinguish one day from another. My cousin gave me this analogy. It is like having continual snow days without the snow. Another friend said it is like New Years’ Day every day because there is no traffic and most of the stores are closed. I thought that was a very fitting remark. I thought up some strategies to help myself overcome this feeling of being out of sorts. They have helped me, maybe they will also help you. ### **Make Your Bed** Set your alarm, get up and get moving. Recently, I read the book *[Make Your Bed](https://www.amazon.com/Make-Your-Bed-Little-Things-ebook/dp/B01KFJGT50/ref=sr_1_3?crid=1YHS2XUAHHNAK&dchild=1&keywords=make+your+bed+book+by+admiral+william+mcraven&qid=1587308680&sprefix=make+your+bed%2Caps%2C155&sr=8-3)* by Admiral William H. McRaven. He asserts that when you start your day by making your bed, you have accomplished one task. Even if this is the only task you accomplish in the day, you have at least done that. By the way, this is a fabulous little book. It is a quick read and full of great stories illustrating important life lessons. I am a big advocate of making your bed. Your room will look more organized if you make your bed. If you are [feeling out of sorts accomplishing this task](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-when-you-feel-overwhelmed-by-a-task/) will add a bright spot to your day. [Teach your children ](https://dnqsolutions.com/teach-your-children-time-management-using-these-tools/)to make their beds. Have them add that chore to their morning routine. Before you know it, making their bed will become a habit. Note to parents: please do not go back in and fix the bed so that it looks perfect. Teach your children how and then let them keep trying. It will undermine their self-confidence if you perfect your child’s effort. ### **Get Dressed** By this I mean do not give in to the urge to wear your pajamas all day. I know they are comfy, and we are all looking for comfort. However, add structure to your day by getting dressed. Changing out of your pajamas and into clothes signals that your day is starting. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/confident-business-woman.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Fulfilled businesswoman and female leader Portrait of confident female entrepreneur with arms crossed looking at cameraHelp yourself feel less out of sorts by putting together a nice outfit. Admire yourself in the mirror. That should put a smile on your face. Did you know there are health benefits related to smiling? Check out [this article](https://henryford.com/blog/2017/10/health-benefits-smiling/) to find out what they are. ### **Organize Your Day** By this I mean create a plan of things to do during the day. Get your day organized by deciding what to do in the morning and in the afternoon. Make your plan the night before. The days blend when there is nothing that sets them apart. This is, at least for me, what was contributing to my feeling out of sorts. Making a plan for the day adds structure or a framework to the day. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/picture-of-a-young-woman-planning-her-time-and-drinking-coffee-1.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Portrait of a young beautiful designer enjoying coffee during write new ideasYou can help yourself distinguish between the days of the week by assigning a specific [household chore](https://dnqsolutions.com/sick-of-doing-household-chores-heres-how-to-get-more-done-with-less-resistance/) to each day. For example, Monday could be laundry day, Tuesday clean the kitchen day and so on. Then when you wake and say to yourself, today is Monday. That means I am doing laundry today. At least you have something on which to focus. If you are [working from home and have children](https://dnqsolutions.com/4-tips-for-working-from-home-with-young-children/) at home. Help them help you by giving them [small tasks.](https://dnqsolutions.com/small-tasks-big-rewards-the-benefits-of-doing-small-tasks-immediately/) If you are doing laundry, and they are old enough, they can transfer the laundry from the washer to the dryer. They can also fold, sort socks, and help put laundry away. The more you do to engage your children in doing [household chores](https://dnqsolutions.com/8-hacks-to-make-household-chores-easier/) the more they will become accustomed to doing them. Doing [chores is an important life skill](https://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/chores-for-children#1). ### **Schedule Breaks** Take regular breaks. Two hours of work and a 30-minute break or something like that works for me. Remember to schedule some form of exercise. I know gyms are closed but there are all kinds of free exercise programs online and on TV right now. Exercise is a great way to chase away the feeling of being out of sorts. I have two dogs, so my daily exercise is walking Miles and Josie. We walk every morning after breakfast and often in the afternoon also. I like to walk around the neighborhood. When I spot other people out walking, I wave a friendly greeting all the while maintaining physical distance. ### Future Plans I have been thinking a bit about making plans. This is way out of all of our control because none of us knows when stores, restaurants, movies, museums, theatre will be once again available. However, I like to dream. When I am feeling really out of sorts, I have been adding to my list of things I want to do. It is sort of a bucket list of things I plan to do. Are you making a similar list? I have my fingers and toes crossed with the hope that we will begin to see signs that a new normal is coming our way. If you are feeling out of sorts and would like some help figuring out how to add structure to your day so that one day does not blend into the next [give me a call. I would be happy to help.](http://www.dnqsolutions.com/contact) *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Children and Chores, Household Chores, Organizing Strategies --- ### [Difficult Conversations with Your Parents: Why They are Necessary & How to Have Them](https://dnqsolutions.com/difficult-conversations-with-your-parents-why-they-are-necessary-how-to-have-them/) **Published:** May 31, 2020 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I don’t know about you, but I avoid difficult conversations like the plague. I would rather do almost anything other than have a difficult conversation. In fact, I have become talented at skirting around any topic that borders on introducing a difficult topic. The fact is, though, that it’s necessary to have difficult conversations with your parents so that you know how best to support them and what their wishes are should a delicate situation arise. I wrote a [blog](http://www.dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-follow-when-visiting-your-children) about a year ago after visiting with my son and his family in San Francisco. As a parent visiting my adult child and his family, I wanted to be helpful. There were certain things I could do and others that would be over-stepping boundaries. How did I know? We had a conversation. Recently, the June issue of Real Simple magazine published an article which gives reasons to talk to your parents about their finances titled “How to Talk to Aging Parents about Future Finances”. This got me thinking about having these conversations with my children. As the article indicates talking to your parents about their money and death are two topics most people avoid. ### **Money and Death** We [avoid having these difficult conversations](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-avoid-difficult-conversations-at-thanksgiving/) because they expose our vulnerabilities. My mother would never, ever have discussed her finances with me. If I brought the topic up, I am confident she would have given me a look, then told me it was none of my business, and walked away. Now that I’m in that position, I know I will feel very uncomfortable and vulnerable when I have this difficult conversation with my children. Talking about death is another difficult conversation. It serves to reinforce our own mortality. Of course, we all know that one day we will die. Why do we have to talk about it? We must have these difficult conversations so that our loved ones will be informed and [feel more in control](https://dnqsolutions.com/control-paper-clutter-in-your-home-feel-more-energized/). I will come back to this thought. ### **Finances** As parents, we think it’s our job to take care of ourselves and our family. Most of us do not think to share the details of our finances with our children. If we are in debt, we may not want to acknowledge that. Maybe we have ignored advice or invested badly, we may not want our children to know that either. Or, maybe just maybe we have done everything and have all our paperwork in order, and we think in good time we will share that information. Here’s the thing. Our children need to know. As we get older and, maybe, less able to care for ourselves our roles reverse. It is our children who become the caretakers. They have a right to know if we have taken steps to protect ourselves financially. The questions our children may want to ask are: Do you have a lot of debt? Who have you assigned to have financial power of attorney? Do you have long-term care insurance? Do you have a living will? Something they probably will not ask is: What are your wishes should you pass away? You may not know the answer to this question either. Think about it. The last thing you want your children to worry about is how best to [honor your wishes when you do pass away](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-honor-your-loved-ones-who-have-passed/). Do yourself and them a favor, write your wishes down. Give that information to your attorney to keep with your will. ### **Control** Give your children peace of mind by providing them the answers to these questions. If you don’t have answers, let them work with you to figure them out. Both you and your children will feel more in control. They won’t worry as much because they will know what to do when the time comes. ### **How to have a difficult conversation** Now that we’ve established that it’s necessary to have these difficult conversations how exactly do you make this happen. As I said earlier, my mother would not have sat still for one. She would have silenced me with a look and walked out of the room. Times have changed, we are living longer, and we share more with our children but still these are difficult conversations for anyone of any age. ### **Start by preparing** As parents, we can start from a place of understanding. Our children want to know we are safe and cared for. We can allow ourselves to be vulnerable and answer our children’s questions honestly. As children, you can start by preparing your parents. Try not to dive into a sensitive topic. Perhaps begin by sending a text message saying something like: *Mom/Dad there’s something I want to talk to you about this weekend. Do you have time?* This may serve to alert your parents that you want to have a serious talk with them. Organize your thoughts. Clear out the clutter. Come to this difficult conversation knowing the questions you want to ask. Have a plan. Do not expect to walk away in 30 minutes with your questions answered. [Here is a great list ](http://www.realsimple.com/health/preventative-health/aging-caregiving/questions-ask-aging-parents)of questions from Real Simple that will help guide your conversation. ### **Start small** These topics are HUGE and may require more than a couple of difficult conversations. You, as the children, may want to introduce the overall topic of preparing for the future needs of the parents. Then ask for the name and phone number of the attorney. Decide what is important for you to know now. As with any big project, I advise tackling one aspect at a time. No one wants to feel overwhelmed. Pick one small thing to address. When that is completed move on to the next. Remember you are still our children. Have respectful, non-judgmental conversations. Your parents may not be aware of steps to take to protect their assets or pay down their bills. They will not want to feel as if they are giving up control of the way they life their life. ### **Avoid shut down** Parents may be tempted to shut down if they feel as if their children are making the decisions for them. Just as we gave you choices when you were children, you can provide your parents options and then let them decide what is best for them right now. You never know what someone else is thinking unless you ask. Dare to have these difficult conversations with your parents while you can. They may have been worried about sharing this information with you but didn’t know where to start. As a parent, I can honestly say, these are not conversations I am eager to have with my children, but I admit they are certainly necessary. Be brave and initiate one or more of these difficult conversations with your parents. [Reach out to me ](http://www.dnqsolutions.com/contact)if you like some guidance organizing your plan for having these conversations. Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** Organizing Strategies, overwhelming --- ### [Set Yourself Up for Success & Accomplish Your Goals](https://dnqsolutions.com/set-yourself-up-for-success-accomplish-your-goals/) **Published:** July 12, 2020 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Everyone, from the youngest among us to the oldest, wants to feel successful and to accomplish their goals. An unspoken goal for the incredibly young might be to roll over. For someone a little older accomplishing a perfect score on a spelling test might be a goal. As we age our goals become more complex and generally require we complete mini-goals along the way before accomplishing the stated goal. It is rare that someone intentionally sets themselves up for failure so why is it that so many of us have trouble accomplishing our goals? I do not have all the answers, but I use some strategies which may also help you set yourself up for [success](https://dnqsolutions.com/9-tips-on-decluttering-that-set-you-up-for-the-greatest-success/) and thus accomplish what you set out to do. ### What is on your list? Let’s talk about what needs to come first and that is to identify your goal. Think about what it is you want to accomplish? You may have a lengthy list. There may be somethings on your list that you can tackle and accomplish today, or this week. There may be other goals that require more time, planning and effort to accomplish. Decide where to focus your energy. ### Brain dump Set yourself up for success by doing a brain dump and writing down every little goal that you want to accomplish. Take this master list and separate it out into things that are simple to do and more lofty goals which will take more planning. ### Decide Now take the lofty goals and decide which one you want to spend your time concentrating on. I like to refer to two systems which help me focus on my goals. You may have heard of them. ### SMART One is the SMART acronym. This acronym asks that you look at your goals and make them Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. This makes total sense to me and I’m hoping it does to you also. The more specific a [goal the easier it is to work towards](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-make-progress-towards-your-goals/). If a goal is measurable, you will know when you have accomplished it. When a goal is attainable you know it is within reach. Set yourself up for success by working toward a goal that is attainable. Relevant goals make sense in your life right now. By assigning a time frame to the goal you are creating a work schedule for yourself. ### Getting Things Done® The second system I like to use for reference is from David Allen: *Getting Things Done.* He has five basic steps in his system. They are similar to the ones I outlined above. You can [read about them here.](https://gettingthingsdone.com/what-is-gtd/%20David%20Allen) The fact of the matter is that we all, each and every one of us, accomplishes things each day. If we are breathing, we are doing something. Ask yourself if you are going though the motions and doing things because they need to be done or if there is something lurking in the back of your mind that you want to accomplish. Do you have an idea? Is there a project you’d like to tackle but don’t know where to begin? Do you have a vision in your mind’s eye of how you want your home to look or to function? Is it time to reorganize and release the [clutter from your home](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/home-organization/)? Set yourself up for success by writing it down. Then, if you’re stuck or if you’d like to talk through your next steps, [reach out to me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact). I can hep you create a personalized plan to accomplish your goal. Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** accomplish, Clutter, Goals, strategies --- ### [5 Tips to Get Organized in a Small Apartment](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-get-organized-in-a-small-apartment/) **Published:** August 2, 2020 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** When you’re living in a small apartment it’s important to keep [clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/home-organization/) to a minimum so that it will feel spacious. Here are 5 tips on how to organize in a small apartment. The most important idea to hold in your head is that you only want to have things in your home that you use, love, or believe to be beautiful. That is paraphrased from a quote by William Morris a 19th century English poet and craftsman who said, “*Have nothing is your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful”.* Keep this thought in mind as I give you my [tips on how to organize](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-top-3-benefits-of-organizing-your-closet-plus-tips-tools-to-use/) in a small apartment. ### **Tip #1: Look Up** When I say look up, I mean make good use of your vertical space. Install shelving. You can install floor to ceiling shelving if you have lots of things to store. Use floating shelves if you just need a little extra space to [organize books](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-books-without-a-bookshelf/), display items, kitchen ware or office supplies in your small apartment. If there is room above the washer and drier install a drying rack that hangs from the ceiling. Is there wall space in the kitchen for a peg board? If so, get some metal clips for the peg board and use them to hang small kitchen tools. This will save drawer and countertop space. Another [way to organize](https://dnqsolutions.com/are-you-finally-in-the-mood-to-organize-heres-an-easy-way-to-get-it-done/) in a small apartment is to install a tension rod under the kitchen sink. Hang cleaning supplies there. You can also get an ‘S’ clip and hang a small broom and dustpan from the tension rod. This saves space in other cupboards. Install a basket to hold boxes of things like tinfoil, plastic wrap, or sandwich bags. Use the inside of cupboard doors as other places to store things. You can install a lid rack and store your pot lids here. Hang a cloth shoe holder on the inside of the coat closet door. Use it for small umbrellas, hats, gloves, and scarves. The trick to organizing in a [small apartment is to make use of all available space](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-steps-to-control-clothes-clutter-in-a-small-space/) without making it look crowded. You want the apartment to feel larger than it is. Using the vertical space on the inside of a door or a cupboard keeps things organized and out of sight. ### **Tip #2: Look Down and Under** Look down and use the space under furniture to store things you don’t access often. Use drawers that can fit under the bed to hold extra sheets, towels and blankets. Use another under the bed drawer for out of season clothing. Store wrapping paper and ribbon in a box that can fit under the living room couch or under the bed. ### **Tip #3:** **Buy Multi-purpose Furniture** When you’re furnishing your apartment, look for pieces that can serve more than one purpose. Some coffee tables have shelves underneath which can hold games. Some foot stools are hollow and have a lid. Use the space inside to store throw blankets, placemats and napkins, or other odds and ends which need to be near the living room. If you have a walk-in closet put a chest of drawers inside the closet. This gives you more space in your bedroom. If there is room to hang a mirror above it or room to place a standing mirror on it, the chest of drawers can serve double duty as a dressing table. ### **Tip #4: Create Zones** Organize the space even better in a small apartment by creating zones; defined areas which serve specific purposes. We do everything in our homes now, but this doesn’t necessarily mean we need larger homes. We just need to define the spaces and determine which activities happen in which zone. If your dining table is at one end of the family room or living room, divide the space with a couch. If you have room for a chest of drawers near the dining table, use one or more of the drawers for office supplies. You can use the dining table as a workspace during the day. It is also a great place for children to do their school work. For instance, the kitchen is the cooking zone. If there is a counter where you can sit and eat, it may also serve as another workspace. During meal prep time the kitchen would be the cooking zone but during work hours it would serve as another office if both you and your partner work from home. [Abby Lawson ](https://justagirlandherblog.com/how-to-get-organized-when-you-live-in-a-small-house/)has some great ideas about creating zones in a small house. ### **Tip #5: Create Boundaries** If you live in a small apartment you know there is not a lot of space to store extra things. To make the place feel spacious set limits on what you bring into the apartment. Avoid buying things in bulk. Stay away from the warehouse stores. Yes. The price is good but where will you put all those paper towels or rolls of toilet paper? If you must get extra paper products, then be creative. Put a tablecloth on your dining table and hide all those extra paper products under the table. If you are hanging on to some odds and ends and don’t know what to do with them. The minimalists have this advice: if you can replace something in 20 minutes for under $20 then release it from your home if you are not using it. They call this the [Just in Case Rule.](https://www.theminimalists.com/jfw/) To recap, when you go about getting organized in a small apartment follow these 5 tips as outlined in this article. If you find yourself getting stuck and you don’t know what to do [reach out to me here](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact). I’ll be happy to talk to you to create a personalized solution. Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter, Organizing Strategies, small spaces --- ### [5 Concepts to Rightsize Your Life & Live Better](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-concepts-to-rightsize-your-life-live-better/) **Published:** August 23, 2020 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Today I’m talking about how to rightsize your life and the top 5 concepts to look at when you start this process. Now, rightsizing is different from downsizing. Downsizing means exactly what you think. When you downsize you reduce the size of your house and naturally what it contains. When you rightsize you might be moving to a smaller or larger house depending on your lifestyle or the needs of your family. To rightsize your life, you look at the various aspects of your life that take up space. Are you giving enough time and attention to them? Are you devoting too much time to one segment of your life and not enough to another? Which of these parts of your life bring you happiness and fulfillment? These are great questions to ask yourself. You may come up with different topics than those I mention here but use these basic questions to figure out what is important to you so that you can live your best life. Start by imagining that every morning you’re given a bucket full of water. This bucket represents your time and attention. Your job is to give a little water to each aspect of your life to make it flourish. How much water you give each one is up to you. Think about how many different aspects require your time and attention. Are you neglecting some in favor of others? Is it OK to put some on the backburner while you give more time and attention to others? Here are 5 concepts to consider as you rightsize your life: ### **Define Enough** As you go through this process of rightsizing your life, ask yourself how much is enough? How much time is enough each day to spend working? How much [time do you spend with your family](https://dnqsolutions.com/time-spent-with-family/)? Is it enough? How much time do you want to give to your volunteer commitments (each day, week or month)? These are tough questions. Some of them require that you define your boundaries. When you know how much enough is for you, you can answer these questions. Keep in mind that your answers will change as your lifestyle and circumstances change. ### **Boundaries** Rightsize your [boundaries ](https://dnqsolutions.com/boundaries-can-create-better-balance-in-your-life/)to create more definition between the various parts of your life. These may include your work and [home life](https://dnqsolutions.com/use-life-hacks-to-begin-creating-better-home-maintenance-routines/), relationships, and volunteer commitments to name a few. In doing so you create a better [balance in your life.](https://dnqsolutions.com/want-a-more-balanced-life-harmonize/) Understand that these boundaries may shift as circumstances change. Rightsize your life by thinking about the boundaries you have created. ### **Routines** Use routines to add structure to your day. Make sure your daily routine includes plenty of fresh air and exercise, a healthy diet, plenty of sleep, and time for yourself. Wow! I know that sounds like lots of extra things to put into your day. Considering that you also need time for work and for your family. But when you rightsize your life you plan your day to incorporate these things. You can get exercise by walking up the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Or if you have dogs, like I do, planning your day to include a couple of nice walks with your dogs is healthy exercise outside. A win-win for the dogs and you. Think about taking virtual exercise or yoga classes. There are lots from which to choose online. It’s important to know that your routine can vary from day to day. Your mind and body need sleep. We all know this to be true. [How much sleep? ](https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/how-much-sleep-do-we-really-need)I like lots of sleep and plan my time most days so that I get it. Honor yourself and rightsize your life by making sure you get enough sleep for you. ![a man sleeping in a bed at night ](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/iStock-1156679528.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Top view of handsome young man sleeping cozily on a bed in his bedroom at night Blue nightly colors with cold weak lamppost light shining through the window### **Schedule Your Time** None of this will happen for you without a schedule. Plan your day by using a schedule. Some people think that having a schedule means that you eliminate the ability to be spontaneous. This is not true. It’s easier to be flexible when you are more aware of how you are using your time. Remember to allow time for work, family, and hobbies. Do you volunteer in your community? Add those times to your schedule. If you work outside your home remember to factor in travel time. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/planning.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Focused young african american businesswoman or student looking at laptop holding book learning serious black woman working or studying with computer doing research or preparing for exam online### **Self-Care** What about you? How much water from the bucket will you give to [taking care of yourself? ](https://dnqsolutions.com/take-care-reduce-stress/)All the things I mentioned are important but none as important as making sure you pay attention to your own needs. Paying attention to these 5 concepts will enable you to rightsize your life. There will be times when life is rolling along and then you hit a bump in the road. When you have a grasp of these key concepts you can shift gears and pay more attention to the aspect of your life that needs you, rightsizing your life in the moment. ![A woman practicing yoga - a form of self-care ](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/iStock-1171968887.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Young woman practicing breathing yoga pranayama outdoors in moss forest on background of waterfall Unity with nature concept*Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Boundaries, enough, Planning, Routines, Self-care --- ### [7 Steps to Control Clothes Clutter in a Small Space](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-steps-to-control-clothes-clutter-in-a-small-space/) **Published:** August 30, 2020 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** When you live in a small home and have small closets it’s very important to control clothes clutter. Typically, [clutter (any type of clutter) is the result of delayed decision making](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/clutter-control/). There are many reasons clothes accumulate and cause clutter no matter the size of the space. Clothes clutter happens when you forget to switch out clothes at the end of a season. It can also [happen when you change](https://dnqsolutions.com/prepare-for-change-so-youre-not-caught-off-guard-when-life-happens/) your clothing size. You either become bigger or smaller and think to yourself that you might be that size someday. So, you hang on to those clothes in addition to the ones that fit. The other scenario that happens is when we buy something expensive thinking that it is fabulous and then it sits in our closet because it isn’t actually fabulous on us but we spent lots of money on it so we keep it to rationalize the expense. You can hide clothes clutter if you live in a large home with multiple large walk-in closets. When you live in a [small space](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-small-space-organizing-hacks-from-a-professional-organizer/), your closet is probably also small. It’s necessary to make the best possible use of the space available. Even more importantly, you want to have terrific solutions and [strategies for controlling your clothes clutter.](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-great-strategies-for-organizing-clothes-without-a-dresser/) Ok friends. Let’s tackle these situations one at a time. I’ll give you realistic steps to control clothes clutter so that you don’t find yourself buried by clothes. ### **Honesty is the best policy** Be ruthlessly honest with yourself. When you get dressed and look at yourself in the mirror you want to receive affirmation that the clothes you put on make you feel great! Even if you are putting on a t-shirt and sweats or yoga pants you want to look fine. If you don’t like the way you look, or if you don’t like the way something feels on your body resist the urge to put it back in your closet. Answer these questions: Is it too big, too small, or too baggy? Is it itchy or uncomfortable? Do you not like the color? Answering these questions will help you decide what to do with the garment. Chances are that you will remember how that article of clothing made you feel, and you probably won’t want to put it on again. ### **Keep a Donation Bag Handy** Control clothes clutter and get rid of it. You don’t want to keep clothes around that you don’t want to wear. My recommendation is to put clothes that fall into that category in a donate bag. Keep a donate bag nearby. Have it either in your closet (if there is room) or in a corner of your bedroom. It needs to be somewhere accessible so that you can easily put clothes you don’t want anymore in the bag. When the bag is full, take it to your favorite donation place or consignment store. ### **Under Bed Storage** Use the space under your bed to store out of season clothing. The Container Store has a wide variety of storage containers that will probably fir under your bed. As the seasons change, schedule time with yourself to go through the recent season’s clothes. Remove anything that you don’t want any more. This may be garments that you have grown tired of, that you didn’t wear at all during that season, or that need repair. Sorting through your out of season clothes this way helps to control clothes clutter. Donate or sell the things that you don’t want. Use underbed storage containers to hold the rest. Take the time to make sure the clothes are clean and folded nicely so that when the seasons change back you aren’t pulling out wrinkled clothes or clothes that need to be washed. ### **Check Your Hangers** Sometimes small closet spaces appear to be overstuffed because they are full of thick wooden hangers or empty wire hangers from the cleaners. When you go to wear clothing that was hanging on a wire hanger take the hanger out of your closet. Have a shopping bag dedicated to wire hangers. When you take something to the cleaners, take the bag of wire hangers also. This helps to keep clutter from accumulating in your closet. If you can afford to replace your hangers, consider buying slim hangers. There are lots of different slim hangers. These slim hangers help you make the most of the space you have available. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/clothes-on-a-hanger.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")### **Door Organizer** Use your closet door as extra storage space. You can put hooks on the door and hang your comfy pajamas or robe there. You can also hang clear plastic shoe holder on the inside of the door. Control clothes clutter and use the clear plastic spaces to hold scarves, gloves, and wooly hats in the winter or bathing suits, tank tops, and gym shorts in the summer. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/10052010-PEVA-24-pocket-overdoor-sho.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")You can use these pockets to hold things in addition to shoes to save space in your closet### **Use Vertical Space** Take advantage of the shelf above the clothing rod and use it to corral bulky items. Keep the garments tidy by using a shelf divider, baskets or bins. This will keep the piles contained and easier to access. If you have lots of shoes, consider storing them in clear plastic shoe boxes. Make good use of the vertical space by stacking the boxes one on top of the other. Because the boxes are clear, you’ll be able to see the shoes you want to wear. Keep the shoes you wear most often on the floor of the closet on a shoe rack. ### **Space Saver Bags** If you change sizes often and you want to keep the next size or two up or down, consider investing in space saver bags. To save space in your closet, control clothes clutter and remove the clothes that are too big or too small. Make sure they are clean, then fold them nicely, and put them in a space saver bag. You can keep these bags under your bed or at the top of a closet. ### **Guilt over Expensive Clothes** Are you keeping some clothes because they were super expensive? If you don’t like them, sell them. Sometimes we say to ourselves “I spent so much money on this, I should wear it and get my money’s worth”. If you don’t like it and don’t feel wonderful wearing it just sell it. Wearing clothes that don’t make you feel good are not worth it, no matter how much they cost. According to [the Pareto Principle](https://betterexplained.com/articles/understanding-the-pareto-principle-the-8020-rule/) we probably wear 20% of our clothes 80% of the time. This is a fact. Control clothes clutter by evaluating what you wear. Keep some dressy garments for those times you get dressed up. Most of us, are wearing much more casual clothes on a regular basis. Take the 7 steps I outlined for you, apply them to your closet, and see if that helps you to control the clothes clutter in your closet. If not, [contact me ](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact)to schedule a complimentary 30-minute phone conversation. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Clutter, reduce clutter --- ### [Rightsize Your Expectations as You Age](https://dnqsolutions.com/rightsize-your-expectations-as-you-age/) **Published:** September 20, 2020 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I believe that most of us are under the impression that if we are in good health; physically and mentally fit, that whatever it is we are able to do now, we will always be able to do. These are my expectations. My grandfather lived by himself up until he passed away at 94 years young. He played golf regularly and even went skiing from time to time. That is how I expect to age. No one I know ever envisions themselves as old with creaking bones, arthritis, and other medical and/or mental problems but it can happen. Aging is inevitable and I believe that there are ways to anticipate this inevitability that make it easier for us and our families. Sometimes we have to make concessions and rightsize our expectations as we age. #### **Being Mortal** Recently I read the book *Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End* by [Atul Gawande](http://atulgawande.com/). I rarely review books in my blog, but this book made a huge impression on me. Dr. Gawande is a surgeon. He talks openly in his book about healthcare for elderly patients and the fact that sometimes doctors seek first to fix the medical problem and then take quality of life into consideration. #### Interesting Stories Dr. Gawande seamlessly wove stories of patients into his book which makes it a pleasurable read in addition to being informative. He frequently referred to different patients and their stories as the book went on. This book deals with medical issues elderly patients and their families encounter and the long-term care industry. Dr. Gawande talks about how such facilities came to be as well as how they have evolved over time. It is a fascinating read. I read this book while I was visiting my son in Lake Tahoe. He and I had many a long and interesting discussion as I revisited several of the scenarios presented in the book. These were valuable conversations as I shared my thoughts with him regarding which concessions I would be willing to make to have quality of life as I age. Of course, as I already told you my expectation is that I will be like my grandfather and be physically and mentally fit into my 90s. #### Concessions Have you thought about which concessions you are willing to make? What are your expectations now and how will you rightsize them as you age? Understand that as life goes on and things change the concessions you may be willing to make necessarily may change. Your health may change causing you to alter your expectations. As Dr. Gawande indicates in his book, some things are out of our control. [Organizing your thoughts and informing your family](https://dnqsolutions.com/are-you-finally-in-the-mood-to-organize-heres-an-easy-way-to-get-it-done/) is one way you can be in charge. There were some stories in his book where the patient or elderly parent felt one way and the family members were taken completely by surprise. Here are a few things to consider while you contemplate rightsizing your expectations as you age. #### **Safety First** I’m always talking about safety. Let’s think about this in terms of aging. As I mentioned, my grandfather was very active throughout his life. The important thing to note here is that he continually exercised. I am also physically active. Think about what you do for exercise. #### Fear of Falling Are you steady on your feet? Do you have good balance? You can maintain or improve your balance by working with a trainer. If falling is a big concern, are you willing to use a cane or a walker? I’m a stubborn person and sometimes have difficulty accepting limits. If you are this way too think about the complications that may arise if you fall and break a bone or hit your head. Instead of insisting on walking without a cane or a walker rightsize your expectations and accept help. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Helping-Grandma.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Teen girl helping her grandmother cope with a walkerIf you have lots of stairs in your home and get tired easily going up and down stairs you may want to move into a single level home or apartment. One of my client’s moved into an apartment last year. The building has a fitness center, a pool, and a concierge who helps with a wide variety of tasks. A place like this may work for you, too. Begin investigating places you may want to live before it becomes a necessity. #### **What’s Important to you?** Think about what you need or want in your life to be happy. Are you intent on staying in your home? Are you willing to rightsize your expectations as you age by accepting a live-in companion or moving to an Independent or Assisted Living facility? [Here’s an article](https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/aging-place-growing-older-home) that talks about aging in place. ##### **Independence** Is your independence important to you? Do you want to go on errands or perhaps to the library on your own? Maybe you want to be in a location that is near to shops and the library so you can walk to these places. Is privacy, managing your own schedule and some alone time important to you? Answer these questions for yourself and share your feelings with your children. If it becomes necessary for you to move, they will want you to be safe but, I’m sure, they will also want you to be happy. Let them know the things that are important to you so they can take them into consideration. My son and I talked about these questions as I shared parts of *Being Mortal* with him. Do yourself a favor, read this book and then discuss it either with your children or your parents. Share your thoughts, even if you think they will change as you age. Letting your family know your thoughts now gives them a place from which to work. I promise it will give you peace. After you read *Being Mortal*, [let me know](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) how the book’s message impacts you. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization.*. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** Expectations --- ### [How to Organize for a Move to a New Home](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-for-a-move-to-a-new-home-2/) **Published:** September 27, 2020 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Are You moving to a new home? Are you wondering how to organize yourself, your things, and your family for a move? Moving can be a daunting prospect particularly if you’ve lived in your current home for a number of years. People often ask how to get [organized for a move](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-for-a-move-to-a-new-home/). They want to know what to do first. The idea of moving to a new home is exciting and may also be a bit unsettling. Afterall, you’re leaving the familiar and moving somewhere new. Here are my [tips on how to organize](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-get-organized-in-a-small-apartment/) for a move. #### Create a timeline and a Checklist When do you have to be out of your current house? When can you move into your new house? Put those dates in your calendar. I like to print out a [paper monthly calendar](https://dnqsolutions.com/paper-calendar-two-of-the-best-reasons-to-use-one/) and keep it in a binder along with some loose-leaf paper for notes. Organize for a move and note which movers you called and their estimates. You can also keep track of emails and phone calls in this binder. Establish a timeline. Create a schedule for going through each room and packing up your belongings. Depending on how much time you have breaking this task down by scheduling a room a week is easier than trying to pack your entire home over the course of a weekend. #### **Everything gets packed or does it?** Open every drawer, cupboard, and closet and sort the contents. You do not want to pack anything that you won’t be happy to unpack. Remember that ugly picture frame someone gave you that you stuffed at the back of the [top shelf in your closet](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-top-3-benefits-of-organizing-your-closet-plus-tips-tools-to-use/)? It’s time to either sell it (someone may love it!) or donate it. Ask yourself: Do I love this? Do I use this? Do I believe this to be beautiful? Answer ‘Yes’ to any one of those questions and keep the item. Answer ‘No’ to any one of those questions and it’s time to remove the item in question from your home. Go through all your clothes. Honestly assess them. Are there clothes that are too big or small? Will you ever be that size again? Do you want to move these clothes with the hope that one day you can wear them? Someone else will love to have them. Are you thinking of replacing your coat? Donate it now rather than packing it. Do those shoes kill your feet after 15 minutes? Save yourself the trouble of packing them and let someone else have pinched toes. #### **Furniture** Organize your furniture for a move and sketch out the layout of the rooms in your new home. Decide where you will put the furniture you currently own. If you are moving to a smaller home, donate or sell anything that will not fit in your new space. Resist the urge to go out and buy furniture until after you move into your new home, unless you are replacing a critical piece of furniture like your bed. Attach notes to the pieces of furniture with the name of the room in which it will be placed unless it is obvious. The dining table and chairs go in the dining room, but a chest of drawers can also go in the dining room. Labeling the furniture this way eliminates lots of questions. #### **Buy your supplies** Here’s a list of supplies: Boxes, packing paper, bubble wrap, tape (lots and lots of tape), thick tipped marking pens. In general, it’s easier to lift the smaller book boxes. The larger boxes are cumbersome and become very heavy very quickly. [U-Haul has boxes](https://www.uhaul.com/MovingSupplies/Boxes/) which have dividers for glasses. They also sell cushioned sleeves for glasses and plates which saves time wrapping each item in paper. These boxes are a little more expensive, but they are a HUGE time and paper saver. Create a general inventory of what’s in each box. Label the outside of each box with the name of the room; for example: kitchen (glasses), Kitchen (pots and pans), Kitchen (cookbooks). On your moving day put a large, colorful Post-It at the entry to each room with the name of the room. This will help movers or anyone helping you know which room is which. This is particularly helpful if one of the rooms is for your child or if one of the bedrooms is going to be the office. Then boxes designated for the office will get there as will boxes of toys for your child. #### **Contact Utilities** Make a list of utility companies to contact. Remember you are not only cancelling utilities at your current location; you are also setting up service at your new location. #### **Pack Essential Files** Organize your files for a move and create a separate box of files for your vital documents. Put all financial information and personal information like your passport, marriage license, credit cards etc. into this box. [Here is a link ](https://www.hhs.gov/civil-rights/for-individuals/faqs/what-is-a-vital-document/707/index.html)to a list of vital documents. Archival files, memorabilia files and general information files can be put into bankers’ boxes and moved along with the furniture. Whether you are moving yourself or hiring movers, put this box of files aside and move it with your valuables like your jewelry. #### **Open first boxes and Bags** Moving is an all-day exhausting process. Organize yourself for a move and create a couple of bags and boxes to open first. Put the things you need to make up the bed or beds in the bag or box. Include towels, toiletries, and a change of clothes. Have a duffle bag for each person so that everyone will have the things they need for at least one or two days. This will help create a smooth transition into the new home and make for an easier first night. Moving is never easy but can be less stressful when you create a moving timeline and take steps to be as organized as possible before you move. Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com) and co-owner of Release, Repurpose, Reorganize in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane specializes in residential and home-office organizing and working with people affected by ADD, hoarding challenges, and chronic disorganization. [Please contact Diane](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) for a free 15-minute phone consultation. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** moving, organize, Organizing Strategies --- ### [How to Organize Books Without a Bookshelf](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-books-without-a-bookshelf/) **Published:** October 6, 2020 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I love books. Do you? I have been in love with books ever since I could sit still long enough to listen to a story. I have collected a wide variety of books and truly enjoying sharing my collection with family and friends. Over the years I have reduced my collection of books so that they fit on the few bookshelves in my home. But what do you do if you love books, have a collection of books, and you don’t have a bookshelf? No matter how many books you have, you typically want a place to display them. The most logical place is a bookshelf. How do you organize the books if you don’t own a bookshelf? ## **Here are 5 ideas on how to organize books without a bookshelf** There’s no need to go shopping. You just have to get a little creative with your [organizing strategy ](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-strategies-notice-the-problem-and-change-the-story/)and repurpose empty spaces in your home. First, look around your home for empty spaces to fill with books. #### 1. **Make a Table with Coffee Table Books** Could you use a small side table next to a couch or a chair? Build one using the large, coffee table picture books. They stack nicely, usually have interesting book jackets, and are heavy enough so they won’t topple over. Start by sorting through your collection of books and pull out the large, heavy coffee table books. Organize your coffee table books without a bookshelf by stacking them and making a small side table. #### 2. **Decorate the Windowsill and Mantel** Is your windowsill wide enough to hold books? Sort through your collection of books and find all the books on a topic, by an author, or books of a specific size that will fit on the windowsill. Place the books there and you have created a bookshelf out of your windowsill. You can do the same thing on your fireplace mantel. Keep in mind that you do not have to display the books with their spine out. You can also make short stacks of books and have trinkets placed on top of the stacks or in between them. #### 3. **Use the Fireplace** If you have a fireplace and are not in the habit of lighting a fire, use the fireplace as a bookshelf. Look at the books in your collection and select some books whose jacket covers you’d like to display in the fireplace. A suggestion is to put the tallest books in the center and create stairsteps down from there with shorter and shorter books. #### 4. **Use a Hutch or a Buffet to Display Books** If your living or dining room furniture includes a china hutch, consider using one or more of the shelves to display your books. Sort your books to find books that will fit in the space. Decide if you want to stack the books inside the cubby and place some china on top of the stack or if you want to dedicate a few cubbies in the hutch to books. Either way, this makes a great alternative bookcase. If you have a buffet table, use the top to display some of your books. There are great suggestions for [organizing book displays in this article.](https://www.onekingslane.com/live-love-home/ideas-displaying-books/) #### 5. **Organize Paperback Books** If you have too many paperbacks to fit in your bookshelf you can take a carton from the grocery store; the kind that a case of cans comes in, and use it to organize your paperbacks. They will fit side by side, spine up, and organized. The carton filled with paperbacks will probably be able to slide right under your bed. You can easily find the one you want by sliding the carton out from under your bed. As a book lover myself I am always interested in finding creative ways to store and display books. Remember to look up and use vertical space. Looking for open spaces in your home which will benefit from an interesting book jacket or two is also a good idea. There is nothing wrong with having a bookshelf on which to organize your books but if you don’t have one, let your creative energy loose and try one or more of these ideas. Let me [know if any of these ideas helped you organize](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-know-when-to-call-a-professional-organizer/) your books without a bookshelf. Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® [owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com) and co-owner of Release, Repurpose, Reorganize in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane specializes in residential and home-office organizing and working with people affected by ADD, hoarding challenges, and chronic disorganization. Please [contact Diane](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) for a free 15-minute phone consultation. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies --- ### [Just For Now and Other Procrastination Tips](https://dnqsolutions.com/just-for-now-and-other-procrastination-tips/) **Published:** November 8, 2020 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** There are all sorts of little expressions people use to give themselves permission to procrastinate. Most people don’t recognize that this is what they are doing when they use these words. I call these little expressions procrastination tips because if you are aware of them, they can alert you to the fact that you are delaying a task or a decision and procrastinating. Let’s review some of these [procrastination tips](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-stop-procrastinating-around-the-holidays/), as I’m calling them. #### Just For Now Have you ever said to yourself I’ll put this here, **just for now**? Your intention is to come back in a little while, move the object, and put it away. Nine times out of ten, the object stays in that ‘just for now’ spot for a long time. Before you know it, you’ve piled a few more things in that just for now spot and then you have a massive stack of [clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/clutter-control/). In all honesty, though, there are times when putting something down just for now is unavoidable. The key is to have a plan to come back and move the things to where they belong. #### Later and Someday Then you tell yourself, I’ll deal with this **later**. You don’t want to do it now because it’s a huge stack of stuff. You think you don’t have time now to take everything to their assigned homes. Maybe the real problem is that the objects don’t have assigned homes, you don’t know where to put them so the just for now [spot is their temporary home](https://dnqsolutions.com/create-your-home-organizing-sweet-spot/) until it doesn’t work anymore. Telling yourself that you’ll do it later is a problem because later is not a time. Later never happens. Just like **someday**. When clients say they want to wait to do something ‘someday’ I always tell them that we have Sunday through Monday. There is no such day as someday so someday will never come and whatever it is they want to do won’t get done unless they schedule it. #### It Will Take Too Much Time Quite often we overestimate the amount of time something will take to do. We give ourselves permission not to do it by giving ourselves this procrastination tip: **it will take too much time**. In reality, we don’t know how much time something will take to do. If we don’t start, there’s no way to estimate when we will finish. The perfectionist in us wants to know that we have enough time to start and finish a task before even beginning. So, when we want to delay starting a task, we tell ourselves it will take too much time or more time than we have available at this moment. We delay and then the question remains, when do we ever have exactly enough time? #### I’ll Get Around to It Have you ever said**, I’ll get around to it** in response to someone asking you to do something? Last year I heard Dr. Joe Ferrari, the author of *Still Procrastinating: The No Regrets Guide To Getting It Done*, speak. He has a chip that he passes out to his audience members which is imprinted with the words round2it. He tells the audience to hang onto the chip to remind themselves to do whatever they said they’d get around to doing. This expression, because it doesn’t have a day or time associated with it is another delay tactic. You never specifically say when you’ll get something done. You just indicate that when the spirit moves you, you will get around to it. #### Just This Once This last expression rounds out my list of procrastination tips. Saying **just this once** gives ourselves permission to slack off or to avoid completing a task. Just this once, I’m not going to fold the sheets. I’m going to leave them in the laundry basket until I’m ready to put them on the bed. Just this once, I’m not going to empty the dishwasher. I’ll use the clean dishes from the dishwasher until the sink is full and there are no more clean dishes to use. Have you ever used this expression and then had it backfire on you? When we become aware of the ways we trick ourselves and give ourselves permission to avoid tasks or delay making decisions then it is easier to recognize the fact that we are procrastinating. Did you notice a theme among these procrastination tips? Most of these expressions would not help us delay if we assigned a day and a time to the task at hand. If this is a [habit you want to change](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-leverage-your-good-habits-and-routines-amid-changing-circumstances/) then keep these little procrastination tips handy. Understand that when you use these expressions you are hijacking your own efforts to get things done. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release, Repurpose, Reorganize in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane specializes in residential and home-office organizing and working with people affected by ADD, hoarding challenges, and chronic disorganization. Follow [Diane on FaceBook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) for more organizing tips.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** decisions, Organizing Strategies, Procrastination, reduce clutter --- ### [How to Celebrate Thanksgiving Day Solo](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-celebrate-thanksgiving-day-solo/) **Published:** November 22, 2020 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** People ask, “what are you doing for Thanksgiving?”. This can be an awkward question to answer. No one wants to answer, “Nothing”. During this very strange time when we are all being told to isolate and maintain social distance it may be difficult for someone who lives alone to figure out how to [celebrate the day.](https://dnqsolutions.com/memorial-day-honoring-sacrifice-and-celebrating-the-start-of-summer/) If this is you, I have some ideas to share. #### **Think outside the box** If you have family or friends who are family within easy driving distance find out if there is a way for you to be respectfully together to celebrate the day. There may be a park, or they may have an outside area at their home where you could get together and celebrate. You would bring your own meal, folding chair, and everyone would wear their masks except when eating. #### **Take a hike** Is there a hike, a trail, or a park you’ve wanted to explore? Pack a picnic, include plenty of water, and make a day of it. Cue up a couple of great podcasts, wear your hiking boots, and have an adventure. If you have a dog, bring him/her along. They will also love the adventure! This is could be a wonderful way to celebrate the day, provided the weather cooperates. Be sure to let someone know where you are going, just in case. #### **Indulge in fitness** Maybe you’ve been interested in getting back in shape. Why not start on Thanksgiving Day? Some fitness studios or gyms offer special classes on Thanksgiving Day. [Bodyfitz](http://www.bodyfitz.com) in Sandy Springs has a class offered by the owner and personal trainer, Dan Fitzsimons. The idea is that people take a class and burn off lots of calories so that they can eat their fill at dinner. Maybe there is a class like that near where you live. **What about Thanksgiving Dinner?** How do you celebrate with a special Thanksgiving Dinner when you live alone and are following the Covid guidelines by staying separated? Of course, you know you can order a meal from a restaurant. One of my favorite restaurants in Sandy Springs, [Breadwinner Café and Bakery](https://www.breadwinnercafe.com/), has a special Thanksgiving Menu from which to order. They are making all the familiar sides and offering them in a variety of portion sizes. You can buy lots so you have leftovers, or you can get just enough for you. They even have roasted turkey by the pound. Make way for turkey sandwiches! Check out Breadwinner if you are in the Atlanta area. If you’re not, there is probably a restaurant in your town that is doing something similar. #### **Zoom** Connect with your family and friends in advance and [schedule time](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-art-of-planning-and-scheduling-carving-out-time-for-yourself/) to talk to them face-to-face on Thanksgiving Day. This way you can celebrate with them virtually. One of my friends, with whom I have spent many a Thanksgiving Day, sent out an invitation to play a game on Zoom at 3pm on Thanksgiving. We always play a game when we are together, so this invitation came as no surprise. Be creative and think outside the box. Find something special that you’ve wanted to do and plan to do it – if possible. Connect with family and friends. Have a delicious meal and celebrate. Above all remember what the day is about. It’s a time to remember all the things, big and small, for which we are thankful. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC ](https://dnqsolutions.com)and co-owner of Release, Repurpose, Reorganize in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane specializes in residential and home-office organizing and working with people affected by ADHD, hoarding challenges, and chronic disorganization. Please [contact Diane](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) for a free 30-minute phone consultation.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Fitness, Thanksgiving Day, Thanksgiving Dinner --- ### [The Top 3 Benefits of Organizing Your Closet Plus Tips & Tools to Use](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-top-3-benefits-of-organizing-your-closet-plus-tips-tools-to-use/) **Published:** January 10, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Whether you have a large walk-in closet or a small reach-in closet it’s important to keep it organized. The benefits of organizing your closet are many. The most obvious is that you can find the item of clothing or accessory easily. Another benefit is that you save money. #### **Benefit #1: Save money** Yes. You save money when you keep your [closet organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/organize-your-closet/) because you know what you have so you don’t go out and buy duplicates or triplicates. And, because you are keeping your clothes tidy, they last longer. #### **Benefit #2: Save time** An obvious benefit to organizing your closet is that you save time. When your [clothes are organized ](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-great-strategies-for-organizing-clothes-without-a-dresser/)you are not hunting through piles of mis-matched shoes or a jumbled pile of clothes on a chair in the corner of your room. #### **Benefit #3: Clothes last longer** It’s true! If you regularly hang up or fold clothes neatly you avoid some of the wear and tear. Now that I’ve established it’s a good [idea to keep your closet organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/ideas-for-organizing-clothes-without-a-closet/), I’m going to give you tips and tools to help you maintain an organized closet. ##### **Tip #1: Remove wire hangers** Wire hangers just take up space. You may think that because they are slim that they are the best to use in your closet. They are not. Clothes don’t stay put on a wire hanger. They tend to fall off. I understand that wire hangers linger in your closet because clothes come back from the cleaners on a wire hanger. When you go to wear that item of clothing, remove the hanger from the closet. Have a bag in your closet or near the closet to hold the wire hangers. Then, when you take clothes to the cleaners bring the bag along to return the wire hangers. Invest in slim hangers that either have grips on the ends or have a cloth covering. [The Container Store](http://www.thecontainerstore.com) has many good options for hangers. Here’s a picture of hangers I use in my closet. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/10077200g-premium-non-slip-velvet-ha.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")**Tip #2 Create short hanging space** Add a second hanging bar if you need more short hanging space. The fashions now are much more casual than they have been in recent decades. People do not need as much long hanging space as they have in the past. It’s easy to keep the short hanging clothes more [organized in your closet when you create more hanging space.](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-small-space-organizing-hacks-from-a-professional-organizer/) Then you can, if you want to, group the short hanging clothes by sleeve length and/or by color. When you do this, you’ll be able to see at a glance how many shirts you have that are a certain color or sleeve length. This makes coordinating outfits and getting ready a snap! **Tip #3 Clear the floor** Keep the floor of your closet as clear as possible. I encourage you to have a donate bag or box in your closet so that if something doesn’t fit, doesn’t look right, or you don’t like it anymore it can go straight into the bag. The next step is to make a date with yourself to take it to the donation site of your choice when it is full. Gather your shoes and pair them up. Put shoes that are too worn to donate in the trash. Donate any that are still wearable that you don’t want anymore. They can go into the donate bag I was just talking about. Then decide if you want a shoe rack that sits on the floor or if you want a shoe holder that can go on your closet door. Another option is to get some shoe boxes and put shoes that you only wear on special occasions in boxes on an upper shelf in your closet. I like the clear boxes from The Container Store best, but you can use any box that your shoes will fit into. Take a picture of one of the shoes to put on the outside of the box to remind you of what is inside. ##### **Tip #4: Use stackable drawers or bins** If you have lots of athletic wear (honestly, don’t we all have lots of that now?) sort them into tops and bottoms and then put them into stackable drawers or bins. They will be easy to grab when you’re ready to get dressed in the morning. You can also use these bins for things like socks or even face masks. ##### **Tip #5: Fold or hang** This is an age-old question. Many people ask when they are organizing the closet what should you fold or what should you hang? Some things are easier to fold and keep tidy. These include (but are not limited to) bulky sweaters, sweatshirts, and sweatpants. But it’s also a matter of personal preference. Some people like to hang lots of their clothes. If they have the space, why not? Then there are others who prefer to fold lots of their clothes. It’s truly up to the individual and the space in the closet. ##### **Organizing strategy** As you go about organizing your closet, start small. Do one section at a time. Take everything in that section out. Clean that section and only put back the clothes that fit and that you want to wear. Understand that just because something fits doesn’t mean that you want to wear it. You may want to try some clothes on to be sure you still like them. #### Conclusion Remember the reason you are organizing your closet. Are you tackling this project because you want to be able to find your clothes easily, save time, save money or all of the above? Organize your closet first and then decide if you want or need any of the organizing tools I mentioned above. It’s a mistake to buy before organizing. Know what you need before you shop. [Reach out to me](http://www.dnqsolutions.com/contact) for personal advice or join the [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/), virtual clutter support group for weekly guidance. There are new groups starting in February. [Click here](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/how-to-organize/) to read more articles like this one. Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release, Repurpose, Reorganize in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane specializes in residential and home-office organizing and working with people affected by ADD, hoarding challenges, and chronic disorganization. Please contact Diane for a free 30-minute phone consultation. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** closet organizing, Organizing Strategies, save money, Save Time --- ### [Organize Your Pantry with these 5 Tips](https://dnqsolutions.com/organize-your-pantry-with-these-5-tips/) **Published:** January 17, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** The pantry is one of the places in the home that quickly becomes messy and disorganized. It’s so easy, if you’re in a rush, to just stash the non-perishable items on the pantry shelves when emptying the grocery bags. Instead, take the time to methodically put the non-perishable pantry items where they belong. When you take the time to maintain the [organization in your pantry](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-a-deep-pantry/) it doesn’t become messy and disorganized. Use these 5 [tips to organize](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-get-organized-in-a-small-apartment/) your pantry and then maintain the organization so that you save money on food and time on meal preparation. Everyone has a pantry in their home. Some have a small pantry cupboard in their kitchen with a larger pantry somewhere else in their house like the basement or garage. Others have a larger pantry section of shelves or even a large walk-in pantry closet in their kitchen. Whatever the size of your pantry and wherever it is in your home it must work for you because its purpose is to keep basic non-perishable supplies on hand. #### 1. **Grocery shelves** Group like items together as you would find them in the grocery store. Put canned goods together by category: soups together, fruits, tomato paste and sauce, you get the idea. Put the newer cans to the back of the shelf with the older ones in the front so that things do not expire on you. Keep baking goods together on a separate shelf or in a separate section. Have a section or shelf for unopened condiments. Breakfast cereals and foods get their own section or shelf. Snacks like chips, granola bars, and cookies need their section, too. Drinks like bottled water and soda belong together. If you have a pet or several pets, their food and treats gets a section or shelf also. #### 2. **Food storage** Now that you know to group your food into categories, the next step is to think about how you will store it. Leave canned food in the cans. If you have lots of canned food and they are hard to see, consider investing in shelf risers. They are easy to find in stores that carry housewares. Remove dry foods like flour, sugar, cereal, and crackers from their original packaging and store these items in clear canisters. This protects the food from moist air and bugs. It also lets you see how much you have so you know when to buy more. Organize your pantry shelves with square canisters or containers. These work best because they fit well together. They come in a variety of sizes. Small ones stack easily. Round containers take up more space. If you have lots of space, don’t worry about it. If you have limited space, make the most of your available space by using square containers. Check the containers at the store before you buy them to see how easy they are to open and close. Also, check to see how well they seal when they are closed. These are important things to consider since food stays fresh longer if moist air is kept out. Keep small foods like individual bags of chips or granola bars in a basket. Set the basket at a height so that it is easy to grab individual snacks and go for everyone in the family. If your shelves are very deep, consider installing pull out drawers like these from The Container Store or keeping things in bins that are easy to lift off the shelf. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/10082265-1RunnerEasyGliderGraphite-1024x1024.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Pull out basket from the container storeHeavy containers, like big containers of dog food, are best kept down near the floor. Small appliances that you use less often are best kept up on a high shelf and out of the way. #### 3. **Use labels** Label the containers so that everyone in the family knows what’s inside the container. The label doesn’t have to be fancy or difficult to make. It can simply be the name of the food ‘Sugar’ on a piece of paper and taped to the container. Do what works for you. Organize your pantry with labels on the shelves. This way you won’t forget which section is for each category of food. It also makes it easy for your family to help putting away the groceries and to find what they are looking for. When you are labeling take a minute to label the canned food with the date you brought it into the house. This will help you to use the oldest canned food first. Another food group to label is your spices. Spices are expensive and you only use a tiny little bit at a time. They lose their flavor after a time and will not add anything to your recipe. Keep track of their age by marking the date you purchased the spice on the bag or jar. #### 4. **Avoid the BOGO trap** It is easy to rationalize buying more than you need at any given time when the sign at the grocery store says, ‘Buy One Get One Free’. You think to yourself that you are saving money – which you are but what are you giving up? Are you giving up valuable shelf space to store the extra foods you are buying? If you have the space in your home, then there is no problem. If you have a small home with a small pantry is it worth using the space to save a little bit of money? Will you plan to use this extra food soon? These are questions for you to answer for yourself. #### 5. **Shop from your pantry** When you are thinking about making a recipe, figure out the ingredients you need to use, then check your pantry before you make your shopping list. Many times, you have the extra tomato paste or the can of chicken stock sitting there on the shelf just waiting to be used. Don’t spend money needlessly. When your pantry is [organized you will know](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-know-when-to-call-a-professional-organizer/) exactly where to look to see if you have what you need for that recipe. When you take the time to organize your pantry and keep it that way, you’ll find that you can easily make nutritious and delicious meals because you have the necessary ingredients at your fingertips! If having an organized pantry is on your wish list of projects to tackle think about joining the [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) virtual support group. Jonda Beattie and I will guide you as you take the steps necessary to organize your pantry. Click [here](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/how-to-organize/) to read more of my tips for getting organized. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release, Repurpose, Reorganize in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane specializes in residential and home-office organizing and working with people affected by ADD, hoarding challenges, and chronic disorganization. Diane has recently co-authored a book with Jonda Beattie titled: **[Filled Up and Overflowing](https://www.amazon.com/Filled-Up-Overflowing-Disorganization-Overboard/dp/1735968404/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3RA6VPI5ABKJC&dchild=1&keywords=filled+up+and+overflowing+diane+quintana&qid=1610824106&sprefix=filled+up%2Caps%2C430&sr=8-1).** Please [contact Diane ](http://www.dnqsolutions.com/contact)for a free 30-minute phone consultation.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Labels, Organizing Strategies, pantry organizing, reduce clutter --- ### [Strategies to Organize Documents on File](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-to-organize-documents-on-file/) **Published:** January 24, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** It used to be that paper piles were all that we had to conquer. Now, I’m not minimizing this at all but now paper (as in documents) lurks in piles on the floor as well as invisibly in our computers. It’s important to recognize that filing the invisible documents in your computer is just as important as filing the papers sitting in piles around your desk. The best strategy to use to conquer the tangible papers and the invisible documents is to create a single, simple filing system for yourself. First, let’s acknowledge that there are very few [people who truly like filing paper or document](https://dnqsolutions.com/paper-decluttering-tips-for-people-with-mounds-of-paper-mail-documents/)s. I am one and I know Julie Bestry (another professional organizer) is another. I love the challenge of guiding someone through the process to create a filing system that they can not only follow but also maintain. Second, understand that we are talking about creating a system that you can apply to the tangible paper files as well as the invisible documents lurking in your computer. #### **Organizing documents is tedious** We all [know that organizing](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-know-when-to-call-a-professional-organizer/) piles of paper into files is a tedious process. You must look at every sheet of paper to identify the next step. Ask yourself if the piece of paper can be recycled, shredded, or filed. There may even by some papers that require you take some sort of action, making a phone call, sending an email, or paying a bill. Sort papers to keep into categories and then into individual folders. There are times when you may want to keep several folders together within a single hanging file. An example of this may be to have a Medical hanging file and then individual manila folders for each medical condition or perhaps by the name of the doctor. You can follow this same rule when creating digital files and folders of documents stored in your computer. Most people keep many more papers than they need to in their paper filing cabinets because they put things into the folders without looking to see there is anything to remove. There are some simple rules to follow to reduce the bulk of what you are keeping. #### **Apply the 80/20 rule** The [80/20 Rule is the Pareto Principle](https://www.briantracy.com/blog/personal-success/how-to-use-the-80-20-rule-pareto-principle/). Pareto says we only use 20% of that which we keep. You can apply this rule to almost everything you own. This is particularly true of clothes: we wear only 20% of the [clothes in our closet](https://dnqsolutions.com/ideas-for-organizing-clothes-without-a-closet/) and paper. We only look at or reference 20% of the papers we keep. That means that 80% of the papers in a filing cabinet are never looked at again once they are filed. If you are following the logic here, then you can reduce the number of papers you are keeping by 80%. What if I need it again? People often say I may need that again someday. I have 2 responses to that statement. 1. Someday doesn’t exist. Know when you may need to reference the document. 2. If you can easily find the information again by looking it up online, shred or recycle the paper. #### **Use labels that work for you** Use labels that make sense to you. Don’t copy someone else’s filing system because they say it works for them. You are the one who is accessing your files. There is no right [way to label files or to organize](https://dnqsolutions.com/are-you-finally-in-the-mood-to-organize-heres-an-easy-way-to-get-it-done/) them. You can organize your documents alphabetically, numerically (by date), or categorically. Having said that, create a digest to keep in the front of each drawer so if someone else needs to find a document they know where to look. #### **Important or Vital Documents** Important or vital documents should be kept and saved in several different places. I recommend keeping the originals either in a safe deposit box at the bank or in a secure fire safe box in your home. Make digital copies of your [important documents](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-and-most-important-reason-to-update-documents/) and keep them in a secured cloud application. You can also store them on a jump drive. These places are password protected so remember to write the password somewhere that someone else may be able to access – just in case of an emergency. I also recommend that you give copies of your vital documents to your attorney for safe keeping. [Click here](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/vital-documents-binder/) for more information about vital documents. #### Remove expired documents When you file a document look in the folder to see if you are replacing an expired document. If you are, remove and shred that document. Here are some examples: When you get your updated insurance documents for the year, remove the expired document. When your current year car registration arrives remove the expired registration from the glove box in your car and from the folder in which you keep the car registration. Some of these folders may be electronic folders. My insurance folder is electronic. I receive my updated insurance information in an email. I download the current information to the insurance folder in my computer. It’s so easy to skip the next step but if you want to eliminate confusion and reduce the bulk of what you keep, it’s an important step to take. Open the insurance folder and check to see if any of the documents have expired. Delete the expired documents from the insurance folder. If you keep insurance documents as hardcopies follow the same procedure and remove the expired hardcopies from your insurance file. #### In Summation The best strategy for filing documents is a simple one. Create a filing system that works for you. Next, plan time to sort through your paper piles. Decide what to keep, recycle, or shred. Then, apply the same system to your digital or electronic files. It’s easy to ignore the files stored in your computer because they are invisible. Avoid problems with your digital files by applying the same filing system to your digital files as your paper files. Then, schedule routine maintenance for both sets of files. If you’d like some accountability as you work on this project, join the [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) virtual clutter support group. Jonda Beattie and I will guide you as you create a simple filing system for yourself. [Click here](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/control-clutter/) to read more blogs like this one. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. Diane has recently co-authored a book with Jonda Beattie titled: [Filled Up and Overflowing](https://www.amazon.com/Filled-Up-Overflowing-Disorganization-Overboard/dp/1735968404/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2WY8ROGIY0RJS&dchild=1&keywords=filled+up+and+overflowing+diane+quintana&qid=1611500128&sprefix=filled+up+%2Caps%2C799&sr=8-1)* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** documents, Organizing Strategies, paper piles, Vital Documents --- ### [Create a Great First Impression with a Clutter-Free Entry](https://dnqsolutions.com/create-a-great-first-impression-with-a-clutter-free-entry/) **Published:** January 31, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Valentine’s Day is February 14th. Are you planning to celebrate with a special someone? Get your home ready by de-cluttering and make a great impression as soon as their foot crosses the threshold of your entrance. Think about the entrance to your home. What does the front door say to someone coming over to your house? Do you want it to make someone feel as if they should turn around? Is there [space for them to step](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-steps-to-control-clothes-clutter-in-a-small-space/) inside? Does it make someone feel welcome? You may not know what other people see when they first approach your front door and then step inside your home because you see it so often. When we see things all the time, we almost become blind to them. Step outside, close the door, face away from your door, and shut your eyes. Take a couple of deep breaths. Now, open your eyes and face your door. Is it covered with dust and/or cobwebs? Do you remember the last time you either dusted the outside of your door or swept cobwebs away? Next step inside. What is the impression your entry gives you? Does it make you feel welcome? One of the best ways to create a good impression and a welcoming entry to your [home is to keep](https://dnqsolutions.com/clutter-and-anxiety-5-hacks-to-keep-your-worries-in-check-as-you-declutter-your-home/) it clutter-free. #### **Have a place for everything** Think about the things you carry with you all the time. Do you have a place to put them down while you take off your coat? Generally speaking, the coat closet is not too fat from the front door. If you don’t have a coat closet, get a free-standing coat rack. But what can you do with the rest of your stuff? If you have a tote bag, handbag, or backpack that you regularly carry around have a spot to put it down. This could be a small table or a bench, if you have room. A bench is handy to have near the door because then you have a place to sit down if you need to take off or put-on shoes or boots. Have a tray under the bench to corral shoes and boots. It’s also a good idea to have a tray to hold things that are wet – like a wet umbrella – in addition to wet shoes and boots. #### **Use vertical storage** If you have children, put some hooks near the front door on which to hang their school backpacks. When the children have a place to put their bags, they don’t get tossed on the floor just inside the door. Use the vertical space you have to keep things up off the floor and give a clean and clear impression of the entry. You can hang your tote bag, backpack or handbag on a hook by the front door, also but I don’t recommend leaving it there. Leaving the bag in which you probably keep your driver’s license, credit cards, and money near the front door is an invitation for someone to take it. Hang it on a hook while you take off your coat and then move it to it’s regular landing spot. I keep my bag hooked on the back of my office chair because I often need credit card information when I’m at my desk. The same is true for your keys. If you like to keep them on a hook, put the hook on the inside of a closet door so they are not out in the open. #### **What does your entry say**? I know the entry to your home can’t talk but if it could what would it say about you? Sometimes, people [clutter up the entry ](https://dnqsolutions.com/control-paper-clutter-in-your-home-feel-more-energized/)to their home because they are busy and they haven’t taken the time to designate places for things, like shoes, boots, bags and umbrellas. If you want someone’s first impression when they walk through your door to be *this is a home in which I feel welcome,* then invest a little time and create places for things that naturally get dropped by the door. Clear your entry so that when that special someone walks through the door on [Valentine’s Day](https://dnqsolutions.com/show-love-for-yourself-on-valentines-day-every-day/) their first impression will be a good one. If clearing your entry is on your radar of projects to complete, consider joining the [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) virtual clutter support group I run with Jonda Beattie. [Click here ](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/control-clutter/)to read more blogs like this one. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize,](http://www.releaserepurpose.com) LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. Diane has recently co-authored a book with Jonda Beattie titled: [Filled Up and Overflowing.](https://amzn.to/3omSDlz)* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter support group, organizing projects, professional organizer, reduce clutter --- ### [Incorporate Your Personality into the Organization of Your Home](https://dnqsolutions.com/incorporate-your-personality-into-the-organization-of-your-home/) **Published:** February 7, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** A house becomes a home when someone infuses it with their personality. When someone walks into my home, they know right away that my decorating taste tends toward the traditional. If they look a little more closely, they will notice that I have a sense of humor because I mix the traditional with accents of things that make me laugh. You may notice that I wrote the word “accents” above. Too much of anything becomes [clutter.](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/home-organization/) I love to needlepoint and have many needlepoint pillows in my home. If they were all in the same room on one piece of furniture, they would be clutter. Instead, I have scattered them throughout my house. I keep the current needlepoint project on a shelf near my favorite chair in the kitchen so I can work on it when I’m not actively cooking. #### Here are some ideas to help you incorporate your personality into the organization of your home: ##### **Small displays** To make the house in which you live your home you want to decorate it in a way that reflects your personality and organize it in a way that makes sense to you. Each of us has a unique personality. We have our hobbies and the things that make us smile. It’s the way you bring these things together in [small displays around your house](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-a-small-house-with-no-storage/) that make it your home. My brother used to build and paint birdhouses as a hobby. Before he and his wife renovated their kitchen, he had his favorite birdhouses on display above his kitchen cabinets. He also collects old pewter dishes and beer steins. He built a few shelves for his dining room so that he could display the pewter there. My brother is a builder so building things to hold collections displays part of his personality. ##### **Create a vision board** The impulse we all have when we first move into a house is to put our mark on it. Whether we paint the walls a different color, hang pictures, or decide to knock down a wall to open up the space we want to do something. Reign in your enthusiasm if you can and first create a vision board. Get some magazines and cut out pictures that resonate with you. Keep in mind that these pictures have been staged, even if someone lives in the home, the photograph has been artfully staged first. Think about yourself and other people who live in the home with you. What colors do you like? Do you have a collection of photographs you want to display? Do you have a craft that reflects what you do in business or who you are in your private life? ##### Organizing and decorating You may be wondering how all this talk about paint colors and displays relates to organizing. Wonder no more. Your personal style dictates how you want to be able to find your belongings. Do you like to have everything hidden away, out of sight? Then, you will probably only want to carefully select a few things to put out on display. If seeing your things reminds you of what you have, you will probably want to creatively hang things from the walls or ceiling. For instance, you can hang a potholder near the stove, instead of keeping it in a drawer so you can grab it quickly when you have to move something hot. You may want to take the kitchen cupboard doors off and have open shelving. ##### Professional Organizers If you are confused and you [feel overwhelmed](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-when-you-feel-overwhelmed-by-a-task/) by the amount of stuff in your home. Reach out to a professional organizer in your neighborhood. Here are two great resources which will help you find a professional organizer near you: The [Institute for Challenging Disorganization](http://www.challengingdisorganization.org) (ICD) and the [National Association for Productivity and Organizing Professionals](https://www.napo.net/) (NAPO). Professional organizers help guide you to organize your home and display your collections in the way that makes sense to you. They take your organizing style into consideration and then give you lots of choices. Experienced professional organizers have created organizing solutions to accommodate many different personality styles and organizing preferences. ##### Decorate for you Decorate your [home according to your organizing style ](https://dnqsolutions.com/are-you-getting-organized-to-clean-your-home-spring-cleaning-style/)and your personality. Display that which makes you smile. The whole point of having a home is to be in a place where you want to spend your time. Since we are spending almost all of our time in our homes these days, let your personality shine through the decorations you display. If you want some assistance figuring out how to do this feel free to contact me or to join the [clutter support group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) I run with Jonda Beattie. [Click here](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/how-to-organize/) for more blogs on this topic. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. Diane and Jonda Beattie are the award-winning authors of: [Filled Up and Overflowing.](https://releaserepurpose.com/filled-up-overflowing/)* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Decorating, Institute for Challenging Disorganization, Organizing Strategies, The National Association of Productivity and Organzing Professionals --- ### [Show Love for Yourself on Valentine's Day & Every Day](https://dnqsolutions.com/show-love-for-yourself-on-valentines-day-every-day/) **Published:** February 14, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** It’s St. Valentine’s Day and love is in the air. Have you ever wondered about the origin St. Valentine’s Day? I learned that St. Valentine’s day started out as the Roman Festival of Lupercalia. This festival celebrated the coming of spring among other things. Pope Gelasius replaced it with St. [Valentine’s Day](https://dnqsolutions.com/want-a-romantic-valentines-day-heres-how-to-declutter-your-bedroom/) at the end of the fifth century. It was celebrated as a day filled with love and romance during the 14th century as it still is today. We often talk about love and romance in terms of couples on Valentine’s Day but today, I’m talking about compassion, forgiveness, and love for yourself. ##### **Automatic Negative Talk** Too often I hear clients use A.N.Ts. (Automatic Negative talk) when they talk about themselves. They put themselves down in truly awful terms for making a mistake. What’s that about? You probably do this from time to time. I know I do. There are those times when I call myself stupid for forgetting something. It upsets me when someone has taken the time to teach me how to do something and then I go and do exactly the opposite. Not because I’m trying to be difficult but because I often operate on automatic pilot. Don’t you? If I’m not mindfully remembering the lesson, it’s easier to follow a regular routine. That’s when I’ll call myself stupid, lazy, an idiot or any other nasty label that comes to mind. Some of my clients do this, too. They use automatic negative talk and put themselves down when we’ve spent hours (sometimes days) de-cluttering and [organizing a space](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-small-space-organizing-hacks-from-a-professional-organizer/) only to completely fill it up again before I return. These clients berate themselves because they have not mindfully practiced the lessons I taught them. They feel guilty and upset with themselves, hence the negative labels. Jonda Beattie and I devote a chapter in our book *[Filled Up and Overflowing](https://releaserepurpose.com/filled-up-overflowing/)* to this topic of negative labels and the reasons people use them. I teach my clients that practice makes perfect. The more you practice something the more it becomes automatic. If you mess up, forgive yourself, show yourself some compassion, then make it right, and move on. Think about putting some reminders in key places to help yourself remember a specific [organizing strategy](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-strategies-notice-the-problem-and-change-the-story/). There will come a time when you won’t need the reminder anymore and can take it down. Show love for yourself by giving yourself the grace to make mistakes while you learn a new habit. Afterall, you would not berate a friend for making a mistake, would you? ##### **Maintain your home organization** Our home is where we do quite literally everything these days. Many children are being educated at home. We [work from home](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-staying-on-task-when-working-from-home/) and we exercise at home. Some people have groceries and other supplies delivered so there’s almost no need to leave the house. This makes it more important than ever before to practice routine home organization strategies. When you maintain the organization in your home, you are showing yourself that you matter. Instead of cleaning up and clearing the clutter before guests come over make those tasks so routine that your home is lovely for you. You are important. Maintaining order in your home creates a peaceful and loving atmosphere. Show love for yourself by making your home organization a priority. Jonda Beattie and I have created a deck of cards called [Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools/) which turns home organization tasks into a game. Each of the cards has step-by-step instructions to complete 1 task in 10 minutes. ##### **Take care of yourself first** When you board an airplane, and the flight attendant goes through the safety reminders they always tell you to put your oxygen mask on first and then help your child. They say this because you can’t take care of someone else if you are struggling. The same is true for self-care. Make sure you find time for you each and every day. It doesn’t have to be a long time. Sometimes a 15-minute break is enough of a breather to let you regain your equilibrium. Depending on the day, you may need a longer break. The point is that you honor yourself, do something that makes you happy. You will feel more like giving to the rest of your family if you also take care of yourself. On this day, St. Valentine’s Day, what are you doing to show love for yourself? Are you indulging yourself and giving yourself a spa day? Maybe you are doing a project around the house that has been on your mind for a while. Do you have a good book sitting beside your bed that you’ve been eager to read? Whatever it is that you are doing I hope you keep these few things in mind: forgive yourself for your mistakes, dismiss automatic negative thoughts, maintain your home organization because you matter, and always show love for yourself – not just on St. Valentine’s Day. [Click here](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/be-a-better-version-of-you/) to read more blogs like this. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. Diane and Jonda Beattie are the award-winning authors of: [Filled Up and Overflowing.](https://releaserepurpose.com/filled-up-overflowing/)* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Self-care --- ### [6 Tricks to Better Organize Your Day](https://dnqsolutions.com/6-tricks-to-better-organize-your-day/) **Published:** February 21, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Do you know what you want to do tomorrow? Is there an idea in the back of your mind of what you hope to accomplish? How [long is your list of things](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/time-management-productivity/) to do? If you’re anything like me, you are always doing something. I admit I pack lots and lots into almost every day. Sometimes the list of things I want to do is longer than time will allow and other times I accomplish everything with time to spare. As a certified professional organizer, I can honestly say that organizing my day is integral to my [successfully accomplishing](https://dnqsolutions.com/set-yourself-up-for-success-accomplish-your-goals/) my tasks. There are 6 tricks I use which I will share with you so that you can better [organize your day ](https://dnqsolutions.com/feeling-out-of-sorts-organize-your-day/)too. #### 1. **Understand and acknowledge the most important thing or things in your life** Everyone has things that are important to them. What’s important to you? I’m not asking you what is on your ‘to-do’ list. Instead, I am asking you to identify what you want to attend to on a regular basis. I’ll give you a few examples of things I attend to regularly. These are my family, my dogs, my home, my faith, my plants, and my business. Everyday I give a little time to these aspects of my life. Whatever they are, these are the things you will attend to on a daily basis. Even if just for a few minutes. To better organize your day, acknowledge that time will be given to the things that matter most to you. #### 2. **What are you working on today**? No one can [pay attention](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-3-best-reasons-to-pay-attention-to-your-bed/) to everything that have going on in their lives every day. We all have more than a few things that are asking for our time. There are volunteer activities, friends and/or neighbors to check-in with, routine [household chores](https://dnqsolutions.com/sick-of-doing-household-chores-heres-how-to-get-more-done-with-less-resistance/), projects, and our work. Decide where you are going to focus your attention today. Remember to place your focus on things which support the way you want to live. It can be tempting to place your focus on something that your peers think is important. Resist that temptation unless it also aligns with what matters to you. I usually pick 1 or 2 things in addition to scheduled appointments and [routine tasks](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools/). #### 3. **Divide your day** To better organize your day, divide it into segments. Morning, afternoon, and evening are the segments that work for me. You may have a different idea and that is completely fine. I schedule one area of focus to each segment of the day. Sometimes life gets in the way and the things I want to focus on during that time either get pushed to another time or another day. When that happens, I make a point of rescheduling the task I had originally planned to do. Remember that later is not a time. When you are rescheduling a task pick a specific day and time. #### 4. **Know yourself** When do you do your best work? Admit to yourself the time of day during which you make your best decisions. Are you a morning person? If so, organize your day so that you do the most taxing brain work in the morning and physical work in the afternoon. People who take a little longer to wake up might schedule brain work for mid-day or evening. I am an early morning person. Most of my brain work is done before noon. I [leave the afternoon for other things](https://dnqsolutions.com/14-things-to-do-before-leaving-for-vacation/) that also matter to me. Take advantage of your personal strengths and better organize your day so that you do your hardest, most challenging work when you know you are at your best. #### 5. **Free time** Ok. I know there’s no such thing as ‘free time’. When I was in school the expression ‘free time’ meant an unscheduled time during the day. I was free to do whatever I wanted. Allow yourself ‘free time’ to reset your brain and your soul. Free time lets our mind wander which in turn invites creativity. It feels good to have nothing pressing during that time. It doesn’t have to be hours free time can be 10 minutes. Close your eyes or if the weather is lovely find a place to be outside, stare into nature, and recharge. #### 6. **Organize your day the evening before** At the end of the day, I take stock of what it is I have accomplished and what is left to do. It is not about how much you get done in a day or what you have accomplished, it is truly about how you feel. I make a point of noticing the things that have gone well and [learning lessons](https://dnqsolutions.com/legacy-of-organization-lessons-learned-from-mom-on-planning-scheduling-and-delegating/) from those that haven’t. Then I look at my calendar, review my appointments for the next day, think about into which segments of the day I can schedule a few tasks, and decide my focus for the next day. Planning my day in the evening lets me unwind and relax. When I get up the next morning, I have an expectation of how the day will unfold. This is not to say that everything always runs smoothly, it does not. But, by organizing my day this way I know what I can let go, what I can reschedule, and where my flex time is. #### **To Summarize** Use these 6 tricks to better organize your day. Acknowledge what’s important, what are you working on today, divide your day, know yourself, enjoy free time, and finally organize your day the night before. These tricks work for me and for my clients. Join the [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/), virtual clutter support group to receive guidance and accountability while you work on your skills to better organize your day. [Click here](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/rightsize-your-life/) to read more blogs on this topic. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. Diane and Jonda Beattie are the award-winning authors of: [Filled Up and Overflowing](https://releaserepurpose.com/filled-up-overflowing/).* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** accomplish, focus, Organizing Strategies, schedule, time management --- ### [Are You Getting Organized to Clean Your Home Spring-Cleaning Style?](https://dnqsolutions.com/are-you-getting-organized-to-clean-your-home-spring-cleaning-style/) **Published:** February 28, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Every year about this time people start talking about doing their spring cleaning. For some people that means washing windows, window screens, and getting outside furniture ready. For other people, it means moving furniture, cleaning the dust bunnies, and reorganizing the furniture placement. This year, however, we’ve all been doing so much cleaning. Constantly wiping down counters and packages, washing hands, and being [organized to clean at a moment’s notice](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-strategies-notice-the-problem-and-change-the-story/). Why would we want to engage in spring cleaning? Is there a difference? #### **Looking back** Last year around this time is when we all hunkered down in our homes. Can you believe it? The Coronavirus that we had hoped would only last a few weeks, was quickly turning into a pandemic with no end in sight. We closed ourselves in only venturing out for the absolutely necessary. Overnight our homes became the place we never left. These homes had to accommodate all the activities we typically did outside the home as well as those for which we came home. They morphed into school rooms, fitness centers, entertainment zones, offices, Zoom rooms, non-stop dining facilities, and bedrooms – changing as the need changed. #### **Packed** We packed our homes with extra food and cleaning supplies and with the necessary items to support our lifestyle at home. Exercise equipment took over corners in some homes. We [planned our time](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-art-of-planning-and-scheduling-carving-out-time-for-yourself/) to allow for extra hand washing, clothes washing, and face mask washing. Then we got ourselves organized to clean and remove germs as we went along. #### **So many activities, so little space** Because so many families have, out of necessity, packed all their activities into the home. Is there space to do spring cleaning? Do we need to do that, after all the cleaning we’ve been doing? I wonder if the time is right to [unpack all that has been jammed into our homes](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/home-organization/). Are we ready to open up our homes, let the sunshine in, and experience life outside the shelter of our homes? #### **Spring Cleaning** If you are ready to get organized to clean, spring-cleaning style, take the next 6 weeks or so to gradually go through your home tackling the spaces you want to deeply clean. The difference between the cleaning we’ve been doing, and spring cleaning is that spring cleaning involves deeply cleaning each aspect of the space. Cleaning in general, gets rid of dust, dirt, and grime and we expect – germs. Bring in the cleaning supplies that you need to have on hand. Decide if you are going to chase the cobwebs near the windows or tackle the dust bunnies under the furniture. Maybe you are going to do both of these things. There are many, many fabulous guides on Spring Cleaning out there. My blogging colleague, Sabrina Quairoli, wrote a terrific spring-cleaning guide recently. Click here for [Sabrina’s Spring-Cleaning Tips](https://sabrinasorganizing.com/monthly-organizing-challenge-create-a-customized-spring-cleaning-checklist/). #### **Reorganizing** A good [reason to embark on a Spring-Cleaning routine](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-your-daily-routine-changes-when-you-move/), even though we have been continually cleaning everything, is that it will freshen up your home and lift your spirits. Take some time to get organized to clean out the things you know you won’t be using. Unpack the supplies that have been stuffed into corners. There may be clutter lurking in those corners also. I can understand hanging onto a few extras of certain things that were in short supply during the first wave of the Pandemic. However, as a professional organizer, I encourage you not to stockpile too much. These stockpiles take up valuable real estate in our homes and I’ve already listed all the ways that our homes now serve us. If the things you don’t need any more are in good condition donate them. Do you have a suitcase that you know you don’t want? Clean it up and then take it to a [Foster cares](https://www.fostercares.org/) office. They give these suitcases to foster children, so they have something in which to put their belongings other than a garbage bag. Remove winter [clothes that your children have outgrown from their closets](https://dnqsolutions.com/ideas-for-organizing-clothes-without-a-closet/). Do the same thing with your winter clothes. Set them aside to donate in the early fall when donation centers will be ready to accept them. I suggest putting the clothes in a plastic tub in the attic or garage and putting a reminder in your calendar to donate the contents in the fall. #### In Conclusion If you feel like you are continually getting organized to clean and are unsure if you want to do any spring-cleaning remember there is a difference. Think about it that way. Whether you engage in Spring cleaning this year or not I hope you embrace the coming season. There is a change in the way we are anticipating spring this year. Make your home ready to enjoy all that the coming season has to offer. If you would like some motivation to tackle individual tasks check out the [Organize Your Home 10 minutes at a Time ](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools/)deck of cards or [reach out to me](http://www.dnqsolutions.com/contact). *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC ](https://dnqsolutions.com)and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. Diane and Jonda Beattie are the best-selling authors of: [Filled Up and Overflowing](https://releaserepurpose.com/filled-up-overflowing/).* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer --- ### [Teach Your Children Time Management Using These Tools](https://dnqsolutions.com/teach-your-children-time-management-using-these-tools/) **Published:** March 7, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Are you having trouble teaching your child to be aware of the passage of time? Is it a struggle to get everyone out the door? [Managing time](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/time-management-productivity/) is a learned skill. Some adults, maybe even you, have trouble managing their time so it’s no wonder it’s also difficult for children. [Teach your children time](https://dnqsolutions.com/teach-your-children-how-to-use-free-time/) management skills. Make it easier for them to develop these skills by incorporating talk about time into daily activities. #### **Talk about time** Incorporate time into your daily conversation with your children. Let them know that at a certain time, you (as in everyone present) will be leaving to do errands. Then give them a 10-minute warning. Letting them know that they have 10-minutes left to finish up what they are doing. Finally, when there are 2-minutes left, tell them it’s time to put on shoes, jackets and hats, and grab whatever they need to bring with them. Talk about time when you’re teaching your children to be ready for dinner. You can say please set the table by 5:30 because dinner will be at 6:00. Or maybe you let your children know that they need to move their schoolwork off the table at 5:45 because dinner will be at 6:00. When you talk about time you are teaching your children [time management](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/time-management-coaching/) by making them aware of the passage of time. #### **Show them time** There are two very useful tools to have in your home to visually represent the passage of time. The most important is an analog clock. Put one in every room, including the bathroom. This is particularly helpful when the family is sharing bathrooms. You can tell your child they must be out of the bathroom at x o’clock. When there is a clock in the bathroom, they will be better able to track the time. Analog clocks show time better than digital clocks. In a digital clock the numbers advance. An analog clock shows the passage of time. It’s easier to understand and to build that sense of time when you can see that every minute in the hour is accounted for. The other useful tool is the [time timer](https://www.timetimer.com/pages/time-timer-original). This device represents the passage of minutes within the hour with a red swath. You set the timer for as many minutes as required. The red swath shrinks as time marches on. This visual representation of time helps children understand how much time they have to start with and how much time remains. ![Time timers](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/time-timer.png "| DNQ Solutions")Time timers in a variety of sizesThe time timer company also makes a simple touchless timer to help with washing hands. The timer counts down the minutes to make sure hands are thoroughly cleaned. These timers can be used with children of any age as the visual representation of time is so simple to understand. Teach your children time management skills beginning at a very early age to build the awareness of the passage of time. When you do this, they will grow up with a better understanding of what 5-minutes versus 30-minutes feels like. #### **Use a planner** A third tool for school age children is the [Academic Planner from Order Out of Chaos.](https://products.orderoochaos.com/collections/academic-planners) ![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/1115/4872/products/4-letter-size-planners-with-open-planner_large.png?v=1613753886)Academic PlannerThis planner is set up to allow children to see time. It enables students to keep track of the homework in all their subjects. It also has space to record after school activities and/or other appointments. The thing I personally love most about these planners is that it helps students break school projects down into manageable bite size pieces. This is an important life skill. They will use this skill throughout their school years, at work, and their own homes managing home improvement projects large and small. I can not overstate this skill’s importance. I also recommend this planner to busy moms. It’s great for keeping track of after school activities as well as all the many things busy moms do. Leslie Josel, the owner of Order Out of Chaos, also has fabulous [videos](https://products.orderoochaos.com/collections/parent-education-videos) for students and parents to learn more about teaching children time management skills. #### **Use music** Another way to teach your children time management is to create playlists of varying lengths. You can tell your children that when x song comes on, there will be 3 minutes left before we start cleaning up. They will learn to listen for that particular song and understand that soon playtime will be over. Leslie Josel encourages older students to create study playlists for different subjects. They know based on the song that is playing how much more time they have to finish the subject they are working on. Teaching your children time management is one of those [life skills that your children will use throughout their lives](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-concepts-to-rightsize-your-life-live-better/) and in every aspect of their life. The tools presented in this blog will help you as you endeavor to create better time awareness at home and to develop your children’s sense of time. Who knows? You may also improve your own time management skills in the process! *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. [Click here](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/) to sign up for Diane’s monthly newsletter and receive her Tip of the Week. Diane and Jonda Beattie are the best-selling authors of: [Filled Up and Overflowing.](https://releaserepurpose.com/filled-up-overflowing/)* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** time management --- ### [3 Organizing Myths Debunked](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-organizing-myths-debunked/) **Published:** March 14, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** There are lots of organizing myths out there but there are three organizing myths that I always seem to be debunking with my clients so I thought I would review them with you here. All three revolve around a common theme: clutter. Myth number one: your home must be clutter free to be organized. This is absolutely not true. Do you know your home can be [cluttered and organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/why-organized-clutter-is-a-step-in-the-right-direction/)? What did you think when you read that question? Did you think I had misspoken? Maybe you are questioning my sanity. Whatever you are thinking, it’s true. A home can be cluttered and organized. One of the biggest [organizing myths is that your home](https://dnqsolutions.com/incorporate-your-personality-into-the-organization-of-your-home/) must be absolutely clutter free to be organized. It’s all in your definition of clutter. #### **Define cluttered** You may walk into a room and think it is [cluttered](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/home-organization/) because it is full of seemingly random stuff. The person who lives there may keep the room this way because to them it feels cozy. It’s all in how you define cluttered. This is personal to each and everyone of us. I happen to work best with small stacks of things around me. Papers or articles or books that I may or may not refer to. My friend, Jonda Beattie, likes to have nothing on her desk. My office looks cluttered to Jonda, but it is truly a very organized space. It is the way I want it. That’s the key here. Each person has the right to have their [home the way ](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-simplest-way-to-declutter-your-home/)they want it. The disclaimer is that if more than one person lives in the home it’s important to compromise or maintain a balance to ensure that everyone in the home is comfortable with the level of clutter (or lack thereof) in the home. #### **Clutter is the result delayed decisions** Another of these organizing myths is that clutter is always the result of delayed decisions. Sometimes people leave items out to cue them to take action. When no action is taken the item becomes a nagging reminder and then becomes clutter. But not all clutter is the result of a delayed decision. A person may have lots of memorabilia on a shelf. These things may be visual reminders of wonderful vacations. To you, it may look like clutter. To the homeowner it brings back great memories. Memories they want to revisit time and again. Since we’ve already determined that being organized is personal, it’s up to the homeowner to decide how many things they want to display. What a cluttered display looks and feels like to them. And to determine when the display becomes over-crowded and confusing. These are things for the homeowner to think about. #### **A beautiful home is an organized home** A home may be beautifully decorated and finished nicely and yet be very disorganized. Are you wondering how that can be so? Well, just because the colors of the furnishings are coordinated, and the throw pillows artfully placed it is not necessarily an organized home. This is one of the organizing myths that is perpetuated by home improvement shows and magazines. These shows and magazines feature beautifully decorated homes with nary an item out of place. The containers are matching and perfectly labeled. There is rarely a glass by the sink or a pair of shoes out of place. This is, of course, because the room is staged and not lived in. It takes more than just the pretty stuff to make a home organized. #### Organizing systems I have been in homes that are surface gorgeous but underneath the surface there are no systems in place to enable the homeowners to be organized. They didn’t know what they had in their homes or where to begin looking for what they wanted to use. A home is organized when the people who live in the home can easily put their hands on the things that make their lives run smoothly. Also, they know where to return items. Containers don’t have to match, they just have to work for the individual, and corral the intended items. #### Professional organizers Trained professional organizers ask questions to help homeowners define their personal comfort level with clutter. For some, having a multitude of things around makes their home feel cozy to them. For others, it’s important to have surfaces devoid of any excess. The questions to answer are: Do you have what you need, love, and use in your home? Can you easily put your belongings away? Is it easy for you to find what you are looking for? These trained professional organizers also develop systems for the homeowners to maintain the organization. The answers to these questions and systems designed specifically with the homeowners in mind are the important ingredients intrinsic to having an organized home. So, if you’re thinking that your home must be clutter-free home to organize it, that is one of the organizing myths to toss aside. Your home may be as cluttered as works for you and your family. If you want guidance figuring out the level of clutter that works for you and your family join Jonda and me as we lead the [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) online clutter support group. There are new groups starting in April. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. Diane and Jonda Beattie are the best-selling authors of: [Filled Up and Overflowing](https://releaserepurpose.com/filled-up-overflowing/).* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter, Clutter support group, Organizing Strategies, professional organizer --- ### [5 Tips to Manage an Ever-Changing Family Schedule](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-manage-an-ever-changing-family-schedule/) **Published:** April 4, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Creating a family routine and schedule to follow can be challenging for a couple in the best of times. Throw a couple of very young children into the mix, along with working from home, and it feels next to impossible. Do you have children? If you have lived through the baby stage, you know that it’s difficult to create a firm schedule when you have babies. Just when you think you have a schedule in place to follow, the baby regresses and starts waking up again at night. If you also have an older child, they are probably used to a [daily routine](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-your-daily-routine-changes-when-you-move/). Incorporating the ever-changing schedule of a baby while maintaining the older child’s daily routine and taking care of a home all while working from home may [feel like an overwhelming task.](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-when-you-feel-overwhelmed-by-a-task/) My son and his wife are currently in this very situation. They have a 10-week-old son, a 3 ½ year old daughter, and they both[ work full time from home](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-staying-on-task-when-working-from-home/). Their little girl gets up at the same time most mornings, but their son sometimes gets up multiple times during the night. If you have children, I’m sure you’re not surprised. As a professional organizer, parent, and grandparent I am well aware of the challenges facing families. Every stage of your child’s development presents new opportunities for a change in the schedule. When you have a new baby chaos can follow for that is one of those life events which throws all sense of routine out the window. How do you meet both your children’s needs, maintain order in the house and your relationship with your spouse? This is a question many people ask. Here are my 5 tips to help you cope as you deal with your family’s ever-changing schedule. #### **Maintain habits and routines that work and be willing to be flexible.** Maintain your [routines and habits ](https://dnqsolutions.com/new-routines-and-habits/)as much as possible. This will help you to keep order in your home. When you are in the habit of picking up and putting things away when you are finished using them it takes very little time to restore order to a room. Delegate age-appropriate tasks to your older children. They can make their bed, pick up their toys, empty the dishwasher, take out the trash, help with laundry, as well as a variety or other tasks. Involving your children in the care and up-keep of your home encourages them to take ownership of their space, teaches responsibility, and takes pressure off the parents. In the not-too-distant past every member of the family worked together to care for the home and the property. Everyone took pride in doing their part and doing it well. Give your older child the opportunity to learn age-appropriate [routine maintenance](https://dnqsolutions.com/use-life-hacks-to-begin-creating-better-home-maintenance-routines/) skills to encourage this feeling. Another benefit to delegating tasks to every member of the family is that it helps to maintain a schedule. If your goal is to get out the door to go to school at a certain time because you have a meeting and you know you want to feed your infant before the meeting starts it is more realistic if everyone pitches in and does routine tasks. Use the [Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools/) deck of cards to guide you in maintaining different areas of your home. #### **Accept Good Enough** Many people think that if you are going to do something it’s best to do it perfectly or not at all. I submit that doing something to the best of your ability at any given time is better than doing nothing at all. Allow your older child to make their bed to the best of their ability and praise them for their effort. It may not be exactly the way you want it. Accept the way it is and do NOT fix it. Fixing the bed send the message to the child that their effort was not good enough. Since you know your scheduling is changing and will continue to change until your infant reaches the stage when you can follow a defined schedule allow some tasks and chores to slide. Ask yourself which part of your daily schedule is most important to maintain and focus on that. #### **Create Boundaries** You are probably working from home, like many families. Be fully at work when you are working, even though you are at home. Create a mental boundary and don’t let home related thoughts intrude on your work time. I know that is difficult to do. Sometimes it may be impossible. The more you can be mindfully present in your work and honestly focus on the task at hand the more you will accomplish and in less time. #### **Schedule Breaks** If you were working in the office, there would be times when you would get up from your desk, stretch your legs, and perhaps have a casual conversation with a colleague. It’s still important to get up periodically from wherever you are working in the house and take a break. If you have young children at home this is a time when you can swap with your spouse and take over childcare while they do something else. With both of you working from home you may need to look over your schedules every night. Talk about when you have meetings. Be upfront about how much prep time you need before each meeting and discuss any wrap up time you need. [Create your schedule](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/time-management-productivity/) for the next day and assign work time, childcare time, and you time for both you and your partner/spouse. Yes. I said ‘you’ time. You can’t care for others if you haven’t cared for yourself first. Make time in your daily schedule for a little alone time every day. Depending on the day, it can be something short like a 10-minute walk around the block. Just do something that allows you to refresh and recharge your personal battery. #### **Do Fun Activities Together** Build one or more fun family activities into each week. Explore different parts of the place you live. Take long walks. My son and his family have been finding different playgrounds, coffee shops, and doughnut shops where they live. They are active and love to exercise outside so going on long walks and admiring the spring blooms is a fun family activity for them. Stopping for coffee and doughnuts is an added perk for almost every member of their family. Find what works for your family and make a habit of scheduling something to look forward to each week. It can be a special meal that you make together or an outing to a favorite playground. It doesn’t matter what it is as long as it is something everyone in your family will enjoy. #### **In Conclusion** It is easy to let chaos reign when a [life event happens](https://dnqsolutions.com/prepare-for-change-so-youre-not-caught-off-guard-when-life-happens/). Use these 5 tips to guide you as you manage your busy family’s schedule. - Follow the structure of habits and routines that have worked for you in the past but be flexible. - Remember to accept good enough. - Create boundaries between your work and your homelife even though they are both happening at home. - Schedule breaks during the day - Plan fun activities If you would like some additional personalized guidance, consider signing up for the [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) online clutter support group Diane moderates with Jonda Beattie. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. Diane and Jonda Beattie are the best-selling authors of: [Filled Up and Overflowing](https://releaserepurpose.com/filled-up-overflowing/).* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** change, Clutter support group, grandparents, home maintenance, parents, professional organizer, Routines, schedule --- ### [Are You Finally in the Mood to Organize? Here's an Easy Way to Get it Done!](https://dnqsolutions.com/are-you-finally-in-the-mood-to-organize-heres-an-easy-way-to-get-it-done/) **Published:** April 11, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** You know how it is when you are in the mood to do something, you want to go ahead and do it. Well, the same is true for organizing a space. When you’re in the mood to get something organized it’s best to take advantage of that positive energy and dive right in. Since I am a professional organizer, I am often asked what the best place is to begin organizing. My clients want to start organizing, they are motivated, but don’t know where to start or how hard it will be to get it done. Does this ever happen to you? My friend and business partner, Jonda Beattie, and I developed a card game to make [organizing fun ](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-fun-ways-to-make-organizing-enjoyable/)and easy for clients and everyone else. The game is called: [Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time](https://www.amazon.com/Organize-Your-Home-Minutes-Time/dp/1735968420/ref=sr_1_1?crid=47LGN974PDUD&dchild=1&keywords=organize+your+home+10+minutes+at+a+time+cards&qid=1618152260&sprefix=organize+your+home+10+minutes%2Caps%2C545&sr=8-1). This card game addresses the problem of where to start since the cards have [tasks in most common areas of the home.](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-staying-on-task-when-working-from-home/) #### **Easy to use** This colorful easy to use 52 card deck of cards includes a guide to walk you through how to use them to effectively and to organize most of the common areas of your home 10 minutes at a time. #### **Common areas** The remaining 50 individual cards are dedicated to areas common in most homes. The cards address these individual areas: - Family Room/Dining Area - Bedroom - Bathroom - Closets - Kitchen - Office - Laundry Each card outlines 4 to 6 simple [steps to complete one small task ](https://dnqsolutions.com/small-steps-toward-change/)in a 10-minute time span. As an added bonus, each card has a note or suggestion about the targeted area at the bottom of the card. The top of the card has the name of the room. The task is identified. Then all you have to do is follow the step-by-step instructions to complete the task in 10 minutes or less. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/02-03-21-FTBKcardblue5456wbl-scaled.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")#### **What are you in the mood to organize?** Whether you are in the mood to organize your kitchen, bathroom, or bedroom or any other room in your home, we break it down shelf-by-shelf and area by area within each room, so you don’t feel like you have to organize the entire room at one time. That would be overwhelming! If you don’t know where you want to start, spread the cards out face down and pick a card. The card will tell you where to start. If you don’t like that idea, pick a different card. #### **What’s next?** Once you have your card in hand, go to that room or area, and follow the step-by-step directions on the card. It’s as simple as that. When you have finished the task, take a few minutes to celebrate your accomplishment. If you’re still in the mood to organize, pick another card. Quite often the wonderful feeling of success carries forward and motivates us to do more. Since it takes only 10 short minutes to complete the task you may want to keep on organizing. #### **What are the benefits?** The biggest benefit is that you [organize one small space ](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-small-space-organizing-hacks-from-a-professional-organizer/)at a time completely. Often when people decide to organize a space, they tackle too big a task. They may walk into a messy room and decide to spend the day organizing the whole room. After a couple of hours, they look around and feel defeated because two hours have passed by and the room is still disorganized. They have not accomplished what they set out to do. This deck of cards breaks down large spaces into small, measurable tasks. It’s so much more rewarding to accomplish a small task and then have the option to move on to another small task than to feel defeated by the enormity of trying to organize an entire room in one day. Another benefit from using the cards is that they help you maintain spots in your home that you may not think about organizing, like the top shelf in the coat closet. Things lurk in the back of that top shelf because it doesn’t occur to us to tackle that spot. [Staying organized ](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-successfully-cope-with-unexpected-events-stay-organized/)and knowing what you have in your home in all those hard to reach out of the way spots is another fabulous benefit you receive when you use this terrific deck of cards. #### **In Conclusion** This first of its kind deck of cards: [Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time](https://www.amazon.com/Organize-Your-Home-Minutes-Time/dp/1735968420/ref=sr_1_1?crid=47LGN974PDUD&dchild=1&keywords=organize+your+home+10+minutes+at+a+time+cards&qid=1618152260&sprefix=organize+your+home+10+minutes%2Caps%2C545&sr=8-1) allows people to play a game with themselves and get organized. So, if you’re in the mood to do some organizing why not pick a card, any card, and get started! *[Diane N. Quintana](http://www.dnqsolutions.com) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. Diane and Jonda Beattie are the best-selling authors of: [Filled Up and Overflowing.](https://releaserepurpose.com/filled-up-overflowing/)* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** organizing strategy, simple strategies, time based strategies --- ### [Have Unexpected Positive Results with an Open Mind](https://dnqsolutions.com/have-unexpected-positive-results-with-an-open-mind/) **Published:** April 18, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Here I am again, [organizing my home](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/home-organization/) and preparing to move. This cycle of moving every 4 to 5 years has been part of my life for a very long time. Every time I move I think, this is the last time I’m moving. Then something unexpected happens and there I am again planning another move. #### **Cleaning out** One of the things on my lengthy list of things to do is to clean out the shed in my backyard. I have a plastic caddy on a shelf in the shed which holds my small tools. I use the caddy as I walk the paths in my garden to trim shrubs, cut flowers, tie up plants, and do a little digging. It’s so handy to have all these small tools at the ready so I don’t have to walk back and forth to the shed to find the tool I need. #### **Nature** When I looked inside the shed the other day to begin this process, I saw a big ball of pine straw in the caddy. I wondered to myself why on earth I kept a big ball of pine straw. Then, I took another look and saw that a little bird had formed a sweet nest. The big ball of pine straw had 2 little eggs buried deep inside! What an unexpected and wonderful find. I love the way nature constantly surprises me with little treats like this. Gently, I picked up the nest using a trowel and moved the nest outside the shed into the top of a nearby shrub. #### **Lots of tools** As I clean out the shed, I am cleaning all the tools. I have lots and lots of tools. In addition to basic shovels, a hoe, rake, and edger I also have supports for all sorts of plants. I will not have a garden where I am moving so my plan is to clean these tools and then offer them to my friends and neighbors. These tools have been my trusty helpers for decades and I know they will be well-loved by those who own them next. #### **No garden** If you have been following me for some time you know that I love to play in the dirt and garden. So, it is probably unexpected and surprising for you to read that I am moving to a place with no garden. Well, it came as a surprise to me too. I will still play in the dirt as I plan to have container gardens on my 2 balconies. But I am entering a new chapter in my life and honestly do not want the responsibility of maintaining a large garden. #### **Maintenance** Large gardens have distinct areas that can be labeled rooms. Each room in the garden like the rooms in your [home needs a maintenance plan](https://dnqsolutions.com/use-life-hacks-to-begin-creating-better-home-maintenance-routines/) in order to stay weed free and orderly. You create a schedule for weeding, feeding, and trimming each distinct garden room. Just as you create a schedule for doing laundry, dusting, and organizing. #### **Rightsizing** I have talked about rightsizing homes before. Rightsizing does not necessarily mean downsizing. It can mean changing the environment to be a better fit. For some people it [means moving to a larger home](https://dnqsolutions.com/home-what-does-this-word-mean-to-you/) to accommodate a growing family. For me at this time in my [life it means](https://dnqsolutions.com/when-someone-has-a-well-organized-life-what-does-that-really-mean/) that I am removing the responsibility of maintaining a garden from my list of things to do. However, this new home is in a community which includes 12 acres of dedicated natural parkland with walking trails. My dogs and I are going to be very happy walking and exploring around our new home. The landscaping around the homes is just beautiful and I am not responsible for maintaining it. That is an unexpected relief for me. The past couple of years I have felt such stress over squeezing in time to work in the garden. #### **Unexpected Positive Results** It is very easy to do things the way you have always done them. There’s an expression that goes something like this: change is good, but no change is better. I understand because change, even positive change, is uncomfortable. It takes a leap of faith to make changes in the way you do something. I always appreciate the trust my clients put in me when I ask them to change a routine or to replace a habit. Small changes yield results and continued small changes toward a specific goal can yield even better results. Some results are expected, and others are unexpected. The other day a client told me that she now realizes that empty space can be a beautiful thing. She no longer feels as if she must fill it. She can leave the space empty. She surprised herself with this unexpected self-discovery. I am so very happy for my client. #### **In Conclusion** When you open your mind and accept that things do not have to remain the same just because that’s the way they have always been you open yourself to unexpected and positive results. It is not easy. It takes practice to honestly hear and evaluate options that come your way. And it takes faith in yourself and in those you trust. I am happy that I opened my mind to a different sort of home. It’s one that I would not have considered even a couple of years ago, so I am taking a chance and making a change. Are you ready to make a change in your routines or habits? If so, consider [joining the Clear Space for You clutter support group ](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-compelling-reasons-to-join-a-virtual-clutter-support-group/)I run with Jonda Beattie. You can read more about it [here](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/). *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization. [Contact Diane](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact-professional-organizer/) for a free phone consultation. Diane and Jonda Beattie are the best-selling authors of: [Filled Up and Overflowing.](https://releaserepurpose.com/filled-up-overflowing/)* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** accountability, moving, organizing, professional organizer, Rightsizing, trust --- ### [5 Tips for Navigating Change Confidently & Successfully](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-for-navigating-change-confidently-successfully/) **Published:** April 25, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Picture a kayaker heading towards the rapids. This kayaker will confidently and successfully be able to take the rapids because navigating change is part of their training. Just as facing rapids without the proper training is scary for a kayaker navigating change in your life can be scary, too. But with the proper tools at your disposal you, too, can successfully and confidently navigate change. Of course, since I am a professional organizer, I am talking about [changes people make which require them to alter the way](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-ways-to-change-the-story-we-tell-ourselves/) they are organized. Change can be difficult and stressful. The results are not guaranteed and making any sort of lasting change means hard work. The person making the change will have to mindfully practice the new behaviors. ### Here are some examples of difficult changes that people decide to make which involve organizing: 1. Moving – across town, to a different state, to another country 2. Habits & routines – creating new habits and routines requires that you organize differently. 3. New organizing systems – reorganizing the pantry, the cupboards, the closets etc. 4. New filing system (paper & digital) 5. [Time management](https://dnqsolutions.com/teach-your-children-time-management-using-these-tools/) – organizing a daily plan. #### All of the above examples require that the person or people in the home change the way they are currently organizing themselves or their things. How will they do this? I am about to make a significant change in the way I have been living for decades. If I were to tell you that I was not at all apprehensive, I would be lying through my teeth. You see, I have 2 dogs and I am moving from a house with a yard to a townhome with no yard. Moving is stressful enough, changing the type of home is an additional stressor because I will have to remember to walk the dogs more than I do now. And I won’t be able to go out all day and just leave the backdoor open for them. These are big changes in the way I [live my life](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-concepts-to-rightsize-your-life-live-better/). ### Navigating change is difficult but not impossible. #### Here are the 5 tips I have come up with to help myself navigate a big change. Read them and see if you think they will help you, too. ##### 1. **Be specific about what you are changing and understand why you are making this change.** It’s always easier to work toward changing something when you are clear about what you want to change and your reasons why. As I have already told you I am changing my home from a house with a yard to a townhome. I love the place I am going. It is in a community that has swimming, fitness, beautifully landscaped walkways, and a 12-acre nature walk in the woods. I am trading convenience for less maintenance and activities I don’t currently have at my house. ##### 2. **Create a plan to make the change happen.** Think about what you need to do or not do to open the door for change. Which behaviors can you modify to make navigating change easier? What can you practice? In my case, I am practicing walking my dogs in the early morning, at noon, and at night to get all 3 of us in the routine. It’s not easy as it’s so much more convenient to open the door and tell the dogs to go out. ##### 3. **Think about your desired result.** Our thoughts are powerful influencers. I believe that when we put out positive energy and believe in ourselves, [positive results ](https://dnqsolutions.com/have-unexpected-positive-results-with-an-open-mind/)follow. However, do not simply rely on positive energy. Ask yourself what steps you can take to achieve the results you desire. Schedule those steps sequentially into your calendar. ##### 4. **Work your plan.** Keep track of the details. You can use a small notebook or keep notes in your phone about the things you need to follow up on. Another suggestion is to use an accountability partner so that you maintain the momentum as you create the changes you seek. ##### 5. **Accept that lasting change is a process.** There is no overnight magic potion to create change. You can not snap your fingers or wriggle your nose to make change happen. It is hard work. Mindfully practice the habits or behaviors you want to change. You may find that you slip back into your old habits unless you are determined as you practice new behaviors or routines. Be patient with yourself. Forgive yourself and renew the practicing if you happen to backslide. Whether you are changing the way in which you organize the clothes in your closet or changing the way you organize your time, change is challenging. It is always easier to stay in your comfort zone and do things the same old way. But you cannot do the same thing and expect a different result. Use the 5 tips above to help as you are navigating change you want to make. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release, Repurpose, Reorganize](http://www.releaserepurpose.com) in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane specializes in residential and home-office organizing and working with people affected by ADD, hoarding challenges, and chronic disorganization. [Contact Diane](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) for a free 30-minute phone consultation.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** change, moving, Organizing Strategies, stressful --- ### [How to Plan Celebrations in an Almost Post-Covid Season](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-plan-celebrations-in-an-almost-post-covid-season/) **Published:** May 2, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Our country is opening up and, in many places, (like here in Atlanta) it feels almost back to normal. People are eager to get together and plan celebrations! This month of May offers many opportunities. There are so many reasons to get together: Beginning with the Kentucky Derby and ending with [Memorial Day](https://dnqsolutions.com/memorial-day-honoring-sacrifice-and-celebrating-the-start-of-summer/). While it is tempting to dive in and plan these celebratory parties, we still need to take the global pandemic into account for we are quite out of the woods. It is true that many of us have been vaccinated and that the United States is beginning to recover, I believe we must continue to be vigilant and follow the [current CDC guidelines](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html) when planning our celebrations. How do we indulge the desire to be social once again and stay safe in our almost post-covid world? I have some tips. ### **Here are my tips to plan celebrations in almost post-covid times**: #### **Select an outdoor venue** Plan to have your event outside. Many places have awnings or covered terraces. Maybe your home has a screened in sunroom, deck, or porch. A place that has outdoor ventilation brings in fresh air. The [CDC is telling us now](https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated.html) that if you are vaccinated you do not need to wear a mask outside. So, plan your party in a place that can be mostly outside to be safe. And so that your vaccinated guests do not have to wear masks. #### **Plan your menu** thoughtfully Avoid appetizers like chips and dip where many hands reach into the same bowl unless you provide small individual bowls prefilled with chips and dip for people to grab and go. You could do the same thing with carrot or celery sticks. Think about serving individual plates with a small selection of appetizers. Provide easy to use (and plenty of them) serving utensils so that no one is tempted to just help themselves using their fingers from the platter of food. Bundle fork and knife sets and then wrap them in napkins in advance and have plenty of extras just in case someone drops theirs on the ground. Have pre-filled individual plates of the dessert. If the celebration involves a birthday cake and candles bring the cake to a spot away from the guests so that the birthday person can blow out the candles without sending air towards the other guests. Then have one person cut and distribute the cake. The more you can avoid the handling of food the safer it will be. #### **Avoid hugs** As much as we want to hug our friends, it’s probably best to resist that urge for a little while longer. Send an email to your guests with your suggestions of greetings to let them know whether or not you are comfortable with shaking hands or sharing hugs. #### **Handwashing** Another suggestion is to ask your guests to wash their hand upon arriving at the party or to use hand sanitizer upon entering the party if a sink is not readily available. Have plenty of hand sanitizer on hand and distributed around the venue. I love [this sanitizer](https://www.loccitane.com/en-us/lavender-scented-hand-sanitizer-NAOCVS1000046.html?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&adpos=&scid=scplpNAOCVS1000046&sc_intid=NAOCVS1000046&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-LOEBhDCARIsABrC0TlnMk23OuzJFAxlG_VQTy6k_b6q04aRfSbyEiMbM-W3jJZIbAxkCnUaAmYQEALw_wcB) from L’Occitane as it is not drying and it smells good! #### **Space the tables** If you have the room, space tables a little more widely than you might otherwise so there is room for the air to circulate and so that people are not squashed together. #### **Safety first** It has been so long, more than a year, since we have been able to gather for special (and even not so special) celebrations. Keep safety in mind as you plan your celebration so that you don’t put yourself or your guests at risk. While we want to enjoy the parties and gather with family and friends let’s not throw caution to the winds. We can gather together, and enjoy each other’s company safely so that we don’t ever have to be isolated again. Use my tips to plan your safe and fun-filled May celebrations. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC.* [*Contact Diane*](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) *for a complimentary phone consultation.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** celebration, party, Plan, Safety --- ### [4 Tips for Working from Home with Young Children](https://dnqsolutions.com/4-tips-for-working-from-home-with-young-children/) **Published:** May 14, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** *My son and daughter-in-law are working from home and have two young children. They both used to work in offices so this is an adjustment for them. Isabel from 4moms wrote and asked if one of her writers could post a blog on this topic for me as it’s something of great interest to my family. Let me introduce you to Rae Steinbach. She is a graduate of Tufts University with a combined International Relations and Chinese degree. After spending time living and working abroad in China, she returned to NYC to pursue her career and continue curating quality content. Rae is passionate about travel, food, and writing (of course). And she is very organized!* [Working from home](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-staying-on-task-when-working-from-home/) when you are used to being in an office is an adjustment for everyone. Even more so for busy parents. It’s enough to not get distracted by noisy neighbors and the doorbell ringing without having your kids popping their little heads into your Zoom calls while you are talking. By this point, most people are understanding about colleagues working from home with young children, but that doesn’t make it much easier for you. To help you manage your workload while taking care of your brood, we’ve rounded up some tips that will take some stress off your plate. #### 1. Stock Up on Helpful Gear There are so many products designed to make parents’ lives easier, from a [swing for infants](https://www.4moms.com/collections/seats-swings) to puzzles, books, [games](https://www.kidspot.com.au/things-to-do/art-and-craft/craft-ideas/21-absorbing-quiet-games-for-quiet-times/news-story/4aa14a90f3a85ca1d886d71e81eec272) and apps on your phone. Adding these tools to your work-from-home office will occupy your child in a safe and quiet way. Then you can get some essential tasks done. You can still keep an eye on them while you work. #### 2. Make Priority Lists For most of us, it’s a miracle to get even three-quarters of our to-do lists done for the day. Even though you have the best intentions to get everything done, it’s simply not possible timewise when you have little ones in the house. The only way to manage this is to revise your to-do lists often. Moving high priority tasks up to the top and making sure you get those things done first. That way, you’ll be able to sleep at night without the guilt of not having finished everything hanging over your head. #### 3. Use Bedtime Wisely This tip applies to both your child’s bedtime and your own. While your baby or toddler snoozes, whether for a long nap or overnight, you have the peace and quiet to get some of your harder tasks done. You can save lighter tasks that require less attention, like emailing, for when your child wakes up. When it comes to your bedtime, you might do well to adjust it. You can wake up earlier or stay up later while your child sleeps to have more time to focus. #### 4. Take Advantage of Screen Time Under normal circumstances, you might put a limit to the amount of television your child watches, or the games they play on your iPad. However, while you’re working from home, anything that will help your child stay busy and quiet is a godsend. While you might let them watch some cartoons, you can also stream shows and [programs that are educational](https://www.momjunction.com/articles/ipad-apps-for-toddlers_00334416/). This way your child is still getting value and learning while at home. The same is true for you; let yourself relax at least one night a week with your favorite Netflix show. *Thank you, Rae, for these solid, actionable tips for parents with young children who are continuing to work from home. [Reach out to me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) if you would like some personalized assistance in planning, prioritizing, or creating a daily routine that works for you and your family.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** prioritizing, priority, to-do list --- ### [3 Reasons Your Daily Routine Changes When You Move](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-your-daily-routine-changes-when-you-move/) **Published:** May 16, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Whether you are moving down the street, to another state, or to another country when you move your daily routine changes. It’s a fact. Just like you can’t put a square peg in a round hole you can’t transfer all parts of your daily routine from one home to another. As you prepare to move your household parts of your daily routine are probably either forgotten or skipped. Your belongings are packed away. All that remains is to [clean your current home](https://dnqsolutions.com/are-you-getting-organized-to-clean-your-home-spring-cleaning-style/), turn over the keys and away you go. Moving day arrives, your belongings get to their new home and now what do you do? You have to unpack and recreate your daily routine to fit the new place. Are you wondering why you can’t just pick up where you left off and put your old daily routine into practice at your new home? Honestly, you want to take as many pieces of your daily routine as will work and use them. Some parts of your daily routine will not work so you will need to make some changes. ### Here are the 3 reasons your daily routine changes: #### 1. Moving is unsettling: No matter how accustomed you may be to moving, it is unsettling. Your [habits and routines](https://dnqsolutions.com/new-routines-and-habits/) are thrown for a loop and it takes a little while to settle in. As you settle into your new place, your daily routines will evolve. Some parts of your daily routine may survive the move. You will want to create new routines to accommodate your new home and location. #### 2. House or Apartment If you are moving from a large house to a smaller apartment, you may have fewer chores to do in the morning. Moving from a smaller apartment to a larger house means you probably have more chores to factor into your daily routine. If you have dogs and you move from a house to an apartment your daily routine changes because you now must plan several walks a day into your schedule. The opposite is true if you’re moving from an apartment to a house. You may no longer need to allow time for several walks during your day if you have a fenced in yard. #### 3. Location Since you are in a new place the location must factor into how you structure your day. If you are in the same town, are you closer to or farther from the things you do during the day? You and your children may need to get up earlier so you can get them to school on time, or to the bus. Maybe you can get up later because you are so close to school you and the children can walk there. Perhaps you are closer to your work. Are you closer to the fitness center or yoga studio? If you are in a completely different city, you will need to figure out how long it takes to get from place to place so that you can be on time. Will you need to get up earlier? Your daily routine changes based on your location and the things you need to accomplish in the morning. #### My Experience I can attest that these [reasons your daily routine](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-reason-to-create-an-evening-routine/) changes are solid because I have just moved and am living them out. My daily routine is just now coming back into focus. Some parts of my daily routine are the same as before and others are completely different. I moved two weeks ago from a house into an apartment. My chores are way less so I have more time in the morning to focus on my writing. I’m still in the same city but much closer to the center of town. Traveling to do my errands is much easier. I don’t need to allow as much time to get things done. The flip side is that I have two dogs who are not used to apartment living. They are learning better leash behavior and I am learning to schedule at least 4 walks a day into my daily routine. More exercise is good for me. Holding onto parts of a daily routine that are familiar and comfortable is a good idea. Accepting that your daily routine changes when you move is important to make your adjustment to your new home that much smoother. If you have a move in your future, consider joining the [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) clutter support group. We can guide you as you work to create new routines and ease your transition to a new home. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. [Contact Diane](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) for a complimentary 30-minute phone consultation.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** changes, daily routine, moving, schedule --- ### [7 Steps To Make Your Plan A Reality](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-steps-to-make-your-plan-a-reality/) **Published:** May 23, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Do you have a plan for something that you want to do or make? Is this a plan that is floating around in your head? Often, I hear clients say something like, “*Someday I want to organize this room and turn it into my office.”* Or “*it would be great to clean out the garage so that my car can fit inside*.” You can replace this wishful thinking with thoughts of your own. If you have a someday plan or idea like these pretend clients, I have a solution for you. There are 7 steps to make your plan a reality. ### Here are the 7 steps: #### **Step 1: Name the end result** Have a concrete idea of what you want to accomplish. Create a vision board showing how you want it to look. You can do this by cutting pictures out of magazines or by creating a virtual vision board on Pinterest. In addition to knowing what you want to accomplish and how it will look, put into words how it will make you feel when you get this project done. #### **Step 2: List all the things you need to do to make your plan happen** Next get out a piece of paper or sit down at your computer and make a list (in no apparent order) of all the things you need to do to take this project through to the end result. #### **Step 3: Order the list** Now, think sequentially but start at the end. What is the very last thing you will do before declaring this project done? Then, what is the step that comes before that and so on. Often, one step hinges upon the completion of the step before. Go into great detail here. Write down even the smallest tasks. #### **Step 4: Buy supplies and/or find help** Do you have all the supplies on hand to complete the project? The follow up question to this is: do you have the skills necessary to complete the project? If you need an extra pair of hands to work on the project, enlist that help. Perhaps you need to find someone with a certain expertise to complete part of the project. Find the help you need **before** getting started so that you can keep the momentum going. #### **Step 5: Schedule the steps** As you list the steps to take think about how much time each step will take to complete. You may consider breaking the steps down even further so that you don’t overwhelm yourself. For instance, instead of emptying the entire garage in one day you can decide to empty one wall of the garage in an hour or two. Next, schedule each step in your calendar. Consider how much time you have available and allow some flex space in case something more important crops up in your day. #### **Step 6: Find an accountability partner** Enlist an accountability partner to help you keep your project moving forward. Tell that person what your plan is for the day or the week as it applies to the project. Then give your partner updates. #### **Step 7: Celebrate each win** Celebrate and reward yourself every time you complete a step. Save a big reward for yourself when you finish the entire project. ### **In conclusion:** Follow these 7 steps and make your plan a reality. 1. Name the end result. 2. List all the things you need to do to make your plan happen 3. Order the list 4. Buy supplies and/or find help 5. Schedule the steps 6. Find an accountability partner 7. Celebrate each win Many people have wonderful plans in their heads but when it comes right down to it, they don’t know how to start or what to do to finish the plan. Thinking up the plan is just the beginning. If you want to make your plan a reality you have to work the plan. When you have a concrete end result and a vision of how you want the project to look and feel it is much easier to finish the project. And, if you have a significant reward in sight – something to work for – that is even better. If you have a plan in mind and are looking for an accountability partner, consider joining the [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) virtual clutter support group I run with Jonda Beattie. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in [Chronic Disorganization](https://dnqsolutions.com/struggling-with-chronic-disorganization-these-3-tips-will-help-get-you-motivated/)®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* [*Contact Diane*](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) *for a complimentary 30-minute phone consultation.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** accountability, overwhelm, Plan, vision --- ### [Remembering & Giving Thanks For Our Frontline Warriors](https://dnqsolutions.com/remembering-giving-thanks-for-our-frontline-warriors/) **Published:** May 30, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Today is [Memorial Day](https://www.history.com/topics/holidays/memorial-day-history). The day when we typically remember those who died while serving in any branch of the U.S. Military. This is an important distinction from[ Veteran’s Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veterans_Day) when we celebrate all those frontline warriors who voluntarily participated in our armed services whether they died in battle or returned home safely. #### A different battle This year, we have been fighting a different sort of battle at home. Many of the warriors in this battle were not in the U.S. Military but they died serving this great country. These frontline warriors were medical professionals, grocery store personnel, truck drivers, bus drivers, and countless others who worked [every day ](https://dnqsolutions.com/show-love-for-yourself-on-valentines-day-every-day/)to make sure we had the things we need while others of us were quarantined at home. #### Sacrifices I am not diminishing the sacrifice the brave men and women in our armed services have made by also recognizing those who so selflessly and bravely helped their fellow man at home. These people went to work and did their jobs despite the risk it posed to them. Many of whom lost their lives. #### Give thanks Let’s give thanks and remember them too. These brave frontline warriors who fought in a battle no one ever could have predicted and for which no one was prepared. So, this is a somewhat somber day at its essence but a day where we can (this year) gather together and remember. I am remembering and giving thanks for those service men and women who bravely served in the U.S. Military and lost their lives. I am also giving thanks for those frontline warriors who did their jobs and lost their lives fighting the global pandemic. As I walk around the neighborhood with Miles and Josie, I see flags in front yards, flags draped from balconies, and tiny flags near mailboxes. We are celebrating and rightfully so. We have come through the other end of a dark and dreadful tunnel to see the light of day. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* *Contact Diane at: [dnqsolutions.com/contact](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact)* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog --- ### [3 Great Strategies for Organizing Clothes Without a Dresser](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-great-strategies-for-organizing-clothes-without-a-dresser/) **Published:** June 13, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Are your clothes randomly dropped on the bedroom floor where you were standing when you took them off? Or are they clean but still in the laundry basket? Maybe they are strewn across a chair in the corner of your room or on the other half of your bed? There are several reasons this may happen to you. One reason is that you don’t have strategies for putting your clothes away. The other reason may be that you don’t have a dresser in which to put said clothes. Here are 3 strategies for [organizing your clothes without a dresser and why it’s a good idea.](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-clothes-when-you-dont-have-a-dresser/) Picking your clothes up off the floor and putting them where they belong does a couple of things for you. 1. It makes your clothes last longer which saves you money. 2. It reduces the amount of laundry you have to do which saves you time. If you leave your clothes laying on the floor or the bed your dog or cat may use them to snuggle in when you’re out. Maybe your dog or cat will decide to chew a hole in your socks. These clothes won’t be fit to be worn until laundered now that your pet has played with them. Create the habit of either hanging clothes back in the closet or putting them away if they are clean enough to wear again. Putting them in a laundry basket out of reach of the dog or cat if they need washing is another habit to create. But what do you if you only have a closet and no dresser? Where do you put the clothes you don’t want to hang? This is not a problem. ### Here are 3 strategies for organizing your clothes without a dresser: #### 1. **Install shelves in your closet** This is a good option if you have a fairly big walk-in closet. You can buy a wall shelving system like [Elfa](https://www.containerstore.com/elfa/index.htm) from The Container Store or [ClosetMaid ](https://closetmaid.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/en/closetmaid-us/wirestorage/hangtracks/hangtrack)which is available to purchase from many stores and online. These systems attach to the wall. I am partial to the Elfa system because I think it is much more versatile, but it is also more expensive. The Elfa system is easy to customize, and you only buy the parts you need. The depth of the shelves depends on the space available. This system also has baskets of different depths which are great for holding things like socks and underwear. It’s not quite as simple to customize the ClosetMaid system. But it can be done with lots and lots of patience. #### 2. Use cubes in your closet Stacking cubes are another great option. If your closet is big enough you can stack cubes inside. Otherwise pick a wall in your bedroom on which to stack some cubes. Cubes are great for sweaters, t-shirts (if you like to store them stacked in a pile),athleisure wear, and other bulky clothing. You can get bins to fit inside the cubes to hold socks, PJs, and under garments. [IKEA](https://www.ikea.com/us/en/p/kallax-shelf-unit-white-80275887/) has an all-in-one piece of furniture that looks like stacked cubes. You can choose to install shallow drawers in this piece of furniture or leave the cubes as is. [The Container Store](https://www.containerstore.com/s/small-weathered-smoke-vario-stackable-shelf/d?q=cubes&productId=11008883) also has stacking cubes. They come in a variety of colors. You can stack them 2 or 3 cubes high and then leave them empty or get bins to fit inside if you want to hide the clothes from view. #### 3. Add hooks Hooks are great for clothes you intend to wear again. They are easy to install inside your closet, on the back of your bedroom door, on the back of your bathroom door, or really anywhere you have space. You can also use hooks for things like belts, scarves, and necklaces. Lots of stores carry interesting hook sets and individual hooks. They don’t have to be placed in a row. Install them where they will do the most good and help you keep your clothes off the floor. Let’s not forget about the shelf above the hanging rod in the closet. This is another great place to store clothes. If your bed is high enough off the ground, you can also put storage containers under your bed for out of season clothes or clothes you wear infrequently. #### In conclusion: There are lots of strategies for [organizing your clothes](https://dnqsolutions.com/ideas-for-organizing-clothes-without-a-closet/) without a dresser. Find the one that works best for you. Create new habits of picking up your clothes and putting them in the places you have designated. This will save you time and money. It will also help you to keep your [bedroom more organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-a-small-bedroom-to-make-the-most-of-your-space/). *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane offers [home organization services in Atlanta.](https://dnqsolutions.com)* *[Sign up for Diane’s Monthly Newsletter ](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/)and get short weekly tips every Monday.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** closet organization, Organizing Strategies, save money, Save Time --- ### [Ideas for Organizing Clothes Without a Closet](https://dnqsolutions.com/ideas-for-organizing-clothes-without-a-closet/) **Published:** June 20, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** There are many clothing items that are just fine to fold and put away but there are others that must be hung up so they stay looking nice. What do you do when you don’t have a closet with a hanging rod? This happened to me when we moved to Singapore. The house we were renting had lovely large rooms, but the rooms had built-in shelves and drawers. There was no [space to hang clothes](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-steps-to-control-clothes-clutter-in-a-small-space/). Here is what I did to [organize my clothes without a closet ](https://dnqsolutions.com/organize-your-closet/)as well as some new ideas. ### **Hang your clothes in an armoire** IKEA has a wide assortment of armoires that have good hanging space. That is what I did in Singapore. Yes, there was a beautiful IKEA store in Singapore when I lived there in the 1990’s. I bought 2 armoires. One for my dresses and the other for my husband’s suites. You can select one that has a mix of shelf space, drawers, and hanging space or you can select an armoire that has mostly hanging space. These armoires fit nicely into the corner of a room and have a strap attachment that affixes them to the wall to avoid the threat of tipping. Here is an example of one I like. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/rakkestad-wardrobe-with-3-doors-black-brown__0823988_pe776019_s5.jpg)#### Custom Closets The Container Store sells [4 different kinds of custom closets:](https://www.containerstore.com/custom-closets) Elfa – Classic, Elfa – Décor, Avera, and Laren. The three things these closets have in common is that they are all well-made, they are all built-in, and are all custom designed. They vary in expense from the moderately expensive to the expensive. With the IKEA wardrobe or armoire, you are literally buying a box and putting it together. The Container Store system allows you to decide how much long hanging space you need as well as short hanging. #### Other options for organizing clothes without a closet If you don’t want to create a closet space, how about installing an individual hanging systems to the wall? Here is the [Polder Wall-Mounted Accordion Drying Rack](https://www.containerstore.com/s/laundry/drying-racks-accessories/polder-wall-mounted-accordion-drying-rack/12d?productId=11011038&cid=ppc%7cperformance%7cLaundry+-+DSA%7cGoogle%7c%7cTCSP_NTM_US_EN_DSA_X%7cDYNAMIC+SEARCH+ADS%7c&gclid=Cjw) ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/10078794-Polder-Drying-Rack-Wall-VEN-1024x1024.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")This rack is meant for drying clothes, but you can hang your clothes on hangers from the corners. Another option is this folding [laundry arm](https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjHxMzE9abxAhVkbG8EHUsDDsMYABAJGgJqZg&ae=2&sig=AOD64_34gBsSQ3iotIsDRP7s_IHyl_g5xQ&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwiB9sPE9abxAhVMHs0KHUF0BiUQ9aACegQIARBI&adurl=). I use this in my laundry room to hold clothes as they dry on hangers. Each section of this holder can hold 2 or 3 hangers as long as the hangers are slim. A person could set several of these spaced a little more than a hanger width apart and have plenty of space to [organize clothes](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-great-strategies-for-organizing-clothes-without-a-dresser/) without a closet. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/laundry-clothes-hanging-option-shopping.png "| DNQ Solutions")A final option is to install Command Hooks randomly placed on the wall. Each hook can hold multiple hangers. Space them far enough apart to accommodate hangers. My colleague, Linda Samuels, told me recently that her client used hooks because she didn’t like to hang up her clothes, but she also didn’t want her clothes on the floor. Hooks are a great option! #### In Conclusion: When your bedroom does not include a closet in which to hang up your clothes do not despair. There are a multitude of options for you to [organize your clothes without a closet.](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-top-3-benefits-of-organizing-your-closet-plus-tips-tools-to-use/) All of which can be customized for your particular needs. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC ](https://dnqsolutions.com)and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, ](http://www.releaserepurpose.com)LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia*. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** closets, clothes, Organizing Strategies --- ### [How to Find Some Time to Do Nothing](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-find-some-time-to-do-nothing/) **Published:** June 27, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** We are all busy. Many of us are busy with family, job, volunteer work, or a mix of everything. It’s a juggling act! As a [professional organizer](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/time-management-productivity/) one of the things I juggle is how I spend my time. It’s important to find some time in our busy-ness to do nothing. ### **What does doing nothing mean?** Doing nothing means you are not doing anything on your ‘to-do’ task list. You know you are always doing something. You can be selective and find some time for something you love to do. So often when someone asks, “what are you doing?” If I’m not doing something on my task list, I reply, “nothing”. But honestly I am either watching tv, reading a book or a magazine, working on my needlepoint, or maybe perusing social media. When we say we are doing nothing we mean we are doing nothing important. I dislike writing that because the things I do when I am doing nothing are important to me. But it’s ok to interrupt me when I’m doing them. A better response than saying ‘nothing’ may be ‘it’s ok to interrupt me’. That lets the person asking know that whatever it is that I’m doing, I can stop for a few minutes to talk to them or help them with a task. Find some time to do the things you do when you are doing nothing. ### **Why is it important to do nothing?** When you are doing nothing, you give your mind the space to dream, to think outside the box, and to have those Ah-Ha moments. One of the reasons I love my early morning walks with my dogs, Miles and Josie, is that I let my mind wander. I just walk along with my dogs. We listen to the birds, admire the flowers and the gardens in the front of people’s houses. As we continue our walk things sometimes pop into my brain. It can be an idea for a gift, something to do, or someplace to visit, the solution to a client’s [organizing problem](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-strategies-notice-the-problem-and-change-the-story/), or an idea for a blog. Sometimes nothing interesting or important occurs to me and that is fine, too. The peace and quiet of this early morning walk with Miles and Josie is something I treasure. I also let my mind wander when I sit and work on my sewing. I love to do fine petit point needlework and am currently working on a needlepoint Christmas stocking for my grandson. This is a task I love but also one that I do when I’m doing nothing. It’s easiest for me to find some time to do nothing in the early morning and in the evening. ### **What do you do when you’re doing nothing?** #### Here are some suggestions: - Nap - Read a book for fun - Putter in the garden - Sit in a quiet place - Relax in a hammock - Gaze at the stars - Pet a dog or cat - Take a walk ### **How can you find some time?** My friend and colleague, Jonda Beattie, sets aside 2 days a month to spend with her husband doing things they want to do or doing nothing at all – just spending time together. Can you plan a day like that? Put some boundaries in place to help you find some time in which to do nothing. You may decide that once a month you will have a day to yourself. A day during which you will decide how you want to spend the time. Maybe you meet up with friends for an adventure. Or maybe you spend the day playing tourist in your hometown. You can get up very early (like I do) and have some time in the morning to just be. Where you decide to find some time is up to you but do not underestimate the value of doing nothing. It feeds your soul. This is another way to take care of yourself. We all know that you must take good care of yourself so that you can take care of those you love. Find some time during the day to do nothing. [Every now and then find an entire day](https://dnqsolutions.com/show-love-for-yourself-on-valentines-day-every-day/), maybe even a couple of days in a row, to be unscheduled. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC ](https://dnqsolutions.com)and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](http://www.releaserepurpose.com), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia*. *[Contact Diane ](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact)for a free 30-minute phone consultation.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** Boundaries, Organizing Strategies, Planning, relax, time management, unscheduled --- ### [My Top 10 Ways We Are Free](https://dnqsolutions.com/my-top-10-ways-we-are-free/) **Published:** July 4, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** We are so very lucky here in the United States. We can express our freedom every day from the time we get up to the time we turn out the lights. It’s rare that we even think about most of them. Every day we are free to make all sorts of choices for ourselves. I have listed some below. ##### 1. Free to say what you want. *Although sometimes saying what’s on my mind gets me into trouble. Does that ever happen to you? Do the words slip out of your mouth before you’ve had a chance to think about the impact those words will have?* ##### 2. Free to do what you want. *On this Independence Day we can choose how we spend the day. Are you going to or involved in a parade? Maybe you are going to a picnic? Perhaps you are hosting a backyard party and then going to watch fireworks. It’s a day full of choices which we are each free to make for ourselves.* ##### 3. Free to express your opinion. *Can we agree that everyone is entitled to their opinion – they do not have to agree with you, and you do not have to agree with them?* ##### 4. Free to go where you want to. *There are very few restrictions on us as to where we can go. Usually, these restrictions make sense. For instance, you can’t walk onto a movie set or into a recording studio unless invited.* ##### 5. Free to travel. *It’s relatively easy to travel inside the continental United States. Airplanes, trains, buses, cars, motorcycles, bicycles, and your feet can get you where you want to go.* ##### 6. Free to choose your life partner. *Aren’t we lucky!* ##### 7. Free to choose how to spend your time. *I mean to say we are free to choose how we spend our time when we aren’t working or in school or involved in some other activity to which we have a commitment. We can decide to stay in bed all day, to read a book, to watch tv, to tour a garden. We can spend our time the way which makes sense to each one of us.* ##### 8. Free to dress the way that appeals to you. *You decide. Do you like to have coordinating clothes or do you like to mix it up? My granddaughter has a delightfully fun fashion sense. She is 3 ½ years old and decides for herself every day what she will wear. The other day she wore floral leggings with a pink and white patterned dress. Huge sunglasses completed her look. It was her choice.* ##### 9. Free to [organize your home](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/home-organization/) in a way that makes sense to you. *People sometimes ask me what is the best way to organize this space. My answer is always the best way is the way that works for and appeals to you. You are the one living in the home. You are free to [organize the space your way](https://dnqsolutions.com/are-you-finally-in-the-mood-to-organize-heres-an-easy-way-to-get-it-done/). I will offer suggestions, but you will decide what works best for you.* ##### 10. Free to be you. *As [Bruno Mars sings](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LjhCEhWiKXk) you are perfect “Just the way you are”. Be you.* This is just a short sampling of some of the freedoms we take for granted in the United States of America. Which one of these means the most to you? I hope you have a safe and happy Fourth of July. Happy Independence Day! *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](http://www.dnqsolutions.com) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](http://www.releaserepurpose.com), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia*. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Independence Day, organize, spend time --- ### [Close the Loop: Honoring My Brother](https://dnqsolutions.com/close-the-loop-honoring-my-brother/) **Published:** July 11, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** As a professional organizer, one of the things my clients will often hear me say is, “Remember to close the loop”. What I mean by this is finish the task. There is a natural cycle to tasks, and they are not finished until all the steps involved in doing the task are completed. If we are talking about laundry, that task is not done until the laundry is put away. My siblings and I are gathering to close the loop and honoring my brother this weekend. Like many families, we lost my brother during the Pandemic lockdown. He did not have the disease but died suddenly from a massive heart-attack. He was too young. At 61 he had a lot of [life yet to live](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-concepts-to-rightsize-your-life-live-better/). Charles was a social guy. In fact, he thrived on being in a crowd and entertaining anyone who would listen. I know that like many others who live alone, the circumstances of the lockdown made him sad and lonely. Of course, we shared text messages and some phone calls but those didn’t really help Charles since he longed to be with people. He had just moved to Stonington from Madison, Connecticut. He and I had a few calls about organizing his new home. I let him know he would feel more settled when he finished unpacking boxes. Once again, close the loop. This was not to be. It was November 1st, [All Saints Day](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/All_Saints%27_Day), when I got the news that Charles had passed. My two sisters and my other brother along with Charles’ son and a few of the cousins decided to meet at a small chapel connected to the funeral parlor in Connecticut a few days later. Even though we are a close family we were all a little fearful. We met outside the chapel and gave each other a quick little hug. Of course, we were all masked and staying a respectful 6 feet apart. We didn’t want to get too near each other. There we were in this chapel to which we had no connection, listening to a priest we didn’t know, rush through some prayers. Once back outside, we got into our respective cars and drove to a little restaurant which had managed to stay open. We had a meal and then parted ways. This gathering felt wrong to me. Yes, we were able to be together but I was not satisfied, nor did I feel at peace. This was not the sendoff my brother would have wanted. #### Celebrating a Life This weekend we are celebrating Charles’ life. We are meeting and celebrating his life with a service at a chapel just outside of Tannersville, NY. Our parents had a summer home here. We spent many wonderful fun-filled summers in this community. Every Sunday we sang in the choir alongside our peers. Yesterday, July 10th, was a perfectly beautiful [summer day](https://dnqsolutions.com/memorial-day-honoring-sacrifice-and-celebrating-the-start-of-summer/). We, and some of the friends we knew (and who knew our brother) gathered at this lovely little chapel nestled in the Catskill mountains. We stood around the headstone placed next to that of our father and remembered Charles. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Family-July-10-at-Charles-service-image000000.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")*diane and her family gather here to close the loop and honor charles*The pastor had been in touch with my other brother, Chris, and put together a meaningful tribute. Chis also shared some of his thoughts. Charles’ son, Charles, followed Chris with a few thoughtful and heart-felt remarks. Following this service, we met at the clubhouse for lunch. A few of the cousins remarked that it looked like the dining room from the movie, *Dirty Dancing*. I had to chuckle at that comment because there is a small theatre where the community puts on a show every summer and there is even a lake! This gathering closed the loop for me and for the rest of the family. We came together in a place that meant something to us and to Charles. We buried his ashes and said our good-byes. I know that there are thousands of families who lost a loved-one during this pandemic. We were not alone in having a quick service or maybe even no service at all to honor the family member. It was important for our family to do something else. To gather when it became possible to share warm and meaningful hugs. We always knew that Charles’ final resting place was going to be in this graveyard. So, we waited to schedule this service when most of us could be there. Yes. We missed 3 cousins, traveling to upstate New York wasn’t possible for them. But we know they were thinking of us and of their Uncle Charles. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Cousins-missing-3-at-Charles-service.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Maybe this is you. Did your family miss out on gathering together to honor a loved-one? My suggestion is to close the loop. Try to schedule a time to be together to remember your loved-one. Share those long awaited, meaningful hugs and tears. It has helped me and my siblings and brought us peace. I hope it will help you, too. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Family --- ### [3 Reasons Why Kids Playtime is Important](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-why-kids-playtime-is-important/) **Published:** July 18, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Kids are just as busy as we are. Gone are the days when children would come home from school, deposit their lunchbox and backpack, grab a snack, and dash back out the door to play with their friends. Something happened to our kids’ playtime. They are involved in activities from dawn to dusk in part to provide childcare because both parents work. Also, because parenting is easier when the children are involved and not left to their own devices. You never know what kids will get into. Organize your home so that kids can have free play when they are not at a scheduled activity. Put games and toys that need a little supervision up out of reach. Leave some toys and books on shelves within reach for them. Make your kitchen child-friendly and put plastic plates and cups down low for them to access easily. Have an easy to reach spot where you keep some food the children can help themselves to like cereal and some snack foods. ### Here are 3 reasons kids’ playtime is important: #### **Learn valuable life lessons** When [children have time](https://dnqsolutions.com/teach-your-children-time-management-using-these-tools/) to play, either with siblings or neighborhood friends, they learn to share toys, to get along, and to compromise. As a former elementary school teacher, I can tell you that many schools have free time built into the academic day just for this very reason. Children will get into arguments over sharing toys and following the rules of a game. This is a part of life. Learning how to work together and arrive at a compromise is a valuable life skill. They need to have the freedom to solve these small problems on their own as youngsters. This will help them to be better equipped to solve such problems as they grow up. #### **Use their imagination** Free unstructured play invites children to use their imagination. Children can use empty cardboard boxes, building blocks, lego pieces and stuffed animals or action figures to tell their stories. When children are constantly participating in organized activities their imagination gets pushed to the back burner. Cultivate your child’s imagination by providing them with time to play on their own. When my children were small, they would go into the backyard and do what they called ‘stream work’. They would take the children’s garden tools out of the garage and dig around in a small ditch that ran along the side of the driveway. My boys had a wonderful time just playing outside. I could see them from inside the house and kept tabs on what they were doing but this marvelous free play let them actively use their imagination on their own without my direct supervision. #### **It’s OK to be bored and do nothing** [Teach your children ](https://dnqsolutions.com/teach-your-children-how-to-use-free-time/)that’s it’s ok to be bored, to sit around, and let your mind wander. Their mind may come up with a creative solution to a problem they have. They may decide to sit and have a conversation with you. How fabulous is that? Do your best to resist having the phone or television be the antidote to boredom. Provide your children with boundaries for using their phone or watching T.V. If they come to you complaining telling you they are bored, there’s nothing to do, tell them it’s ok. Yes. I know they will moan and groan but be strong. Give them options. Tell them they can read a book, take a nap, play with a sibling, help make dinner, or sit and do nothing. Let them know that you see value in kids’ playtime. #### **In conclusion** It takes some planning and organizing to create space in your day or week for kids’ playtime, but it is important. Kids’ playtime encourages your children to use their imagination and think creatively. Children [learn valuable life lessons](https://dnqsolutions.com/legacy-of-organization-lessons-learned-from-mom-on-planning-scheduling-and-delegating/) when they can solve the small problems that they come up against which in turn gives them self-confidence and promotes resilience. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize*](http://www.releaserepurpose.com)*, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* [*Contact Diane*](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) *for a free 30-minute consultation to find out how you can organize your time to incorporate more kids’ playtime into your children’s schedule.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** activities, kids playtime, organize, scheduling --- ### [Back to School: A Review of 5 Awesome Products](https://dnqsolutions.com/back-to-school-a-review-of-5-awesome-products/) **Published:** July 25, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** It’s time. Can you believe it? Buses here in parts of Georgia are going to start bringing students to and from school again next week. Yes! I said next week. In certain parts of Georgia schools are opening their doors on August 6th. Wow! I’m so excited for the students to go back to school and for the parents, too. Each school district will have a unique list of supplies they want to students to bring to school. I have put together a list of five awesome products to organize you and your students at home. Continue reading to find out about these products. ### **Rotating jobs at school and at home** I talk regularly about the importance of involving children in [household chores ](https://dnqsolutions.com/sick-of-doing-household-chores-heres-how-to-get-more-done-with-less-resistance/)and tasks. In most schools the students are given a job for the week. Some sort of task to make sure the day runs smoothly. This might be anything including marking the weather and date on the class calendar, feeding the class pet, watering the class plants, or cleaning the chalkboard. Some chores or jobs are more desirable than others but because the jobs rotate each child does the desirable as well as the less than desirable jobs. [This blog](https://releaserepurpose.com/create-a-home-maintenance-plan-using-these-four-steps/) from Jonda Beattie speaks to that point. #### **Order Out of Chaos Award-Winning Academic Planner** ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/4-letter-size-planners-with-open-planner_large.png "| DNQ Solutions")What makes Order Out Of Chaos’ Award-Winning Academic Planner—A Tool For [Time Management ](https://dnqsolutions.com/teach-your-children-time-management-using-these-tools/)different than any other planner? It’s an easy, functional planner that puts the student in control of their time. Students learn how to be more organized and to better [manage their time](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/time-management-coaching/) using this planner. They can plan time for schoolwork around after-school activities AND without leaving tasks until the last minute. Homework and studying are easily scheduled during “available” times. Assignments, due dates, and after-school activities can be seen at a glance. Parents can also learn how to be more organized using this planner. Use it to plan time for volunteering, personal household projects, fitness activities and after-school pick-ups. Leslie Josel, owner of Order Out of Chaos, has lots of terrific advice for parents and products on her website. [Check it out here](https://www.orderoochaos.com/). #### **3-tier Supply Cart** ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/container-store-art-supply-cartKT_19-Craft-Cart_RGB.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")[This 3-tiered rolling cart](https://www.containerstore.com/s/arts-and-crafts-storage-cart-starter-kit/d?q=3+tier+rolling+cart+accessories&productId=11010267) from The Container Store comes in a variety of colors. You can use it as it is shown here for art supplies or for work-related supplies. Roll it to wherever you or your student is working. Because it is compact it can roll into the corner of a room or even into a closet when not in use. #### **Portable caddy** ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/10069679UltradividedCaddyWhtV2_1200.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")[This caddy](https://www.containerstore.com/s/ultra-divided-caddy/d?q=cleaning+caddy&productId=11003939) is available at The Container Store. It’s shown with cleaning supplies, but it makes a terrific caddy for back to school supplies, too. It has divided sections which can hold things like markers, crayons, and pencils. There’s also enough space for glue, tape, a stapler, and a ruler. Set it up with the supplies your child needs. The handle makes it easy to move to the kitchen counter, dining table, or wherever your child does their homework. It’s also not too large so it is easy to stash away in a cupboard or closet when not in use. #### **Children’s artwork and papers:** If this is your child’s first year at school, you will be amazed by how many art projects they [bring home.](https://dnqsolutions.com/bring-harmony-into-your-home-get-organized/) If you are an experienced parent, you know what to expect but do you know how to organize all these projects. Yes. It’s great to display them for a short time. A couple of days is usually long enough. Try to avoid having multiple pieces of art from the same artist on your refrigerator at once. You can also string some fishing line across the back of your child’s room and clip the artwork there as a display. Or install a bulletin board and tack them up there. But where do you keep these pieces of art when they are no longer being displayed? Lakeshore Learning has a good option for you. It’s called [My Keepsake Art Portfolio](https://bit.ly/3BDlqtE). It will hold lots of artwork. My suggestion is that you hold onto the artwork for the year and at the end of the school year go through the portfolio with your child and select the best few (you set the number – maybe 5?) to keep. #### **Portable Acrylic Desktop File Holder** ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/10042560-desktop-hanging-file-transp-3.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")This clear, portable desktop file holder is [available at The Container store](https://www.containerstore.com/s/acrylic-desktop-file/d?q=portable+acrylic+file+holder&productId=10027112). It’s great for those files which you need to have at your fingertips. Since it is lightweight and easily portable, it can sit on any flat surface and be stashed in a closet quickly if you don’t want it in view. Use it for the class list, papers to sign and return to school, and any other important information you need to retrieve quickly. High school students can use it for returned papers they want to keep or notes they want to review to study for a test. These five awesome products have a variety of uses. Whether you are home schooling, [working from home](https://dnqsolutions.com/4-tips-for-working-from-home-with-young-children/), or your child is going back to school in-person these may come in handy for you. I would love to hear which one or more strikes your fancy. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize*](http://www.releaserepurpose.com)*, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.[ Diane offers home organization services in Atlanta.](https://dnqsolutions.com)* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Organizing Strategies --- ### [How To Leave The Past Organizing Mistakes Behind](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-leave-the-past-organizing-mistakes-behind/) **Published:** August 1, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** A friend of mine reminded me a couple of weeks ago to stay in the moment and not dwell on past mistakes. You see, I was stressing over the fact that I was making mistakes during the filming of a video for the NAPO 2022 Conference application submission. My friend said to leave the past in the past. There’s nothing you can do about it now, so move on. This was great advice! I did just that, focusing on the moment and doing my best at that time. That’s all anyone can ask. There’s lots of talk right now about being mindfully present. When you place yourself in the moment you give yourself permission to concentrate on what’s happening now instead of ruminating over what happened before. ### The best way to fix a past mistake is to learn from it. Know what went wrong and what went right. So often clients stress over organizing mistakes. It may be that the strategy wasn’t quite right and needed to be tweaked. Perhaps, they forgot to use it. They are so [focused on what went wrong](https://dnqsolutions.com/focus-on-whats-strong-not-whats-wrong/) that they give themselves no room to be in the now. It’s important to know what doesn’t work but also important to leave the past organizing mistakes behind so you can move forward. ### Here’s how to leave the past organizing mistakes behind. #### **Identify the past organizing mistakes** Recognize what hasn’t worked for you in the past. Think about why it didn’t work. Ask yourself the following questions: Is the strategy too complicated? Maybe there are too many steps to take to maintain the organization. Has something [changed in your life or your routine](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-your-daily-routine-changes-when-you-move/) to make the strategy ineffectual? Is there any part of the organizing strategy that did work? Can you take the part that worked to create a better organizing strategy? Sometimes the best organizing strategies are the simplest. #### **Practice new habits** Be honest with yourself. Is it the organizing strategy that doesn’t work or is it that you are not practicing new habits mindfully? Sometimes an organizing strategy requires you to change part of your routine to create a new habit. It takes [time to create new habits](https://dnqsolutions.com/habits-help-to-ground-us-in-times-of-stress/). You need to mindfully practice and practice until you no longer need to think about them. It can take 3 or more weeks for a new habit to become routine. Here are a couple of ideas of things that may have gone wrong: Did you forget that your new habit for dealing with the mail is to open everything? That means email invoices, paper invoices, and scheduling time to finish the task. #### **Forgive yourself and leave the past organizing mistake in the past.** Think about what went wrong. Did you get interrupted and then forget to go back to the task? This means that envelopes were left here and there. Piles of papers were left by the door, on the dining table, and near the couch. Now you know what went wrong you can start again. Gather those piles of papers. Recycle or shred the ones you don’t want. Schedule time to attend to the remainder. It just takes [10 minutes](http://mazon.com/Organize-Your-Home-Minutes-Time/dp/1735968420/ref=sr_1_1?crid=179K6SCBBRXB1&dchild=1&keywords=organize+your+home+10+minutes+at+a+time+cards&qid=1627827883&sprefix=organize+your+hom%2Caps%2C189&sr=8-1). Maybe you were interrupted in the middle of going to put the laundry into the dryer. You forgot to return to your task so the laundry sat in the washer overnight and now must be re-washed. Yes. It’s a bother but no worries. It happens. Set a reminder in your phone to put the wash into the dryer. Put another reminder to take the laundry out of the dryer, fold it, and put it away. Put little reminders (or alarms) on your phone to help you follow through on the steps to complete tasks. #### **There’s no time like the present** Someone said we call it the present because it is a gift. Live today and leave the past in the past. We all make organizing mistakes. It’s good to acknowledge when something doesn’t work the way we want it to. Think about what went wrong and how you can make it better. It’s also important to leave the past organizing mistakes behind so you can start again and move forward. Dwelling on the past organizing mistake will not change it. Tweak the organizing strategy to suit you and the way you live your life. If this is something you would like help with, consider joining the [Clear Space for You virtual support group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/). Jonda Beattie and I guide the participants to create organizing strategies that work for them and the way they live their lives. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](http://www.releaserepurpose.com), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* *[Contact Diane](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) for a free 30-minute phone consultation*. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter support group, organizing, organizing strategy, practice --- ### [How To Successfully Cope With Unexpected Events & Stay Organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-successfully-cope-with-unexpected-events-stay-organized/) **Published:** August 8, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I know. No one organizes their day considering unexpected events. Honestly, when you organize your day, you are simply hoping your plan works out. None of us knows for sure that nothing will interfere with what we plan. Or at least, no one I know can see into the future. We make our [plan based on the information we have at the time](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-art-of-planning-and-scheduling-carving-out-time-for-yourself/). Since the unknown is, just that, unknown how do we successfully cope with unexpected events that occur in our day and stay organized. #### **What is unknown?** Let’s think about the common unexpected events. These include lengthy phone calls, a child’s temper tantrum, misplaced keys, an appliance breaking, a disagreement with a spouse, partner, or roommate, or maybe a traffic jam or car accident to name a few. We can’t know if or when these things will crop up to interrupt our plan for the day. We also don’t know if someone with whom we have an appointment will be on-time or late. What’s a person to do? ### **How do you successfully cope with unexpected events and stay organized?** There’s only so much even the most [organized person](https://dnqsolutions.com/6-gifts-for-the-organized-person-in-your-life-that-they-will-truly-appreciate/) can control. And you don’t want to be constantly looking over your shoulder waiting for something to interfere with your plans. So, make a plan and [organize your day](https://dnqsolutions.com/feeling-out-of-sorts-organize-your-day/) according to the importance of things on your to-do list and any scheduled appointments. Then, build flexibility into your day. #### Here are 10 things to consider when organizing your day 1. Know what is most important (or time-sensitive) to accomplish and do that first. 2. Acknowledge when you do your best work and schedule the most challenging work during that time 3. Think about where you are going, consider the time of day, and allow extra time for traffic 4. If you have toddlers, do not schedule important calls at the end of the day when they are likely to be short on patience 5. Understand what you can let go of today and release it willingly 6. Reschedule that task, if necessary, for another day and time or let it go completely 7. Is there a task you can delegate to someone else? 8. Recognize that [life happens](https://dnqsolutions.com/prepare-for-change-so-youre-not-caught-off-guard-when-life-happens/) 9. Grant yourself grace and space during the day – allow yourself time to decompress and breathe 10. Accept that plans can change – things can be done at a different time and in a different way #### **Plans change with unexpected events** A plan is not a hard and fast rule. The best plans are organic and ever evolving. Don’t get me wrong. I am a planner. I love to make plans to get things done but the more years I spend working as a [professional organizer](http://www.dnqsolutions.com/about) the surer I am that plans are meant to be works in progress. Something always interferes with my plan. The trick is to successfully move past these unexpected events and maintain the organization in the rest of your day. #### **Life happens** You can plan all you want but life happens. Maybe you have a plan to spend the day painting a room but just as you are ready to start your project, you get a call which requires you to drop everything. What if your best friend calls and needs to talk? Perhaps the appointment you have in your plan for today is rescheduled for later in the week. Suddenly, you now have a day with nothing in your calendar in the morning. Another scenario could be that just as you are sitting down to work, the washing machine backs up and the laundry room floor is flooded. Your plan for the day gets thrown out the window while you quickly turn off the water to the washing machine, and then make several phone calls to get the problem fixed. Life happens, unexpected events occur which [change your plans](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-steps-to-make-your-plan-a-reality/). This can make you feel off balance and out of control. To successfully cope with unexpected events, you need to know how to juggle the things in your plan so you can accomplish the important and time-sensitive tasks. Use the 10 things to consider as you re-organize your plan for the day and take back control. Don’t let unexpected events throw you completely off balance. For on-going support, guidance, and accountability with planning your time consider joining the [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) virtual clutter support group. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. [Contact Diane](http://www.dnqsolutions.com/contact) for a free 30-minute phone conversation.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, delegate, Organizing Strategies, time management, to-do list --- ### [How To Start Decluttering When You're Overwhelmed](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-start-decluttering-when-youre-overwhelmed/) **Published:** August 15, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** There are two questions potential clients often ask me during our initial free phone consultation. The first question is really more of a statement, and it goes something like this: I’m so overwhelmed by all my clutter I don’t know how to get started. The question is: how to start decluttering when you’re overwhelmed? The second question is: where do I start decluttering? Both are great questions. The second question is the easiest to answer, you start decluttering in the area that bothers you the most. That differs for each and every person. Let’s address the first question, which is a little harder. Since I am a certified professional organizer, I have a few tricks up my sleeve which help motivate my clients to begin the decluttering process. ### **How to start decluttering when you’re overwhelmed** No matter the size of your clutter problem, it can [feel overwhelming](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-when-you-feel-overwhelmed-by-a-task/). Always begin with the end in mind. What is your vision for the space? When you’re finished decluttering, how do you want to space to look. The [space can be as small ](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-steps-to-control-clothes-clutter-in-a-small-space/)as a drawer or as large as your whole house. If you are so overwhelmed by the mere thought of dealing with the clutter that you simply can’t move off the couch spend some time on Pinterest. Get some ideas and create a vision for the space that is bothering you. #### **Know your motivation**. What is your [reason for organizing](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-it-is-hard-to-stay-organized/)? Is it because living with so much clutter is stressful? Do you want to find the things you know you have to avoid repurchasing them and save money? Maybe you want to save time because you won’t waste time hunting for something. Does the clutter bother your partner more than you and it’s putting a strain on your relationship? There are many reasons to want to declutter. When you understand your reason, it’s much easier to start decluttering even if it is overwhelming. #### **Give yourself an incentive** Give yourself a reward for each time you complete part of a decluttering project. Decide your goal and then decide what your reward will be when you achieve that goal. Do yourself a favor and have the reward be clutter-free. Make it an experience. Schedule lunch with a friend, take yourself out for a mani/pedi, or go to the new exhibit at the museum. Maybe you give yourself small rewards for each part of the project and then a bigger reward when the entire project is completed. Having a reward to work for is always a good idea. #### **Set your timer** Decide how long you want to work on the clutter today. It’s much easier to [work on a task](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-staying-on-task-when-working-from-home/) you don’t want to do if you know you won’t be doing it very long. Start with a short amount of time, something like 10 or 15 minutes. You can hang in there and mindfully sort through a pile for those few minutes. Decide where you are going to work, set your timer, and begin. When the alarm sounds, stop working. Assess what you’ve done. If you want to work a little longer, great! If not, no worries. It will still be here for you tomorrow. You will make progress even if you only work for [10 minutes at a time](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools/). It’s amazing what you can accomplish in 10 short minutes. #### **Look for treasures** Still wondering how to start decluttering if you’re overwhelmed? Go on a treasure hunt! You never know what you will find as you declutter your home. In my experience, people find things they have been looking for and are happy to recover them. It’s very important to look through everything. Even if your pile of papers is small, take the time to rifle through them. One of my clients found a refund check for $2,000 amongst her pile of papers. That was terrific treasure to find. ##### **Treasured photos** Another client found a picture of herself with a favorite relative buried in a stack of magazines. Have a box in which to put the photos you come across as you’re decluttering. If you know the people in the picture, take a minute and write their names on the back of the photo. If you don’t know anyone in the picture, decide if you need to keep it. It can be hard to toss pictures. You think someone may want it. If you know who will want the picture, mail it to them. If you don’t want it and you don’t know anyone who wants it, then it’s time to remove it from your home. [Here is a guide](https://goodlifephotosolutions.com/beginners-guide-organizing-printed-photos/) for photo organizing. #### **Make decisions** Another tip is to make decisions as you go. Have some boxes to sort into. Label the boxes **Keep, Recycle, Trash, Pending (or Marinating or Thinking About)**. When your decluttering session is finished, empty the trash and recycling boxes first. Then look through the **Keep Box** and decide where to keep those items. It may be that these items don’t have a place to belong yet. You may need to create files for papers, to reduce what is in a drawer, or to empty a cupboard to put these things away. Those tasks can wait until you are working in that area. Label the things you are keeping. This will help you know what they are when you come across them again. Put them near to where they will belong. Always stay in the area you are working. If you get up to put something away in another area because you know where it goes you will start working in that area. Wait until the end of your work session to put things away. #### In summary It is very difficult to know how to start decluttering when you’re overwhelmed. Sometimes the best thing to do is take a deep breath and just start. When you do be sure to use these 5 tips. 1. Know your motivation 2. Give yourself an incentive 3. Work for short, finite sessions 4. Look for treasures 5. Make decisions *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. [Sign up](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/) for Diane’s monthly newsletter and get a brief tip each Monday to start your week.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Clutter, Institute for Challenging Disorganization, Organizing Strategies, overwhelmed, overwhelming, The National Association of Productivity and Organzing Professionals --- ### [Surround Yourself With Things You Love](https://dnqsolutions.com/surround-yourself-with-things-you-love/) **Published:** August 29, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** As professional organizers we often talk about what to do to get organized. We tell you about the benefits of being organized: saving money and time and reducing stress. And we talk about safety in the home and having what you need and use. But we do not often talk about the benefit of having other things, the things you love. It’s so important to have the things you love in your [home for no other reason](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-reason-to-declutter-and-organize-your-home/) than that you love them. When you walk in your home, we want you to smile. The end goal of organizing your home is to create the place where you can let your hair down and relax, your place of refuge. Organize your home to save money and time, to reduce stress but most importantly organize your home and feel good about surrounding yourself with the things you love. ### The question is how do you surround yourself with things you love & be organized? [Nate Berkus](https://nateberkus.com/) said, *“your home should be the story of who you are and be a collection of what you love”.* This quote speaks to me because clients will sometimes tell me they want their home to be as organized, neat, and tidy as the pictures they see in the magazines. While the pictures are sometimes from real homes they are staged. Everything is perfect, the photo is snapped, and then the family goes back to living their lives. I guarantee you, just like your homes, the perfectly tidy space lasts only as long as no one is using it. Think about who you are. What is the [story you are telling](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-ways-to-change-the-story-we-tell-ourselves/) now? What do you want to display to help you [tell that story?](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-stories-we-tell-ourselves-fact-or-fiction/) The story will change as your life evolves. ### Ask yourself these questions: #### **How do you want to be able to find your belongings?** Are you someone who likes to see what they have? Maybe you think things are lost if they are out of sight? If this is true for you then you want to organize your belongings in open cubbies and shelves. Make use of vertical space so that you can easily find what you are looking for and so that you have a place to put things when not in use. If you are someone who likes to have everything put away with lots of clear space, then you want to have cupboards and drawers in which to place your belongings. What if the person with whom you live likes their things the opposite way from you? That’s a tough one and it happens often. You know they say that opposites attract, right? My best advice is to compromise. They get to have their things the way they want them in their personal space as do you. Compromise in the shared living space. #### **What do you want to see that makes you feel good?** My son made me a clay cup one year at school. He painted and glazed the cup and then gave it to me. It is truly ugly, but I love it. It makes me feel good to have this on my desk. This cup doesn’t hold very many pens, so I also have a second larger holder. **Celebrate what makes you happy** I read a post recently from another organizer who was describing how happy her father-in-law was when he found a bicycle. Did he need the bicycle? No but it made him happy, and it wasn’t hurting him to have it. He was surrounding himself with things he loves. I’m over-simplifying the story. The point is you can have the things in your home that make you happy. #### **What do you collect?** Do you have a collection of things in your home? Are they displayed? Maybe you have a hobby like photography or needlework. You can surround yourself with things you love and put them on display. If you take beautiful photographs, consider enlarging them, framing them, and then hanging them on the walls of your living room. One of my clients displayed his fabulous, enlarged photos. He loved to take pictures of animals. There were amazing close-up photos he took when on safari in Africa on display in his living room and others of his dog being playful in his office. The point is that looking at these pictures gave the viewer an impression of the photographer. I love fine needlepoint. My mother stitched some of the needlepoint pillows I display. Others were stitched by my grandmother! Yes. These pillows are showing their age. I love them and have them on chairs in the living room. Eventually, these will be replaced by needlepoint pillows that I make until then I am displaying them because I love them. #### **Organize your home and feel good** You can surround yourself with things you love as long as there is space for them. Remember your organizing preference: to see what you have or to have it hidden away. Then organize accordingly. One of my organizing friends loves the color purple so she organizes her home and includes pops of purple. Another client loves to decorate for each and every season. It makes her feel good and happy to incorporate seasonal décor which changes every season. The space in your home is finite. Each person will have their own definition of how much is enough. Keep the other [organizing strategies](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-strategies-notice-the-problem-and-change-the-story/) in mind (to save money, save time, and reduce stress) as you surround yourself with things you love. It’s O.K. to only display a few things at a time. Much as my client switches out the seasonal décor, you can switch out things you love from time to time. If you would like help figuring out how to organize your home so that it tells your story consider joining the [Clear Space for You virtual support group ](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/)I run with Jonda Beattie. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC ](https://dnqsolutions.com)and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Place of Refuge, professional organizer, reduce stress, save money, Save Time --- ### [My Husband is Hoarding. What Can I Do?](https://dnqsolutions.com/my-husband-is-hoarding-what-can-i-do/) **Published:** September 6, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** “*My husband is hoarding. What can I do*” is a question I get asked from time to time. You can substitute ‘husband’ with other nouns like partner, mother, father, grandmother and so on. I am a professional organizer who specializes in working with people affected by hoarding or hoarding behaviors. I often get questions from family members who want to help. Here are some tips and strategies to follow if your husband or someone you love is hoarding. (If you want to [understand more about hoarding](https://dnqsolutions.com/hoarding-whats-it-all-about/), read this article.) #### Safety First for Everyone Involved Always consider safety first. Clear hallways and the floor in general to avoid tripping hazards. If the person is older a fall could lead to complications. Ask before touching or moving anything. You may have many ideas as to how to deal with these things that are in the way. Ask first. Never touch or move these things without asking. Always appeal to the person by explaining you are looking out for their safety. Clear things away from doors. If piles are preventing doors from opening completely, explain to your husband, partner, or loved one that this is dangerous. You want first responders to be able to open the door completely in case of an emergency. And you want them to be able to leave quickly in case of a fire. Try to clear things away from air vents and windows. Often, the shades are down, curtains drawn, and windows tightly shut in a home that is filled up and overflowing. We know this is to prevent people from seeing inside because, generally speaking, the person is ashamed and embarrassed however this also traps stale air inside the home. #### Even if Your Husband is Hoarding, Always Ask Permission Before you go around moving piles to clear the air vents, windows, and doorways, ask permission. Very often, people who are hoarding are sensitive about other people touching and/or moving their things. It may be because they know what is in each pile in that place. When you move or rearrange the pile you’ve disrupted the picture they hold in their mind. Take a minute and ask. Then explain why you want to follow through with the request. If your loved-one pushes back and argues with you, back-off. You won’t win the argument. All you will do is make them distrust you. #### How Do You Handle Too Much Paper? We all know paper is combustible. Sometimes people just look for convenient places to stash paper if they are cleaning up in a hurry. No matter what, do not let your husband put paper piles in the oven. I know the oven is a big empty space, but it is not a good place to store paper. What if someone didn’t look inside before turning the oven on and, by mistake, set the house on fire because there was a huge pile of papers stored in the oven! Think safety first. Get a couple of bankers’ boxes and suggest that your husband or loved one store their papers in the boxes instead. These boxes can be safely stacked in a corner of a room. Remember to label them so the person has a general idea of what is inside. You could also label the box according to the location you found the paper. Very often someone who is hoarding papers thinks that every piece of paper is important to keep. You can help by downloading some guidelines. [Here is a resource](https://www.suzeorman.com/resources/record-keeping) from Suze Orman which tells what personal papers are important to keep and for how long. There are others, of course, but this is a good starting point. Share this resource with your husband if he is hoarding papers. ##### Clutter in the Bathroom Bathrooms are also places to keep paper and other things. The bathtub and shower can hold lots of newspapers, magazines, and piles of paper not to mention, clothes. Since we are talking about safety first, begin by talking about personal hygiene. If the bathroom is full of stuff, it can not be used as a place to clean up. #### How to Talk to Your Husband about his Hoarding One way to help is to talk about the collection of things and ask to set limits so that the two of you can live safely together in the home. Ask if you can work together to create some rules about the variety of things being kept. For instance: how many months (or years) to keep the magazines? Can all solicitations that come in the mail be recycled? If clothes are too stained or tattered to wear may they be tossed? Create a list of guidelines that your husband agrees to follow and post the list. [Hoarding is a diagnosable disorder](https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/hoarding-disorder/what-is-hoarding-disorder?_ga=2.181267172.2102385094.1600014196-3). As a professional organizer I do not diagnose only a therapist or doctor can do that. What I know from working with people affected by this disorder is that if you remove everything that has been hoarded, saved, or collected you will cause harm. #### Patience, Kindness, and Understanding Have patience. Work on one area at a time. Gradually reduce the bulk of the hoard with the person’s permission so that the contrast from [living in a full house to an empty space](https://dnqsolutions.com/transforming-spaces-transforming-lives-the-power-of-professional-organizers-in-cultivating-healthy-habits-and-routines/) is not stark. Be kind and always ask if they are willing and able to work on the hoard. If the answer is “No”, be understanding. Walk away and try again another day. You want to offer options not ultimatums. #### More Options if Someone You Love is Hoarding If the person hoarding won’t work with you maybe they feel you are too close to the situation to be objective. Suggest working with a trained professional organizer. There is a resource list of trained organizers at [Institute for Challenging Disorganization. ](http://www.challengingdisorganization.org) Another option is to [join a clutter support group](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-compelling-reasons-to-join-a-virtual-clutter-support-group/). Almost all of them operate virtually. The people in the group with you only see what you want them to see. I operate a group such as this with my colleague, Jonda Beattie. You can read more about this group [here](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/). A third option is to work with a therapist. My final option is to recommend a couple of books to read. ***[I’m Right Here](https://www.amazon.com/Im-Right-Here-Hoarding-Disorganization/dp/1951591704/ref=sr_1_1?crid=A8BXID40F3O1&dchild=1&keywords=i%27m+right+here&qid=1630876081&sprefix=i%27m+right+%2Caps%2C184&sr=8-1)*** by Jill B. Yesko tells about 10 ways to get help for Hoarding and Chronic Disorganization. ***[Filled Up and Overflowing](https://releaserepurpose.com/best-books-on-organization/)*** by Diane N. Quintana (me) and Jonda S. Beattie was written to help you and family members find answers to questions through case studies. Both are terrific and helpful books for you, family members, and therapists. These are a few of my suggestions. Give them a try. I hope they give you a place to start and that they work for you. Remember the home did not become hoarded overnight so, it’s not going to resolve itself quickly. If your husband is hoarding, it will take some time for you two to reclaim your home. If you’re in the Atlanta area and need help please contact me. Be sure to [let me know](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) what you think about my article. I’d love to have your comments. Updated: 9-6-2021 *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane teaches busy people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Understanding Hoarding **Tags:** Clutter, Organizing Strategies --- ### [3 Ways of Reducing Your Fear of Donating Belongings](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-ways-of-reducing-your-fear-of-donating-belongings/) **Published:** September 18, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I read this quote the other day when I was working out at the gym: “*Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear”* by George Addair. I wonder how many people are letting fear prevent them from getting organized and donating excess belongings. There are so many fears which we associate with the organizing process. One of the fears I often hear is implied in the question: *Is this the most disorganized or hoarded home you’ve ever seen?* I’m not a therapist. I’m a professional organizer and as such I can tell you that most people are disorganized in some part of their home. No one’s [home is always perfectly organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/create-your-home-organizing-sweet-spot/), not even mine. Don’t let fear paralyze you. Let’s put fear aside. I’m going to share with you 3 ways of reducing your fear of donating your belongings to get more organized in your home. ### **3 ways of reducing your fear** #### **Donate to a charity you believe in** You decide to declutter your living room and come across some candle sticks that are hidden in a cupboard. Your friend gave you these candle sticks. You don’t like them, but you love your friend. These candlesticks used to come out of the cupboard when your friend came over for dinner. Your friend moved away a few years ago but these candle sticks stayed in the cupboard. What if (you say to yourself) my friend came for a visit? She will wonder why those candle sticks aren’t out on display. Let’s think this through. What are the chances your friend will ask about the candle sticks if she ever visits? The answer is that she will probably not ask that question. She will be more interested in you and your family. Take those candle sticks out of the cupboard. Put them in the donation box. Let someone have them who will love them. Who do you think would love these candle sticks? In Atlanta, we have numerous charitable [organization that help people set up their homes](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-for-a-move-to-a-new-home/). I’m sure you have something like that where you live too. Do your research and find an organization to support by donating things you believe someone else may love. It’s much easier and less fearful to give when you know you are helping someone in need. #### **Can you replace it quickly?** Keeping something, even if you don’t like it, just in case you may want it or need it is not a [reason to keep things in your home](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-reason-to-declutter-and-organize-your-home/). Face it. These things are taking up valuable real estate. They are using up space that can be given to something that you use or love. Donate [things you don’t use without fear](https://dnqsolutions.com/understanding-disposaphobia-aka-the-fear-of-throwing-things-away/). If you happen to need it (or something like it) you can probably buy it again. The [Minimalists have an article](https://www.theminimalists.com/jic/) that talks about keeping things just in case. They say that if you can get something in 20 minutes or less or for $20 or less then you don’t need to hang onto it now. Look at the things you don’t use. Do more research. How long does it take you to find an item such as that one online? Or is there a local store who carries these things that is close by? Finally, how much will it cost you to replace this item? I understand you don’t want to waste your money by donating something you think you may want or need sometime in the future. However, how long do you need to hang on to something before you realize you’re never going to want or need it? #### **Take a Picture** I heard a story recently about someone’s husband who was keeping his father’s favorite comfy armchair in their basement hallway. This armchair was in the way. I heard that when you went down into the basement you had to wriggle around the chair to get where you were going. The wife wanted to donate the chair, the husband didn’t. This armchair held a favorite memory of his father. He could picture him sitting – lounging, in the armchair. The husband was afraid of losing the memory if he donated the armchair. I suggested they bring the armchair up out of the basement to where there was good light and take some pictures. The best picture could be framed and placed somewhere the husband could see it often and be reminded of the memory. We know in our heads that things do not store memories. It’s our hearts that need reminding that just because you donate something that belonged to a special person you don’t lose the memory. The object triggers the memory. Having a picture will serve as a trigger so you can release the object. #### **In conclusion** As you think about organizing your home, challenge yourself to work through the fear of holding onto things you don’t use or love. Ask yourself why these things are taking up valuable real estate in your home. Are you holding onto them just in case? Be realistic. ##### Here are 3 ways of reducing your fear of donating your belongings: 1. Donate to a charity you believe in 2. Figure out how much it costs to replace and how quickly you can do that 3. Take a picture. Let the picture trigger your memory and donate the object The more things you have in your home, the more time it takes to clean your home. Reduce your fear of donating and challenge yourself to find one thing every day to donate. If you struggle with reducing the belongings in your home, consider joining the [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) virtual clutter support group I run with Jonda Beattie. We start a new session at the beginning of each month. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia[. Contact Diane](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) for a free 30-minute phone conversation.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** donating, Organizing Strategies, professional organizer, reduce --- ### [Want To Be More Productive? Use Task-Layering Not Multi-Tasking](https://dnqsolutions.com/want-to-be-more-productive-use-task-layering-not-multi-tasking/) **Published:** October 3, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Everyone wants to be more productive. We want to get more done in less time, so we multi-task. But do we really get more done when we’re multi-tasking? When we’re [busy doing so many things](https://dnqsolutions.com/be-more-productive-and-less-busy/), do we truly accomplish more? We like to think that we can do multiple things at once. Multi-tasking has become a buzz phrase of sorts but are you really more productive when you multi-task? Research says that you are not. This article from the [Cleveland Clinic ](https://health.clevelandclinic.org/science-clear-multitasking-doesnt-work/) in March 2021 reports that multi-tasking can reduce our ability to focus intently on one task and our ability to learn. That’s a scary thought. This article says that we’re not truly multi-tasking, we are task-switching. Switching our attention from one task to another and back again. This is not [productive ](https://dnqsolutions.com/back-to-school-a-review-of-5-awesome-products/)because it takes time for the brain to move back and forth between tasks. #### **Here’s a possible scenario:** You are driving the car, listening to the radio, following GPS directions, and talking to a friend what is your brain paying the most attention to? If your friend tells you something scandalous, what are you paying attention to? The cars around you, the signs on the road, other things like debris, a pedestrian, or a bicyclist? My guess is that you tune more closely into what your friend is talking about because it is more interesting than the things around you. When you’re paying attention to your friend, you are not paying attention to the road and that’s when mistakes happen. It can be a small thing like missing your exit, or a big mistake like not checking your side mirror when you change lanes and narrowly missing another car. #### **Here’s another possible scenario:** Once again you are on the phone listening to your boss talk. He always talks a lot so instead of giving him your full attention you decide to be more productive while he is talking. You have a lot of emails in your inbox which need attention. So, you decide to delete some emails and respond to others while he is yammering on. He talks on and on requiring you to just say things like ‘uh huh or oh’ periodically. Finally, he says something like ‘I’m sure you’ll do a great job on this report’. Now, panic sets in because you have no idea what the report is supposed to be about. You were not really listening. Your attention was primarily focused on the emails you were deleting and responding to. What are you going to do now? You can see from these simple scenarios how easy it is to process the wrong information when your brain is not attending to the task at hand. Multi-tasking does not enable you to be more productive. ### **So, what’s a person to do to be more productive with the time available?** Recently, I took a class presented by Carolyn Caldwell on Time Management and Productivity through the [Institute for Challenging Disorganization.](https://challengingdisorganization.org) Carolyn proposed that to be more productive in the time available we engage in task-layering. ### **How is task layering different from multi-tasking?** Task-layering is different from multi-tasking because you intentionally group tasks that require little or no focus with 1 task that requires your attention. Doing this means that you are giving your brain permission to pay attention and truly focus on only 1 thing for a set amount of time. #### **Some examples:** For instance, you can study for a test while the laundry is in the washer. Another example is answering email, listening to familiar music, and baking a cake. If you are baking a cake, you set the timer for the 30-minutes that the cake is baking and then can focus for that length of time on answering email. You can even have music on in the background. When the timer goes off, you take the cake out of the oven, and go do something else. Understand that when you engage in task-layering you are not trying to do more than 1 thing at a time. You may have something else happening, but you are giving your full attention to just 1 task. #### **Let’s review** When you say you are multi-tasking you are not doing multiple things at once, you are switching between multiple tasks which can cause you to make mistakes. Another problem with task-switching is that when you do this repeatedly your brain can lose the ability to focus intently. Task-layering involves selecting 1 task on which to focus intently while letting other things happen in the background that do not require your attention. If you want to be more productive, try task-layering. Decide what can happen in the background while you focus your attention on 1 task. You will be surprised by how much more productive you can be when you give your complete attention to one important task at a time. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* *[Contact Diane ](https://dnqsolutions.com)for a complimentary phone consultation.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** multi-tasking, Organizing Strategies, task-layering, time management --- ### [Small Steps Toward Change](https://dnqsolutions.com/small-steps-toward-change/) **Published:** October 17, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** This post was originally published a little more than 10 years ago. I decided to update it because this past week I attended a conference hosted by the [Institute for Challenging Disorganization](https://www.challengingdisorganization.org) (ICD). It was an amazing conference with fabulous presenters! Each one of those presenters touched (in their own way) on the concept that making incremental small steps leads to big and lasting changes. ### KaiZen: small steps toward lasting change I was first introduced to this concept in April 4, 2011. I took a class offered by the Institute for Challenging Disorganization titled *Kaizen – The Next Step for the Chronically Disorganized Client*. It was a fascinating class. Kaizen is a word which comes from two Japanese roots, kai which means change and Zen which means good. During this class I learned that when a person is taught how to make small changes toward a stated goal there is a better chance of success. #### How does it work? Do you wonder why that is true? Let’s think about this. I am going to use the example of a lifestyle change. Let’s say that someone wants to get in better shape. They decide they want to lose some weight and become more physically fit. They have been eating mostly fast food and have never been accustomed to regular exercise. The reason that they decided to make this change is that they want to be in better shape for their high school reunion. The first method they try is a crash diet. This makes them hungry, cranky and generally out of sorts. They also decide to exercise at a local gym everyday. After one week of trying this method they abandoned the crash diet – good thing since that is not a healthy approach and they stopped exercising after day three because their muscles were so sore. If I apply the Kaizen philosophy to this situation it would look something like this: they would sign up to work with a nutritionist. The nutritionist would teach them how to plan healthy meals. Every time they met the nutritionist would have a few more changes for them to make. They would feel full, enjoy the meals they are making and weight would come off slowly and steadily. Then, they would also sign up to work out with a trainer a few times a week. The trainer would teach them some exercises which would make them stronger and tone their muscles. The trainer would also encourage them to incorporate other daily exercise into her routine. Things like walking, biking or swimming. The lesson here is that small incremental changes which are not too tough bring results and are easier to maintain. #### Break projects down into small steps During the ICD conference recently, [Juliet Landau-Pope](https://jlpcoach.com/) spoke about dyspraxia. We learned that organizing or doing tasks for long periods of time are truly taxing for someone with dyspraxia. That it’s better to tackle projects in small steps and for short amounts of time. She recommends working on a project for about 10 to 15 minutes. This means that to complete a project, you need to break it down into small steps. Then do one step at a time until the project is finished. This concept of Kaizen, making small steps toward a stated goal is a fascinating one to me. So often we look at the big picture and want an instant result. Kaizen teaches you to slow down. To learn and incorporate the lesson of each step into that which you are working towards. It takes time and energy to change a behavior or a habit. If you rush through a step to get the next step completed chances are you won’t have adequately learned the previous step. Read more about this concept of taking small steps [in this post](https://dnqsolutions.com/baby-steps/). [Alma Galvan](https://brainworxinc.com/about-alma/) gave the final presentation of the conference. It was fascinating to learn that when babies skip through developmental steps, parts of the brain are left under-developed. The good news is that now that we know this, there are ways to go back and develop those parts of the brain. She showed us exercises to use to access parts of the brain and to encourage communication between these parts of the brain. #### In conclusion It may feel like taking small steps is wasting time but really these small steps are vitally important. We learn better when we process information in small bites. We accomplish more when we do things a little bit at a time because we are focusing our attention on that small task. Then the small tasks add up and, viola! A large task is completed. updated; October 17, 2021 *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer. She is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://www.dnqsolutions.com) and Co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize, LLC.](https://www.releaserepurpose.com) Diane and Jonda are the creators of the unique time-based deck of cards: [Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time.](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools/)* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** Organizing Strategies --- ### ["Focus on What's Strong, Not What's Wrong"](https://dnqsolutions.com/focus-on-whats-strong-not-whats-wrong/) **Published:** October 24, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I originally published this post in 2013. I am updating it now because [Lee Shuer](https://www.mutual-support.com/about_lee_shuer) presented at the 2021 Institute for Challenging Disorganization virtual conference again this year. My friend, colleague, and business partner, [Jonda Beattie ](https://www.timespaceorg.com/)and I had the honor of introducing Lee. Once again, his presentation was impactful. He shared that he has made tremendous progress in his struggle with hoarding by following his own advice and putting his focus on what’s strong. During the Institute for Challenging Disorganization conference in 2013 in Denver, Colorado Lee Shuer gave us the quote I’m using in the headline for this post. He said, “*Focus on what’s strong, not what’s wrong*“. I find that people in general are their own worst critics. We say things to ourselves that we never ever would say to someone else. ### Focus on what’s strong Don’t you think that if people would focus on what’s good and strong and think less about what’s wrong we’d all be a little more content? Think about it. As a student teacher I learned that if I wanted to get a classroom of six-year-olds to lower their voices I would have greater success if I complemented the children who were using ‘inside voices’. Using positive reinforcement worked like a charm! This technique works equally well with teenagers and adults. My mom used to say “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar”. I, in turn, used to tell my children “if you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all’. I still believe this to be true and practice what I preach! Teaching people to recognize and celebrate their skills is one of the best [things about my job as a professional organizer. ](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-for-organizing-the-things-in-your-life-to-reduce-stress-clutter-and-mess/) #### Think before You Speak It all boils down to the same thing, doesn’t it? Saying something nice is just as easy as saying something nasty. It might take a little more thought and creativity to come up with the nicer comment as, it seems, the negative comments come so quickly to our lips. We are quick to criticize not only ourselves but also the things in our environment. Think about the possibilities. How can we turn a situation around? What else can we do here? Is there something else to say to bring out the positive points of this situation? During his presentation at the virtual conference, Lee Shuer pointed out that it’s fine to take time when you are discovering a solution. Live with the problem, investigate possibilities, and focus on what’s strong. #### Move On During our virtual support group, [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/), Jonda and I point out to the participants the things they are doing well. We teach them how to focus on their strengths. [Dr. Ryan Niemiec](https://www.viacharacter.org/about/people/ryan-niemiec) was another presenter at the 2021 ICD virtual conference. He had the attendees take a [strength test](https://www.viacharacter.org/). Dr. Niemiec told us there are 24 strengths. The test ranks the 24 strengths and lets you know which of the 24 are your top 5. This was truly fascinating. For anyone, focusing on what is done wrong only serves to depress or dishearten the individual. This is not to say that things don’t go wrong sometimes but dwelling on those things is counter-productive. We can look at [what went wrong](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-leave-the-past-organizing-mistakes-behind/) and see if there is a lesson to learn. Then we take the lesson, shift our perspective, and move on – letting the negative things be over and done. #### Create a Plan When we focus on what’s strong, we can create a plan the client can use to move forward. We talk about their vision for each space. Then the client picks a project on which to focus. Whether we are working in-person or in the [clutter support group](https://dnqsolutions.com/a-review-of-projects-conquered-through-virtual-clutter-support-groups/), we break the project down into small manageable pieces. Then we review their priorities. Finally, we create a plan and work methodically through the different spaces – celebrating each and every accomplishment along the way. This enables the de-cluttering to move forward all the while positively reinforcing and teaching organizing skills. If over-collecting,[ chronic disorganization](https://dnqsolutions.com/struggling-with-chronic-disorganization-these-3-tips-will-help-get-you-motivated/), or hoarding is something that is bothering you make a list of your strengths. Think about shifting your perspective away from what’s wrong and focus on what’s strong. You’ll be amazed by what you’ll discover and the possibilities this presents when you actively focus on your strengths. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize, LLC. [Sign up to receive Diane’s newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/) for more tips.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** chronic disorganization, Clutter --- ### [Sick of Doing Household Chores? Here's How to Get More Done with Less Resistance](https://dnqsolutions.com/sick-of-doing-household-chores-heres-how-to-get-more-done-with-less-resistance/) **Published:** October 31, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Picture this: you’ve just spent a good portion of the day doing laundry. It’s now folded and put away. As you’re saying good night to your child you notice their laundry basket is once again full. You sigh as you leave the room – more laundry to do. You are filled with resentment for a few seconds, and you shake your head as you wonder; does it ever stop? Is laundry one of the [household chores](https://dnqsolutions.com/8-hacks-to-make-household-chores-easier/) overwhelming you? The two other chores that create [feelings of overwhelm](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-when-you-feel-overwhelmed-by-a-task/) and resentment for many of my clients are taking out the trash and recycling and doing the dishes. These three household chores are recurring. They are never done because there is always another dish used, something else tossed or recycled, or more clothes that need to be washed. ### **Why do people resist doing household chores?** There are several reasons many people resist doing household chores. It will take them more time than they have available, they think. There is only a little bit to do, so it’s not necessary to do it now. They don’t want to do it. The parent in their head is telling them what they should do, and they are simply being stubborn, sort of like a belligerent child, and walking away from the chore. The problem is that the more you delay doing a household chore like dishes, taking out garbage, or laundry the more there is to do and the longer it takes. It is so much easier and takes less time when you do it right away. Almost everyone knows this when they stop to think about it, but emotions get in the way. Also, there is always something they would rather do than a household chore. ### **Here are my tips for getting more done with less resistance** #### **Shift your mindset** Instead of telling yourself I have to do the dishes (or take out the trash or do the laundry) say I get to do the dishes. Continue the inner dialogue by telling yourself there’s only a couple of dishes here. If I do them right away the sink will be empty. How great is that? #### **Have a reward in mind** Remember to reward yourself by doing the thing that you want to do next. I work best when I know there is a reward waiting for me. Don’t you? It doesn’t have to be something you buy. The reward can be something simple like spending 15 minutes by yourself reading a magazine. #### **Change the time of day** If you start the dishwasher every night after dinner, you can empty it in the morning. Create a new morning routine for yourself. Empty the dishwasher while the coffee is brewing. By the time the coffee is ready, the dishwasher will be empty, and it will be easy to move the dishes out of the sink and into the dishwasher a little bit at a time. #### **Start small** Laundry is overwhelming when there is lots and lots of laundry to do. It used to be that we thought we had to wait until we had a full load of laundry before putting a load of clothes in the washing machine to save water. Now, the machines are smart. They have sensors built into them, so they only use the amount of water they need. Do small loads of laundry. A small load takes less time to wash, less time to dry, and less time to fold and put away. Don’t wait until you have lots of laundry to do. Tackle the laundry a little bit at a time and it won’t be so overwhelming. [Here’s another post](https://dnqsolutions.com/feeling-overwhelmed/) related to household chores. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/DNQ-household-chores-4iStock-871998514.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Children helping parents with household chores in kitchen#### **Enlist help** Doing chores feels better when you are sharing the work with someone else. Often, we resist doing things and are resentful when we think we are the only one contributing effort. If you wait for them to offer to help you, you could be waiting a long time. Instead, give everyone who lives in the home a choice of something to do. One person can work on laundry, folding and putting it away. Someone else can do the dishes. A third person can take out the trash. If there are more people in the home, I’m sure you can find something for them to do. It’s easy to become overwhelmed when multiple household chores accumulate. Conquer your resistance to tackling them by keeping them small and shifting your mindset. Do something even when it feels like there is very little to do. Then it is over and done with quickly and you can move on to something more fun. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. [Sign up for Diane’s newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/) to get more great organizing tips.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** doing dishes, Household Chores, organizing strategy, Planning, take out the trash --- ### [5 Tips to Stop Procrastinating Around the Holidays](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-stop-procrastinating-around-the-holidays/) **Published:** November 21, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** What is it about the holidays that makes some people put off shopping until last possible minute? I know a few who intentionally delay shopping until Christmas Eve. Then they complain about the crowds, the lack of inventory, the amount of money they spent, and how late they stayed up wrapping gifts. They say they wish they would do things differently. If this is you and you want to stop procrastinating around the holidays, read on, I have tips for you. ### **Mindfully think about procrastinating around the holidays** Take some time to reflect. Why do you think your feet are stuck in the sand? What’s preventing you from taking action and shopping sooner? Be honest with yourself and then evaluate the following roadblocks and solutions. Decide if you are falling victim to one of them and then figure out what you are going to change so that you stop this vicious cycle. #### **Here are some possible roadblocks and solutions to consider** ##### **The roadblock is the holidays start too soon** In October stores start putting up [Christmas decorations](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-declutter-your-christmas-decorations-without-getting-lost-in-sentiment-or-guilt/) in their shops. Christmas cards adorn the card section of the local grocery store. Everything is red, green, blue, and white and we haven’t [celebrated Thanksgiving yet.](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-celebrate-thanksgiving-day-solo/) ##### **The solution:** Decide when you will be ready to start thinking about the holidays. Is it November first, right after Thanksgiving, or do you want to wait until the first week in December? Once you determine when you will feel ready, push yourself into action to stop procrastinating around the holidays. ##### **The roadblock is you want to buy the “perfect gift”** You are waiting to determine the perfect [gift for each person](https://dnqsolutions.com/6-gifts-for-the-organized-person-in-your-life-that-they-will-truly-appreciate/). You want to wait and do your shopping all at once. Since you don’t have the perfect gift idea for everyone on your list, you are waiting. You could be waiting a very long time. ##### **The solution:** In organizing, we often talk about ‘good enough’ as it applies to an organizing problem. When you are considering what to buy someone as a gift think about what comes close enough to being perfect. We all know there is no such thing as truly perfect. Is your idea close enough to perfect to pass muster? If this solution doesn’t work for you, try switching gears completely and think outside the box. What can you give that will strike a chord with the recipient? Think about a gift of service. Can you take care of the children for an afternoon? Would they like some gardening help or some chores done around the house? Be creative. Another option is to write a thoughtful card. You can tell the person how much their friendship means. That is a gift to treasure. ##### **The frustration is that you are running out of time** There are so many gifts to get and so little time. You feel overwhelmed and like you will never be able to get it all done, so why try. ##### **The solution:** Make a list of all the people you want to give gifts. Get out a paper calendar and decide how many people you will shop for each day until you are finished. When you do a little each day it is much easier to conquer the list and move forward. Recognize that you can make some gifts as well as give gifts of your time. ##### **The problem is that you don’t like to wrap** Maybe the reason you’re procrastinating around the holidays is that you don’t like to wrap gifts, or you think you don’t do a good enough job wrapping. ##### **The solution:** Don’t let your dislike for wrapping paralyze you. Use the combination of a pretty gift bag and tissue paper. They make wrapping easy for people who dislike wrapping. You can find them at the grocery store in addition to places like The Container Store, Target, Walmart, and CVS to name a few. The best [tip to stop procrastinating](https://dnqsolutions.com/just-for-now-and-other-procrastination-tips/) around the holidays is to decide to engage as much as is comfortable for you. When you are comfortable the holidays will take on a different feel. The overwhelming feeling goes away so you can relax and find joy in the little things. For more tips on planning and prioritizing sign up for [Diane’s monthly newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/). *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com) based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** Calendar, Gifts, Good Enough, holidays, Organizing Strategies, procrastinating --- ### [3 Reasons It Is Hard To Stay Organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-it-is-hard-to-stay-organized/) **Published:** November 28, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Why can’t I stay organized? This is a question clients often ask me. Before I get into the reasons lets talk about getting organized. The first idea I want to share with you may be hard to swallow. This is the idea that organizing is a continual journey. It is not a destination and it is never ever done. You cannot organize a space once, walk away, and never have to organize it again. This is because things are always in use in a home. This is a natural occurrence since you live in the space. There are three things that happen which makes it harder to [stay organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/help-diane-why-cant-i-stay-organized/). Think about the things you do in your home. Develop systems to conquer these three things and it will be easier for you to remain organized. ### Here are the 3 reasons it’s hard to stay organized #### **Reason #1 things are not put** away Things are moved but don’t get back to where they belong. They stay where they are. They may be near where they belong, put in a pile, or left where they were most recently used. It is easier to [stay organized ](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-successfully-cope-with-unexpected-events-stay-organized/)when you put things back every single time they are used. #### **Reason #2 things don’t have a place to belong** It’s impossible to put things away when they don’t have a place to belong. Keep it simple and put things where you will look for them. Many people ask if they are organizing the right way. There is no right or wrong way to organize. My answer is the right way is the way that works for you. Create a simple solution for you and your family, then practice until it becomes a habit. #### **Reason #3 things come in, but nothing leaves** You like to shop and forget that your home does not expand to accommodate all the things you bring inside. Space is finite. Before you buy something, think about where you are going to keep it and what you are removing to make room for this new thing. This may prompt you to stop buying so much. Remember to buy things that fill a need or a purpose. ### **Give yourself some grace** At this time of the year, I recommend you don’t worry so much about organizing everything in your home. It’s a time to spend with friends and family. Giving and receiving gifts and simply enjoying the festive season. It’s easy for your home to look a bit messy. Don’t worry about it. **Do the big tasks** – keep up with laundry (do a little each day), take out the garbage & recycling, and do the dishes. When you take care of these regular on-going tasks you keep most of the messiness under control. This way you avoid the HUGE pile of clothes to launder. The garbage can won’t smell, and there will not be a big pile of dishes in the sink and dirty dishes stacked on the counter. [Here’s another article ](https://dnqsolutions.com/sick-of-doing-household-chores-heres-how-to-get-more-done-with-less-resistance/)to help you tackle those big tasks. **Create a few routines** that you always honor for the things that are important every day. You will feel more organized and in control when you know without any doubt where your keys, wallet, and handbag/purse are. Have one place you always put your keys. This might be a hook or a particular dish near where you enter your home. Keep your handbag, purse, tote bag or wallet in one place – always. I have a place I keep my handbag and I have a place in my handbag that I always put my wallet. If I am at my desk, shopping online and use a credit card I always put the card back in my wallet and my wallet back in the same place in my handbag. Why, you ask? Because I know without any doubt that when I grab my bag to leave the house my wallet (with my driver’s license, credit card, insurance card) will be in its place in my handbag. I don’t worry or stress about it. #### If you want to stay organized follow these simple rules: Have a place for everything and put everything in its place One thing in and one thing out Do the big tasks: laundry, garbage, and dishes Create a routine for important things which you always honor Then acknowledge that you live in your home. From time to time it will be a little messy. Life can be messy, and life is for the living. There will always be time to clean up and organize. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. For more tips sign up to receive [Diane’s monthly newsletter.](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/)* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** organizing strategy, stay organized --- ### [Have a Change of Plans? It's Best to Accept Them](https://dnqsolutions.com/have-a-change-of-plans-its-best-to-accept-them/) **Published:** December 19, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I bet you all (or at least most of you) know the Rolling Stones song: “**You Can’t Always Get What You Want**”. Do you remember the refrain? It goes like this: “*You can’t always get what you want but if you try sometimes you find you get what you need*”. This song popped into my mind a couple of weeks ago when once again my plans were changed for me. I was left with no choice and had to accept this change of plans. Interestingly, once I did that a huge wave of relief washed over me. #### New Home First let me give you a little bit of recent history. I decided to move from a house on a beautiful but out of the way quiet street to a townhouse in a community closer to the center of town. I went on a tour of the community and loved everything about it. In full disclosure, it is not a 50+ community. There are houses, apartments, and townhouses. This is a vibrant community for the young and young-at-heart. It has beautiful landscaping, woodland trails (you know I love to walk in the woods), and sidewalks with lots of streetlights. I was hooked. I love everything about this community. An additional bonus is that it is close (but not too close) to the highway and the shops I like to frequent. I bought a yet to be built townhome in October of 2020. At that time, the proposed completion date was May/June 2021. As you [know I am a professional organizer](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-know-when-to-call-a-professional-organizer/), so I got to work. I planned a visit to see my son and his family in Seattle in mid-March/early April and decided to put my house up for sale while I was out of town. #### Good Timing In my mind this was perfect. Miles and Josie (my dogs) would be out of the house at their boarding location. I would be out of town and wouldn’t have to rearrange my day to accommodate potential buyers. What could be better? My plan worked. I went to Seattle in March, and I receive an offer on my house. This is what I wanted, right? Well, maybe not. I received word that the building at the new community was backed up. Some delays were weather related, some were Covid delays. My home was now scheduled to be ready in August, but my buyer wanted my current house in May. What to do? #### Moving Out – But Where? I am an organizer, so I found a solution. I discovered a company called [Hello Landing](https://www.hellolanding.com/). They have rental properties in complexes all over the United States and it just so happened that they had a furnished unit for rent in an apartment complex directly across the street from the community in which I was building. Great! My house sold, I put my furniture into storage, and moved into the furnished apartment. I brought everything I needed, or so I thought. August came and went. The builder had some supplier delays due to the Pandemic, some weather delays, and some worker shortage delays. #### Change of Plans My move in date was moved to November. This was not what I wanted but it was going to be fine. When I was with my son in Seattle, we made plans to gather for Christmas in Maui. I knew I would be ready for a beach vacation after moving. Plus, this was a plan to spend [time in a beautiful place with my family.](https://dnqsolutions.com/time-spent-with-family/) The next change of plans came when my move-in date was changed to mid-December. I started to feel anxious. How was I going to move-in to the townhouse, move-out of the apartment, and pack for a vacation? I told myself I could handle it and arranged everything. I arranged everything but the timing was very tight. It was hugely stressful to think about all the little details involved and keep the business running. [Here’s an article](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-without-getting-overwhelmed-maintain-your-calm/) to read about organizing without getting overwhelmed. #### Final Change of Plans Then there was another change of plans. This time the closing date was moved to January, after my return from my vacation with my son and his family. My first reaction was “NO!” This can’t be! Then I stopped to think about it. It wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted to move in, get my office set up, and be ready to hit the ground running after my vacation. But once I made the phone calls to reschedule movers and the other moving related deliveries I began to relax. This was just what I needed. I didn’t need to try and do everything all at once. Although it wasn’t intentional, this delay gave me breathing room. I’ll go on vacation, have a wonderful time with my son and his family, and return refreshed and ready to tackle a move. Accepting the change of plans was the best thing I could have done for myself. The next time a change of plans is made for you stop and think if perhaps it is for the best. My initial reaction is usually to argue and want to keep things the [way I have organized ](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-way-to-conscientiously-organize-your-stuff/)them to begin with. I am learning, though, that sometimes what I think I want is not always what I need. This is the lesson I am taking with me as 2021 draws to a close and the lesson I want to share with you. Happy Holidays! *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC ](https://dnqsolutions.com)and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** moving, professional organizer --- ### [Time Spent with Family](https://dnqsolutions.com/time-spent-with-family/) **Published:** January 9, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** If you are like me and live far from family, you know that time spent with family is precious. There can be long stretches of time during which I don’t see my children and grandchildren. One of my sons lives near Lake Tahoe and the other lives in Seattle. Since I live in Atlanta and because of this Pandemic I have not been traveling to see them as often as I would like. I’m so happy to say that I have just spent 10 days at the beach with one of my sons and his sweet family. Alex and his wife, Judy, have 2 precious children: Susana who is 4 and Ari who is about to be 1. ### Time spent with family ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/family-for-blog-4-01-22.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Dinner togetherWe shared meals, fun times in the pool, made sandcastles, and had some trying [times when children ](https://dnqsolutions.com/teach-your-children-time-management-using-these-tools/)were tired or had other things they wanted to do. The best thing for me was simply being there. Being able to offer the extra pair of hands and helping when needed. I was also there for story time and snuggles. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/family-for-blog-3-01-22.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Building a fabulous sandcastleOne of my Christmas gifts to Alex was babysitting so he and Judy could have a date night. I also gave them a day (well, really a half day) of fun in the sun without children. And, boy, did I ever have fun, too! Spending the morning alone with Susana and Ari brought back beautiful memories of playing with my boys. We had snacks after swimming in the baby pool and spent an hour or so at the playground. I held my breathe as daredevil Susana climbed and darted over, under, and around the equipment. I refrained from saying over and over again ‘be careful!’ She was fine. She knew what she could and couldn’t easily do. Judy took lots and lots of pictures. Some of which you see here. I was reminded of my own complaint; did I go on the vacation? There were never any pictures of me because I was always the one behind the camera. That is what happened to Judy. ### Benefits of being together Technology is wonderful. I have all these photos and more to remind me of these special moments since they are easily shared between devices. I am also thankful that we are able to keep in touch via phone and Facetime but it does not compare to in-person time. You can read a story over Portal, but you cannot snuggle together while reading. It’s also possible to share the mundane details of your day but it doesn’t give you the quiet moments together when something important may be shared. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Family-for-blog-01-22-768x1024.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")As a professional organizer, I have learned to listen intentionally and to concentrate on what the person is saying. So often we begin crafting our answer or comment before the person with whom we are talking has completed their thought. When we do this we can miss important details because we’re busy thinking about our response. This skill came in handy during this vacation. Since I am a grandmother (and also as a former elementary school teacher) I have experience with children. As I observed, I was tempted to share some advice. But as I listened, I realized this was neither the place nor the time. Further, no advice was requested. #### Resist dishing out advice Instead of providing unrequested child-rearing or organizing advice I chose to keep my thoughts to myself. My advice on packing or organizing things in anticipation of packing may well have come in handy and probably would have saved time and aggravation. But the time to give advice is not when it’s clear the situation is out of control and people are already stressed. For you readers who have adult [children and perhaps grandchildren](https://dnqsolutions.com/teach-your-children-how-to-use-free-time/) take time to listen intentionally and assess the mood before doling out advice. Sometimes our children want to learn from our experience and welcome advice. Other times they have their mind set on doing things their way and unrequested advice will not be well received. You can probably remember a time or two (maybe 3 or 4) when your parents or in-laws dished out advice on anything from child-rearing to how to do your chores. How did you receive that advice? My guess is that you probably did what I did when my mother gave me unsolicited advice. I rolled my eyes and did what I wanted to do. Sometimes I discovered she was right, and I should have listened more carefully. Other times, it was just fine to do things my way. If your children live near you take advantage of this to spend time with your extended family. I often think how wonderful it would be to live nearby. Then I wonder if we would enjoy time spent with family as much as we do when we only see each other sporadically. [*Diane N. Quintana*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com) based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog --- ### [Thinking of organizing that file drawer?](https://dnqsolutions.com/thinking-of-organizing-that-file-drawer-2/) **Published:** January 17, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I have a two-drawer lateral file cabinet in my office near my desk that I am thinking of organizing soon. I like to plan time in either December or January to make new files for the coming year. The ones I tackle first are the ones I like to label with the current year. For me, they are files for your bank statements, investment statements, and anything tax related. Typically I never get around to it in December. January comes along and the file drawer calls me. Do you have a sense of urgency about this, too or do you [pay closer attention](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-3-best-reasons-to-pay-attention-to-your-bed/) to your files in March during tax preparation season? Jonda Beattie wrote a great post recently about [how to organize your files](https://releaserepurpose.com/start-your-new-year-with-a-workable-filing-system/) for our company: Release Repurpose Reorganize. Jonda is primarily a paper person. I have a mix of paper and digital files. This, at the beginning of the New Year, is when I look at both types of [files and organize](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-to-organize-documents-on-file/) them. #### **Paper Files First** I tackle my paper files first. As I am thinking about organizing my files I look to see if there is anything I can switch over from keeping in paper form to digital form. The supplies I have on hand are: my labeler, colored interior files, my shred box, and my paper recycling box. I color code my interior files just because it’s fun to do so and the colors resonate with me. For me, the red folder is anything tax related, green (think money) is financials, and blue is for DNQ Solutions. If color doesn’t matter to you then use plain manila folders. I have a HUGE shred bin in my garage because I remove any papers that need to be shredded from my clients’ home. This is a service I offer to all my clients. #### **What can you save digitally?** I don’t know about you but my insurance folders are huge. There is the annual update, plus the original insurance binder, and the receipts. This is something I am going to switch over to being a digital folder. Are you wondering how I am going to do that? I will call my insurance agent and ask her to send me the binder as a pdf. That’s my first step. Then I will create a file in my documents for Insurance. Inside that folder, I will create a 2022 file for that year’s updates. Just like a paper filing system, you can create a hierarchy of files and have folders nested inside the main category. Under Insurance, you can have Life, Disability, Car, Home Owners, Health, Pet and any other type of insurance. Look at all the space (and paper) you can save when you receive your documents this way. I know that some people like to have a printed copy of certain things. My suggestion is rather than having the whole document in print form. Scan the document or have it sent to you as a pdf. Find the bits that you want to read more closely, and print those sections. #### **Weeding** I love to weed in the garden or in planted pots. When you weed you give the plants you want to flourish space. Weeds clog the space and remove nutrients from the soil that you want the plants to have. Similarly, there are often papers in files (and digital documents saved) that clog the folders. When I look through the folders I weed out anything that I know I don’t need to keep anymore. There may be an obsolete receipt in a file or an out of date document. Just remove them. Chances are the time has passed to claim a refund if something breaks. #### Trouble deciding Often when we are thinking about organizing we run into a roadblock. We are stopped dead in our tracks by indecision. We can’t decide if we should recycle or shred, keep as a [paper document ](https://dnqsolutions.com/paper-decluttering-tips-for-people-with-mounds-of-paper-mail-documents/)or scan and save digitally. When this happens I recommend a pending file or box if there are many papers requiring a decision. Most often it is not necessary to make an immediate decision. If you can, go ahead and make a decision. If you can’t, keep the forward momentum going by moving on to the next file to go through. [Weed the next file](https://dnqsolutions.com/downsize-your-files-by-weeding-them/) and decide what to do with the contents. When you let your trouble deciding get in the way you may start overthinking the issue. Just move on. Acknowledge the roadblock. You can always come back to those files or papers another day. Here’s the thing, though. Be sure to schedule time in your calendar to return to the papers which were creating a roadblock. #### **Have confidence** You gain a marvelous sense of accomplishment when your files are organized. Whether you opt for mostly paper files or are like me and have mix of paper and digital files you can have confidence that you know where to look for specific documents. As you are thinking about organizing the file drawer remember you have options. You do not have to keep everything. Besides, if you do keep everything you will run out of room. Ask yourself: what can you remove confidently? What is your comfort level with digital files and folders? If you decide you want guidance Jonda Beattie and I run a [clutter support group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/). We will happily provide you with support, guidance, and accountability. This post was originally published in 2010. Updated January 17, 2022. *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize,](https://releaserepurpose.com) LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** digital files, files, paperwork --- ### [Habits Help to Ground Us in Times of Stress](https://dnqsolutions.com/habits-help-to-ground-us-in-times-of-stress/) **Published:** January 23, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Often at the beginning of the year people talk about breaking bad habits and creating new routines. Just as often these efforts fail because our habits; good and bad, are ingrained in us. It is very hard to change an established habit. We have set routines we follow whether we realize it or not. Most of the time we don’t recognize that we are following a routine we just automatically follow certain steps to complete a task. Today I want to talk about the ways in which habits help to ground us when everything else in our life is up in the air. ### **What is a habit?** A habit, according to [James Clear author of Atomic Habits](https://jamesclear.com/), “Habits are the small decisions you make and actions you perform every day.” ### **3 Habits which help to ground me** One of my habits is to make my bed [every day ](https://dnqsolutions.com/show-love-for-yourself-on-valentines-day-every-day/)after I have my breakfast. It doesn’t matter where I am, this is my habit. I do it automatically – even when I am staying in a hotel. This routine tells me my day is starting. Making my bed is something I have been doing since I was a very little girl. Once I’ve had breakfast and made my bed it’s time to go for a walk. It’s also my habit to get up very early. I love the early morning hours, just as dawn in breaking. The colors in the sky are just gorgeous. The air, even in summer, is fresh. I use this time to think about the day ahead. My two dogs, Miles and Josie, have different walking patterns. Josie is a very fast walker. This is when I get my real exercise. Josie and I cover about 2 miles in less than 20 minutes. Miles walks slowly. He likes to sniff every blade of grass and takes his time covering about half a mile in 20 minutes. Another habit is to plan what I am going to do the next day in the evening. I like to review the things that I have accomplished and then think about what I will do the next day to move my projects forward. It helps me to maintain progress. Even if all I do is complete one very small task, like making a necessary phone call, I feel satisfied because I have done something. This habit of planning for the next day also takes all the details off my mind which lets me relax at night and fall right to sleep. ### **Habits help to ground us** When everything around us is out of whack our habits help to ground us. These small daily decisions help us to stay on track and to navigate around and through whatever is happening. Let me give you an example. I have moved house twice in the last ten days and I am about to move again. The closing on my townhouse had to be pushed past the date when my lease on the furnished apartment was expiring and I was unable to extend it. So, I moved everything out and into a friend’s house. I arranged for a one-month lease of a [small furnished apartment ](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-get-organized-in-a-small-apartment/)in the same building as my other rental. This apartment became available after four days at my friend’s house. Later this week I will close on the townhouse and move in. No more temporary furnished apartments! ### **Moving is stressful** Moving is one of the most stressful things we do in life. It’s one of those life-events which turns everything upside down. When you move in there is the furniture to arrange, boxes to unpack, and belongings to put away. We must remember where things are kept, and each new home has a different lay-out. I found myself forgetting which way to turn to find the bathroom. My habits help to ground me each time I move. In the morning, I get up in each new bedroom and make my bed. Then my dogs and I go on our walk around the neighborhood. I know that at night I will make my plan for tomorrow. My list of appointments, errands, calls, emails and steps to take to move projects forward provides structure and stability to my days. Everything else around me can be topsy turvy but I am secure when I follow my tried-and-true habits. Do you have certain habits which ground you? Would you like to [cultivate habits](https://dnqsolutions.com/transforming-spaces-transforming-lives-the-power-of-professional-organizers-in-cultivating-healthy-habits-and-routines/) on which you can rely in times of stress? The [Clear Space for You virtual clutter support group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) run by Jonda Beattie and me is a place where you will receive guidance, support, and accountability as you work to create these habits or on any other project of your choosing. Join us. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com) and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** habits, lfe-events, Planning --- ### [The Best Way to Conscientiously Organize Your Stuff](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-way-to-conscientiously-organize-your-stuff/) **Published:** February 13, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** If you follow me, you may have noticed that I have been absent from posting for the last few weeks. It feels like a long time to me. Have you missed me? While I would like to say I have missed writing and posting my thoughts here, the truth is I have been so busy I haven’t given posting my blog a second thought. I have been unpacking and spending time to conscientiously organize what I intend to be my forever home. Even though I am a professional organizer, setting up my home, unpacking boxes, and finding new homes for my stuff is overwhelming. Just like everyone else, I find myself getting stuck from time to time. However, since I am a professional organizer, I am letting the organizer in me talk. What am I saying to myself? I am so glad you asked! I’m telling myself to conscientiously organize my stuff a little bit at a time. ### What do I mean when I say conscientiously organize? My intention is to mindfully put things away where it makes sense to me in this house. While that sounds simple and easy to do, it is not. Every home is different. Where I kept some of my things in my former home just doesn’t make sense in this new home. Furniture is being relocated and repurposed. For instance, a free-standing shelf I had in the upstairs hall in my former home is now in the kitchen. Keeping an open-mind and being honest with myself helps me to move forward one area at a time. Here is what I have found to be the best [way to conscientiously organize](https://dnqsolutions.com/are-you-finally-in-the-mood-to-organize-heres-an-easy-way-to-get-it-done/) my stuff I hope it works for you, too. I ask myself the following questions: #### **How often do I use this?** If I don’t use something often, is it something I need to have at my fingertips? Probably not. I can put it at the back of the top shelf in a cupboard near where I keep similar things that I use more often. If it is something I use **ALL THE TIME** it must be front and center. Ready for me to grab at a moment’s notice. I organized and reorganized the layout of the furniture in my office so that the files I access most often are right there out in the open in a stand-alone hanging file holder. I just love that I can turn slightly to my right and there they are, sitting on a table beside me. #### **Where do I want to find this thing?** This new home has four floors. I don’t necessarily want to be going up and down the stairs all the time. Although, it’s really good exercise! I have been thinking through the placement of furniture, the accessories, and what makes sense to me. I put my exercise equipment on the top floor in the bonus room. This room is bright and sunny and a perfect place for me to exercise first thing in the morning. Since it’s also a perfect place for my orchids I put my watering can and orchid food in this room, too. #### **Did I pack this because I ran out of time?** Some things I look at and wonder why I have them. These go straight into a donate pile. I have made several trips to Goodwill and will probably donate more items as I continue to sort through my stuff. #### **What else is bothering me?** As I think this through, I acknowledge that the biggest problem I am having currently is managing my time. I have work to do, places to go, and I want to conscientiously organize my stuff. That means I must take my time. If I had my way, time would stop. I would unpack and organize my home completely and then time would resume. Unfortunately, this will never happen. #### **Use the backwards planning strategy** Because I cannot make time stand still and wait for me to conscientiously [organize my home,](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-for-a-move-to-a-new-home/) I have decided to use the backwards planning strategy. First, I took a [guided walk around my home](https://dnqsolutions.com/hosting-houseguests-with-grace-a-guide-to-prepare-yourself-and-your-home/) noticing and celebrating all the things I have accomplished so far. There are no more boxes and rooms are basically ready to use. Then I made a list of the things I want to focus on. They are my office (putting away files), hanging pictures, deciding where and how to store seasonal decorations, and distributing knick-knacks and framed photos. Finally, I got out my calendar and picked a date by which time I think it is reasonable to expect I can be done. I picked March 6. This gives me 3 weeks to get the remainder of the small items either put where they will live, packed away (because I like to change things up from time to time), or donated. I feel good about this schedule and will work on this for at least [10 minutes each day.](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools/) I decided when each day I will work on this project. Early morning is the best time for me to schedule time to work on this project. Josie (my sweet Australian Cattle Dog) and I go for a walk every morning after breakfast. I will spend 10 minutes each [day after our walk together conscientiously organizing](https://dnqsolutions.com/feeling-out-of-sorts-organize-your-day/) in one area. When you conscientiously organize your home, you make decisions about each and every item you are keeping. I want to do this as a gift to myself. Yes. It is a gift. By March 6th I will have only the things in my home that I want to keep, and they will be put away in places that make sense to me. If you have moved recently or are [planning a move](https://dnqsolutions.com/moving-again/) and would like to give yourself this gift of conscientiously organizing your home and your belongings [reach out to Diane](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) to schedule a free phone conversation. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Calendar, moving, Organizing Strategies, overwhelming, professional organizer, strategy, time management, unpacking --- ### [How to Make Progress Towards Your Goals](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-make-progress-towards-your-goals/) **Published:** March 6, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Here we are in March the last month in the first quarter of the year. I am talking about this for several reasons. This is the time to take a hard look at what you have indicated as your goals for the year. Are you making progress towards your goals? Have you hit any of the benchmarks you set out for yourself? If you haven’t, is it because you haven’t started working towards your [stated goals](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-set-yourself-up-for-success-accomplish-your-goals/)? Perhaps it’s because your goals have shifted. Whatever the reason, now is the time to revisit this conversation. This very thing happened to my colleague, Jonda Beattie and me. In addition to our own businesses, we own a business together: [Release Repurpose Reorganize, LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/). We have some specific goals for this jointly owned business. In December, we talked about these goals and said we wanted to make a plan. We finally got together recently to plan what we want to do to make progress towards our goals. The first two months of the year sort of slipped by us. Has this happened to you? ### **Start Working Towards Your Goals** It’s not unusual to find yourself at the end of February wondering where the time has gone. In January we are typically coming down from a post-holiday high. Then February hits and we hunker down. It can be a bit of a gloomy month. Suddenly, the realization strikes us that we are now in March and if we want to [accomplish the goals we set](https://dnqsolutions.com/set-yourself-up-for-success-accomplish-your-goals/) out for ourselves, we must start making progress. The problem is that there are always so many things to do [every day.](https://dnqsolutions.com/show-love-for-yourself-on-valentines-day-every-day/) We roll right into the things that are shouting for our attention and unintentionally forget about those stated goals. It doesn’t matter if it is one thing or 20 things you want to accomplish. To get it done you need a plan, and you need to act. Some of the comments I hear from clients are: “*I never have enough time*” “*I’m tired at the end of the day and don’t get to any of this”* *“I don’t know how to make time for my projects”* *“I want to get this done but I have so many other things to do first”* *“I promise I will do it later”* Do any of these comments resonate with you? Here is my advice. ### **Schedule Small Measurable Steps** We all have our routine things to do every day. Additionally, we all have the same 24 hours each day. To make progress towards our goals we must break those goals down into small measurable steps and then schedule time to take those steps. This is the missing piece. We know how to break the project down into its components and create steps to follow. We forget to schedule the time to complete each step and then we wonder why we aren’t making the progress we want. It doesn’t matter if you have 10 minutes or 60 minutes to devote to working towards your goals. Setting aside a little time each day or each week will allow you to make progress. If you have more than one goal (I have multiple goals in different aspects of my life) focus your attention one goal at a time. ### **Progress is a Motivator** The more steps you schedule and complete, the more you want to take because you see progress. That progress becomes the motivator to help get you to the next level. There is no doubt that we are all busy but are we busy doing [things to stay busy or can we be more productive](https://dnqsolutions.com/productive-things-to-do-while-you-wait/) by focusing our attention on the bigger picture? ### **Life Happens** Forgive yourself if you didn’t get a step completed. Maybe it is the end of the day and you are tired. You can either schedule time to work towards your goal another day during the week or force yourself to take just 10 short minutes to do something – anything towards your goal. Sometimes just taking the 10 minutes to think through the process makes it easier to complete that step later. The most important thing to remember is to reschedule the step. ### **Let’s Review** **Remind yourself of your intended goal**. If it has shifted, restate it clearly. Write it down and post it somewhere visible. **Identify when you would like to reach this goal**. Will you be working on it all year? Do you have several goals you intend to reach? Are they scattered through the year? Answer these questions for yourself. **Make progress** towards your goals by breaking each goal down into small specific steps and then schedule time to complete each step. **Reward yourself** by celebrating the completion of each step along the way. It also doesn’t matter if you are tired or if you don’t feel like completing this step. Force yourself to spend this little bit of time working on your project. Let the progress you see and experience serve to motivate you to make ever more progress towards your goals. If you would like help creating these steps, join the [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) virtual clutter support group I run with Jonda Beattie. *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter support group, Goals, Organizing Strategies, schedule, time management --- ### [Bring Harmony into Your Home - Get Organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/bring-harmony-into-your-home-get-organized/) **Published:** March 13, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I’ve been reading a lot of books recently on the topics of time management and productivity. In one of these books, (*The Organized* *Mind* by Daniel J. Levitin) I read that “*it is important to harmonize your organizational style and systems with your personality.*” This got me thinking about music and the way different voices in a song harmonize. When I was a teenager, I was a member of an acapella singing group. I sang second soprano. It was my job in this group to blend my voice with that of the first soprano so that neither of our voices stood out sharply. This thought led me to think about a different way to work with clients by letting them know how important it is to bring harmony into their homes. ### **What exactly does harmony mean?** According to the Oxford Dictionary, harmony when used as a noun is: *The combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce chords and chord progressions having a pleasing effect.* The different instruments in an orchestra or band or the voices in a song (alto, soprano, bass, or tenor) blend no one instrument, or voice is stronger than the other. You hear the beautiful sound, and you hear the melody but without a trained ear you don’t necessarily hear the individual instruments or voices. That is harmony Here is another definition of harmony as it applies to values from the Collins English Dictionary: *Harmony is usually identified as a human value, referring to **compatibility and accord in feelings, actions, relationships, opinions, interests, etc**. It denotes a state of balance among forces influencing and even opposing one another. ### **How does harmony apply to organizing?** When your belongings are piled here there and everywhere, they shout at you to do something with them. Maybe you put them away anywhere out of sight. Maybe you stuff them in a cabinet, closet, or under a table. Whatever you do with them, they don’t blend with the vision of how you want your home to look, feel, and function. These piles of things grow. In fact, they can multiply like bunnies [creating disorganized feeling in your home](https://dnqsolutions.com/create-your-home-organizing-sweet-spot/). This is the opposite of a harmonious feeling. ### **Disorganization can impact many facets of a person’s life.** Disorganization is the enemy of a budget because it prevents you from easily seeing what you have in your cupboards so you spend money buying ingredients for recipes that you already have but can’t see in the pantry. Perhaps you spend more money than you want to purchasing things you know you already have but can’t find. Time is wasted hunting among the piles for necessary and important everyday items like your glasses, car keys, or wallet to name a few. That in turn makes you late for an appointment or a meeting. Worrying about being late or spending too much money creates stress and anxiety. ### **Disorganization also impacts your relationships.** You may be reluctant to invite people inside your [home because you are embarrassed or ashamed of the way it looks.](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-simplest-way-to-declutter-your-home/) If you have a partner or spouse, they may be constantly asking you to do something about the clutter. ### **How can you bring harmony into your home?** Now you know how important it is to [organize your home](https://dnqsolutions.com/impact-of-clutter/) how do you bring harmony into the picture. The quote I shared at the beginning of this article states that you create harmony when the organizational systems and strategies work with your personality. First think about how you want your home to look. What do you want to see when you walk through your front door? Take a tour of your home and continue asking yourself this question as you walk into the different rooms. What can you declutter to bring harmony to the space? Next ask yourself what works. Are there any organizational systems that work well for you? If there are, see if you can modify them to work in other areas of your home. If there are not, consider reaching out to a professional organizer. You can find a trained professional organizer in your area by doing a search on either [www.napo.net](https://www.napo.net/) or [www.challengingdisorganization.org](http://www.challengingdisorganization.org). ### **Personalize Your Organizational System** The most important thing to know about creating an organizational system is that it must be personalized to you. Release any ideas you have about copying the way something looks in a magazine. Take the idea and modify it so that it functions the way you want it to according to your personality. Remember magazine pictures are just that a picture of a moment in time. They don’t account for the way a home looks when it is being lived in. When you bring harmony into your home you can relax and be comfortable. You can find what you’re looking for easily and what you see around you pleases you (and whomever you live with). Everything works together. Nothing is standing out and shouting ‘take care of me’. An added bonus when you bring harmony into your home is that if someone drops by unexpectedly you can open the door wide and say ‘welcome!’ with a smile on your face. If you want guidance and accountability as you work to bring harmony into your home, consider joining the clutter support group I run with [Jonda Beattie](https://releaserepurpose.com). It is called [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/). [*Diane N. Quintana*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter, Clutter support group, Institute for Challenging Disorganization, NAPO, professional organizer --- ### [Want a More Balanced Life? Harmonize](https://dnqsolutions.com/want-a-more-balanced-life-harmonize/) **Published:** March 27, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Last week I talked about bringing harmony into your organizing systems. I shared a quote from Daniel J. Levitin’s book (**The Organized Mind**). It goes like this, “*It is important to harmonize your organizational style and systems with your personality.”* In case you didn’t read last week’s blog you can [find it here.](https://dnqsolutions.com/bring-harmony-into-your-home-get-organized/) Today I want to talk about balance in your life. Honestly, I don’t believe it’s always possible to have a balanced life. However, I believe there is a way to [create a more balanced life](https://dnqsolutions.com/use-life-hacks-to-begin-creating-better-home-maintenance-routines/) by bringing harmony into the equation. Let me explain. We know that there is harmony when notes in a song or instruments in a band compliment each other. No one voice is consistently stronger than the others and no instrument is always louder than the rest. When you listen mindfully, however, there are times when one voice or one instrument takes the lead. **You are the conductor** What if you designate yourself as the conductor of the orchestra or choral group? This puts you in charge. You know that the melody will run through the entire piece, and you know that one or more voices will always be present. What else do you want to hear? As the conductor you can chose which other instruments or voices are heard above the others at any one time. How does this apply to your life? I’m so glad you asked! **Let’s look at the different aspects of your life** You have your work and your home but what else do you have? Perhaps you have hobbies or volunteer activities. Maybe you belong to a religious organization. Everything you do, participate in, or are a member of requires time and energy from you. There is no chance you are going to give each aspect of your life equal time. You know that there are times when one aspect of your life requires you to focus intently on it almost to the exclusion of everything else. So how do you create a sense of balance in life? **Drill this down even further** Think about what you honestly want. Maybe within your home and [personal life](https://dnqsolutions.com/6-gifts-for-the-organized-person-in-your-life-that-they-will-truly-appreciate/) you want to exercise and prepare healthy meals. Perhaps you also want to volunteer at your children’s school or at your church or woman’s group. Let’s not forget your relationships. For them to flourish they also require time and attention. How do you balance these things with everything else you do (chores, errands, appointments, and work)? **Rely on good [habits and organizing ](https://dnqsolutions.com/transforming-spaces-transforming-lives-the-power-of-professional-organizers-in-cultivating-healthy-habits-and-routines/)systems** When you have good habits and easy to follow organizing systems they work together. There is a synergy – a blending of tasks and chores – that you do almost without thinking. You have done them so often you know that if you do this then that is what you do next. For instance, when you get up in the morning your routine may include brushing teeth, making your bed, taking a shower, and putting dirty laundry in a basket or hamper. If you follow a routine such as this one, you can be confident that your bedroom is tidy and that you are ready to face the day. An example of a good habit is to put something away where it belongs once you have finished using it. When you put the thing back where it belongs then you know, without a shadow of doubt, where to look when you want to use it again. Certain chores like laundry and dishes are like bunnies. They multiply and become overwhelming if you do not keep them under control. Remember to [close the loop](https://dnqsolutions.com/close-the-loop-honoring-my-brother/) and complete the entire laundry and dishes process. Laundry is only finished if it is put away. This means it goes in the washer, then into the dryer, then folded and put away. Dishes are rinsed (or not) and put in the dishwasher. Then you run the dishwasher and put the dishes away once the dishwasher has finished its cycle. When you rely on these good [habits and routines](https://dnqsolutions.com/new-routines-and-habits/) you can give more attention or focus to something which is requiring more of your time. **Harmonize your activities for a more balanced life** Try assigning specific days to organizing activities. For instance, Sunday may be the day you go to church and Sunday School. In the afternoon, there may be sports for your children. Games to watch. If your plan is to go to the game anyway, perhaps you volunteer to bring the snacks for the team. This way you can balance your desire to volunteer for your child’s school with watching the game. Set an hour aside one day during the week to plan healthy meals. [Take 10 minutes](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools) and organize the pantry. This way you know what staples you have in stock. Review your recipes, plan your meals, and make your shopping list or place your order. If you go to the grocery store, then schedule time in your week to make that trip. This blends your desire to have healthy meals with keeping your pantry organized. Plus, it saves you time and money. When your pantry is organized you can see what you have which saves time and you know what ingredients are handy, so you don’t buy duplicates. **Have a Family Meeting** Make time each week to have a family meeting. Even if your family is just made up of you and your partner, spouse, or housemate. Find out if there is anything special going on for that person in the coming week. This is also the time to talk about sharing household chores. Is this [person keeping up with the organizing systems](https://dnqsolutions.com/incorporate-your-personality-into-the-organization-of-your-home/) in the home? If not, ask if there is something they would like to change. Maintaining the home is something everyone in the home can help with. When everyone is involved, it feels more balanced and less like it all falls on your shoulders. **Remember to take care of yourself** We forget that it’s impossible to do a good job caring for others when we do not take time to attend to our own needs. Some even think it is selfish. I am telling you the best thing you can do is to honor yourself. Take a cat nap to refresh yourself if you’re tired. Have a healthy snack Spend some time reading Go for a walk and get some fresh air and sunshine Indulge yourself with a nice bubble bath These are just a few things that appeal to me. Take care of yourself so you can be the best you can be. **Allow give and take** You can only have a more balanced life if there is give and take. There will always be times when things are unbalanced, when you are giving more time and attention to one aspect of your life. As long as the other aspects are functioning in the background you can give them less time and attention for a short time. Much like a song or an orchestra it’s ok to let one voice or one instrument lead for awhile then the rest of the voices or instruments return to make a beautiful harmony. For more tips like these sign up for my [monthly newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/). *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** habits, Routines, work life balance --- ### [Paper Calendar: Two of the Best Reasons to Use One](https://dnqsolutions.com/paper-calendar-two-of-the-best-reasons-to-use-one/) **Published:** April 6, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Do you use a paper calendar? I do. In the past, I tried to use a digital calendar but found the process frustrating. I could only see dots indicating there was something scheduled on the day in question when I looked at the month view. It took a second step to see the details. Every now and then I enter a date in my phone but frankly I never think to look in my phone for appointments. I always check my paper calendar. Why is that? It’s because I can easily see the appointments for the day I’m curious about and even what is looming on the horizon. This is important for me and possibly also for you. Let me explain. ### **It’s Springtime** Here in Atlanta, spring is showing her beautiful colors. Daffodils and tulips are blooming, azaleas are just about to pop, and the redbud trees are putting out their lovely purple blossoms. The sky is often a gorgeous deep blue promising us that warm (possibly hot) days are in our future. Speaking of future, what tool do you use for future planning? Are you like me and use a paper calendar? Or do you scroll through the days, weeks, and months on your digital devise? Recently, I have been reading books on [time management](https://dnqsolutions.com/teach-your-children-time-management-using-these-tools/) and productivity as well as taking classes on this topic. One of the things that many of the books talk about is the need to ‘see’ time. Digital devises tell you the time but do not allow you to see the passage of time. ### **How Do You ‘See’ Time?** For instance, a digital watch usually just gives you the time read out: 1:55. I know that some watches allow you to set the display in an analog view which gives you the clock face. For me personally, it’s easier to know that I have 5 minutes left in an hour when I see the clock face. A read out of 1:55 doesn’t give me the same message. The same is true for me when thinking about my day, week, or month. It’s difficult for me to know what appointments I have when I just see dots indicating that there’s an appointment. It takes an additional step for me to see that it’s a client appointment or something I intend to do. A paper calendar lets me see without any additional [steps the things I have planned](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-steps-to-make-your-plan-a-reality/) in my day, week, or month. ### **Future Plans** I am talking about this because when you use a paper calendar it’s easier to make future plans. Let’s say you have some paid time off you want to use in the next couple of months. When you use a paper calendar, you can flip the pages of the calendar to see what you have going on and if it’s realistic to take a little vacation. You have a sense of the passage of time. ### **The Other Benefit to Using a Paper Calendar** When you write in your calendar you are engaging another [part of your brain](https://luxafor.com/5-science-backed-reasons-why-paper-planners-are-better-than-digital-planners-and-calendars/). Did you know that? The more ways the information comes into your brain, the easier it is for your brain to retrieve it. As you write the letters, you are engaging fine motor skills in addition to just seeing the text. If you speak the words as you are writing them down, then auditory senses are also tapped. Using all 3 of these senses; visual, auditory, and tactile helps imprint the information in your brain. When you put the information into your digital calendar you are just tapping buttons – not forming letters. Sometimes, because the computer in your phone remembers, it provides you with the words to input using even less of your brain. No wonder it’s hard to remember what the little dots represent. Of course, one of the benefits to using a digital calendar is that it is small and easy to carry with you because it is probably also your phone! A paper calendar is often large and not as portable. ### **Use Paper and Digital Calendars** My friend, colleague, and business partner, Jonda Beattie, uses a paper calendar and also takes time once a week to add appointments to the calendar in her phone. This way if she only has her phone with her, she can check to see if she is available – should someone ask. The key to using 2 calendars is to be sure to enter the information into both of them. That’s why Jonda schedules time once a week to make sure both calendars contain the same information. You may be thinking this is double the effort. That’s true but if a system works (and it does for Jonda) don’t knock it. ### **A Monthly Wall Calendar** Some families use a monthly wall calendar to keep track of the big rocks – you know, the things the entire family needs to know about. Dad and Mom each keep their own calendars which are digital, and the children have their school agendas. Once a week the family gathers to review the family wall calendar. This is the place field trips, doctor appointments, school plays, and out-of-town trips are recorded. ### **School Agendas** Speaking of school agendas. The best calendar for children (adults like it, too) is the one published by [Order Out of Chaos called Academic Planner.](https://products.orderoochaos.com/) School agendas typically don’t have a place for students to record their after-school activities or weekend plans, this one does. It also has a place for students to plan how they are going to get those long-term assignments done. It lets them see time (as all those books recommend) so they aren’t cramming to get the project done the night before it’s due. I can’t say enough good things about the Academic Planner. If you have children in school, check out the Academic Planner. ### **In Review** Let’s review. The first reason to use a paper calendar is so that you can see what else you have going on that day, week, or month. You can avoid overscheduling yourself when you can see the rest of your appointments. The second reason to use a paper calendar is to help you remember your appointments and intentions by engaging your brain as you write in your calendar. If using a calendar, planning your time, and being productive is on your list of things you want to do better consider joining the [Clear Space for You support group ](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/)I run with Jonda Beattie. We have new groups starting the first week in May. *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com) based in Atlanta, Georgia* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** time management --- ### [How to Know When to Call a Professional Organizer?](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-know-when-to-call-a-professional-organizer/) **Published:** April 17, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** You know you have a problem in your home. It’s stressful. Things are piled up here and there. Sometimes you can’t find your keys. Boxes are opened, emptied, and left. You want to do something about all of this, and you know you can but somehow you just can’t get started. Maybe you think to yourself, if only I had an extra pair of hands. Then it occurs to you that you could call a professional organizer but who do you call and is this enough of a problem to warrant such a call? Questions such as these stop people in their tracks. Everyone knows that professional organizing is a thing. Afterall, we have all seen or heard about the television shows. There are programs which teach how to make everything picture perfect and then there are programs illustrating what happens when you have massive amounts of clutter. But what if that’s not you. What if you just want to be able to find your stuff? Whenever I tell someone what I do, that I am a professional organizer, the immediate response is: I need you. So why is it that people are sometimes reluctant to call a professional organizer? I have some ideas which I will share with you. ### When do you call a professional? Let’s switch topics for a moment and talk about when people decide to call other professionals into their home. When my boys were very young, we lived in a house in the country. The kitchen sink frequently got clogged up. Every now and then I would get some liquid plumber, pour it down the sink, and the sink would magically unclog. Problem solved. Until the time when the liquid plumber didn’t work. I couldn’t fix the problem myself and called in a plumber. We know when there is a problem such that we can’t fix ourselves with an appliance, a leak in the roof, a plumbing or an electrical issue we look for a professional. There are times when the disorganization in the home is such that you can’t figure out how to solve it by yourself. That is a prime opportunity to call a professional organizer. ### But what about routine maintenance? We take our cars to get the oil [changed regularly so the motor runs the way ](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-ways-to-change-the-story-we-tell-ourselves/)it was intended. I have a maintenance plan with a heating/air conditioning company to maintain my furnace and air conditioning units. Someone from the company comes over before the summer season starts to make sure the air conditioners are running properly. They come over again in the fall to check on the furnace. I am so thankful for them as they have fixed little things before they became big problems. [Professional organizers](https://dnqsolutions.com/why-organize-with-a-professional-organizer/) can also provide routine maintenance and create strategies and solutions for little things, so they don’t become big problems. As an objective professional we can help the homeowner streamline their processes. ### You know it’s time to call a professional organizer when: **You feel overwhelmed**. It doesn’t matter if the project is big or small if you feel overwhelmed a professional organizer can help you unpack the problem. They will break it down into small manageable parts and either work with you to complete the project or set you up so you can complete it on your own. **Nothing in your home has a place to belong.** Work with a professional organizer to assign homes to your belongings that makes sense to you. There is no right [way to organize](https://dnqsolutions.com/are-you-finally-in-the-mood-to-organize-heres-an-easy-way-to-get-it-done/) other than the way that works for you and your family. **You used to be organized and wonder why you aren’t any more.** Organizing at [work was easy but now you are working from home ](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-staying-on-task-when-working-from-home/)plus you have a family and so many things calling for your attention ALL THE TIME. Call a professional organizer in to help you regain control. Let them work with you to create new routines and habits. Then develop a maintenance plan so the organizing solutions are tweaked from time to time and continue to run smoothly. #### Where do you look for a trained professional organizer? I recommend looking for a professional organizer who is a member of one (or both) of these two organizations: [The National Association of Productivity and Organizing Specialists (NAPO)](https://www.napo.net/) and the [Institute for Challenging Disorganization® (ICD).](https://challengingdisorganization.org) Both organizations have a [way](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-way-to-conscientiously-organize-your-stuff/) to search for an organizer in your area. You will probably get several names of organizers in your area. The next step is to read the organizers bios. Call a professional organizer and see if you and they think you are a good fit. You want to ask how the organizer works. Do they come in and organize for you or do they organize with you? Think about what you want. Do you have a specific problem to solve or is on-going disorganization affecting your life in general? What does the organizer specialize in? Just as you would want to know about any professional you hire; you want to know if the organizer can help you solve the problem you are facing. So, ask questions. My goal as a professional organizer is to work with my clients to create a functional home and the place where they want to be to relax. *[Diane N. Quintana ](https://dnqsolutions.com)is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. Follow Diane on Facebook at: <https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions>* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter, Institute for Challenging Disoganization, Organizing Strategies, professional organizer, The National Association of Productivity and Organzing Professionals --- ### [3 Ways to Honor Mom](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-ways-to-honor-mom/) **Published:** May 1, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Next week is Mother’s Day. It is a day when we honor mom. Whether you have a child, children, or children in the form of dogs and/or cats it’s important to honor those women who are the caregivers. They do so much day-in and day-out for our families no matter the composition. We will honor the dad caregivers in June so stayed tuned for those ideas. The main idea here is that you do something either for your mom to honor her or with your mom. One of my favorite things to do is garden. I learned lots about gardening helping [my mother](https://dnqsolutions.com/mom/) over the years. My favorite thing to do with my mother when she was still alive was tour gardens. We even spent 10 days together in May 2002 touring gardens in England. The above picture is of the two of us at one of the beautiful gardens we visited that year. My traditional [Mother’s Day ](https://dnqsolutions.com/mothers-day-remembrances/)gift for my mom was a day spent together touring a garden. Often the tour was not on Mother’s Day so I would get a card, the tickets for the tour, and then present that to my mother on Mother’s Day. I keep this tradition alive and honor my mom by taking a garden tour in May. Are you stumped? Do you have trouble coming up with ideas of things to do to honor mom? Let me come to your rescue with these 3 ideas. ### **Honor mom with gifts of service** Does your mom have a list of things she would like to change in her home? Maybe mom has talked about rearranging the furniture in the living room. I am not suggesting you go ahead and do this on your own. Mom would most likely want to be involved. You can, however, offer to be the muscle to make this happen. Offer to rearrange the furniture with her. Maybe mom would like to put out the patio furniture. You can offer to get out the patio furniture and wash it for her so that it is ready to use if the weather is such that she wants to spend time outside. Would your mom like to have the planters planted? Ask if you can take your mom to pick up some plants for her planters and then offer to help her plant them. ### **Honor mom with quality time spent together** The best conversations often happen when nothing much is going on. When you are just spending time being together. If you aren’t living with your mom, see if you can schedule some time together. Maybe invite your mom to visit you or you [schedule time](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-art-of-planning-and-scheduling-carving-out-time-for-yourself/) to visit mom. I know that planning a trip can be a major expense so if that is out of the question consider having a virtual meet up through Facebook messenger. I have a Facebook portal in the kitchen and love the spur of the moment short conversations that can happen with that devise. Do you know about the [Facebook Portal](https://store.facebook.com/portal/?utm_source=gg&utm_medium=ps&utm_campaign=6466155258&utm_term=facebook%20portal&utm_content=593162147017&utm_ad=74850662342&utm_location=9010944&utm_location2&utm_placement=kwd-391571568194&utm_device=c&utm_matchtype=e&utm_feed&utm_adposition)? It is simple and fun to use. My granddaughter, age 4, also uses it to call me. All she has to do is touch my picture on the screen. When I’m not using it to visit with my family, it scrolls through pictures that I have added to it. Maybe your mom would like to have one to make virtual visits easier. If you are lucky enough to live nearby, schedule lunch or dinner with your mom. ### **Honor mom with a thoughtful card** For some, it’s hard to put words together when you are in-person. If this is you, consider writing a lovely thoughtful card to tell the mom in your [life what she means ](https://dnqsolutions.com/when-someone-has-a-well-organized-life-what-does-that-really-mean/)to you. Taking time to put your thoughts on paper and then mailing them is a gift in and of itself. I love the cards I have received over the years. I admit, I have kept many of them because they were so special. This is the week, the week before Mother’s Day, to make your plans and decide how you will honor mom next Sunday. If you are stumped for ideas, I hope the ones I have presented here will spur you into action. *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** Mother's Day, Planning, spend time --- ### [Caring for Mom](https://dnqsolutions.com/caring-for-mom/) **Published:** May 8, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms out there. Your children may be adults, mine are, but they are still your children, and you are still a mom. And this, my friends, is what makes it hard for our children to care (as in take care of) for us. Do you watch the television show [This Is Us](https://www.nbc.com/this-is-us)? It is one of my favorite shows, rich in innuendo and subtext. Last week’s show presented a beautiful and thoughtful representation of the amount of work that goes into caring for someone whose mind is drifting away. Caring for mom is one of the hardest things a child has to do. After all, mom has traditionally been caring for you, the child. Putting the shoe on the other foot is not a simple task. There are, though, ways to make it easier. This is what I want to talk about today. ### **Start the Conversation** This is so hard. You don’t want mom to think that you think she is going downhill and losing her mind. How do you have a conversation about her wishes without making her think that you want her to change her way of life now? [Set yourself up for success](https://dnqsolutions.com/set-yourself-up-for-success-accomplish-your-goals/) by priming the pump. Let mom know that something is on your mind and that you’d like to have a [conversation](https://dnqsolutions.com/difficult-conversations-with-your-parents-why-they-are-necessary-how-to-have-them/) about it when she has a few minutes. This lets mom know that this is more than “will you babysit”. You don’t have to have all the answers and neither does your mom. It’s more important to pose the questions and then let them stew. Each of you can do a little research and then set aside time for another conversation. By the way, I’m singling out mom here, but this applies to dad, too. ### **Be Prepared** You and your mom may become a little uncomfortable with this topic. Let her know that caring for mom is one of the most important things you can do to reciprocate for all the care she has given you. Do a little research to [learn about things that your mom](https://dnqsolutions.com/legacy-of-organization-lessons-learned-from-mom-on-planning-scheduling-and-delegating/) can do now. You may get push back with a remark like “you don’t need to worry about me” or “you have more important things to think about”. Try responding with “I don’t want to worry about you, I want to make sure I know your wishes ”. The best time to have difficult conversations is when you are confident your mom is lucid and in control of her mental faculties. ### **Ask** Does your mom want to stay in her home? Is that financially feasible? If it is financially feasible, does it make sense? Could someone (a rotation of caregivers) stay at the house with your mom? Would she prefer to stay with you? How would your partner/spouse feel about that? ### **What Does Caring for Mom Look Like?** In the beginning it may be simple to attend to mom’s needs. It can become more complicated as time goes on. You may want to talk about the possibility of hiring someone to fix your mom’s meals, to go for walks with mom, to take her to appointments (other than medical ones which you would probably want to attend), and in general to keep your mom company. ### **What Can Mom Do Now?** Whether or not your mom stays in her [home she can start by downsizing ](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-downsize-your-home-without-all-the-drama/)her things. Make a project out of clearing closets, drawers, attic, basement, and garage. Remove everything she doesn’t need, use, or love. This includes all the little bits and pieces. You know, the bottom drawer of her desk where she may have stashed cards or letters. Doing this now means that you will not be tasked with this chore down the road. Encourage mom to do this with a friend, if she wants, or with a professional organizer. A trained professional organizer can make suggestions on ways to keep memorabilia so that she keeps with her the truly meaningful items. Have you heard of [Swedish Death Cleaning](https://www.thestar.com/life/2021/09/22/what-is-swedish-death-cleaning-and-why-are-its-adopters-finding-joy-in-decluttering-like-theres-no-tomorrow.html)? This is a real thing and no it is not morbid. It is a strategy for ridding your home of all the things you don’t need later in life so that your children do not have to do it once you have passed away. This conversation revolves around the home. There are other conversations to start and questions to answer. As a mom, if your adult child starts asking these questions have an [open mind](https://dnqsolutions.com/have-unexpected-positive-results-with-an-open-mind/) and work through the possibilities with them. Uncomfortable conversations often lead to great peace of mind. *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** Difficult conversation, professional organizer, The National Association of Productivity and Organzing Professionals --- ### [The Best and Most Important Reason to Update Documents](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-and-most-important-reason-to-update-documents/) **Published:** May 22, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Recently I have been writing about caring for mom. The ways in which an adult child can respectfully and diligently honor their mom’s wishes for the way in which she wants to live during the final chapters of her life. Today I want to look at all of this from a different perspective, my perspective. While I am not going to say I am old I will say that I am not young in age (though I am definitely young at heart). My goal, as the parent of young adults, is to make their lives as simple as possible when it comes to caring for me. It occurred to me that it is important to update documents my sons will need if ever I need their assistance. If you are young at heart but not in calendar years you may consider it time to update your documents, too. Alternatively, if you are an adult child you may want to ask your mom if she has these documents in place. If she does, who has copies? If she doesn’t, maybe she will begin this process. ### **What are the documents?** To begin with, I want to review the documents that are important to have in place. There are 5 of them. #### **Will** If you don’t have a will, it’s time to make one. [Here’s a website](https://www.ramseysolutions.com/retirement/how-to-make-a-will) to help you. It’s wonderful if you do. Now, when was the last time you updated it? A will needs to be updated when things or circumstances in your [life change.](https://dnqsolutions.com/prepare-for-change-so-youre-not-caught-off-guard-when-life-happens/) I know firsthand how important this is. My mother had a will. Then, she bought a second home in Florida. She decided to make her home in Florida her primary residence and [spent much of her time](https://dnqsolutions.com/time-spent-with-family/) there. However, she didn’t tell her attorney that was what she wanted. My mother didn’t update her will to reflect this change in primary residence. So, when she passed away, we (my brother and I were her executors) had to pay lots of extra taxes. You can avoid a big headache by updating your will as your circumstances or wishes change. #### **Medical Directive** A medical directive lets everyone know your wishes should you be unable to communicate. Much of this depends on your current health and your age. This is also the [reason is it important to update](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-to-update-your-will-now/) as your health may change as you age. The thing to think about is whether or not you want the doctors to go to extraordinary measures to keep you alive. Of course, we all want to live but sometimes there are other things to consider such as quality of life. Having a medical directive in place helps ensure your wishes will be adhered to. #### **Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare & HIPAA Release** In keeping with the Medical Directive the next document you need to have in place is the Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare and a HIPAA Release. This is really assigning a person to speak for you just in case you are not able to speak for yourself. Decide who will best communicate on your behalf. Because this person will also have a HIPAA Release the doctors will be able to tell them about your prognosis, share test results, and then they, knowing how you feel, will be able to communicate with the doctors. You will know who in your family or amongst your closest friends will be best able to represent you. Talk to them and ask if they will be willing to take on this responsibility. #### **Durable Power of Attorney for Finances** Have a similar document in place for your finances. Who do you trust to pay your bills on time, manage your investments, and in general look after your financial health if you are incapacitated? This person should have (or know where to look for) the passwords to your accounts and your computer. #### **Revocable Living Trust** This is the last document you may want to update. Legal Zoom gives this definition of a revocable living trust: *A revocable living trust is **a trust document created by an individual that can be changed over time**. Revocable living trusts are used to avoid probate and to protect the privacy of the trust owner and beneficiaries of the trust as well as minimize estate taxes.* It doesn’t take lots of time to update documents once you have them in place. I agree that setting them up to begin with takes thought and time. As with any project, I suggest breaking it down into small parts. Do some research. Think about who in your family could fill the roles described above. Write your questions down as they occur to you so that you maximize the time you spend with an attorney in creating these documents. The kicker here is that you may say to yourself something like I don’t need this stuff. I am young and healthy. Then something may happen. You may be in an accident or become ill. When that happens the most important thing to think about is getting better. ### **The best reason to update documents** The best [reason to create ](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-reason-to-create-an-evening-routine/)and update documents is to give yourself and your family peace of mind. Do this before you need them so that they are in place. Talk to your family members. Have the difficult conversations so that in the event they need to refer to these documents they know where to find them and are confident they are up to date. If you would like to know more about this, please [reach out to me here](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact). *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize*](https://releaserepurpose.com)*, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** Peace of Mind, Planning --- ### [How to Avoid Having Anxiety Over House Guests](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-avoid-having-anxiety-over-house-guests/) **Published:** June 5, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Summer is here and with it comes a sense of freedom and desire to go out visiting friends and family. The news is full of information about the best days to book airline tickets, the price of gasoline, and the fact that as many people are traveling as were pre-pandemic. As a professional organizer in Atlanta, I am often teaching how to organize your home so that it’s ready for guests. Does the thought of having [house guests ](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-tips-for-how-to-be-a-good-house-guest/)make you anxious? [When you take the time to organize and prepare](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-a-small-house-with-no-storage/) in advance you can avoid having anxiety over house guests. An added benefit is that you also get to enjoy the [time spent](https://dnqsolutions.com/time-spent-with-family/) with guests instead of scurrying around organizing. My son and his family recently visited me. It was a wonderful fun-filled visit. We went to the Atlanta Botanical Garden, the Farmer’s Market in Sandy Springs, and spent lots of time enjoying each other’s company. I admit all this was possible because I spent time organizing my home in advance of their visit. ### Tips to prepare and organize your home to avoid having anxiety over house guests #### **Organize the sleeping plan** My son, his wife, and their 18-month-old toddler slept in the bonus room at the top of my house. There’s no door on that room. The stairs are not carpeted and are a little steep, so I borrowed a gate to block off the stairs. The room has a large sofa bed and a full bathroom, and my son told me that he was bringing a portable mini crib for their toddler. Their 4-year-old daughter slept in the guest room. If the family coming to visit you includes young children think about what you need to do to keep them safe in your home. **Make the beds and [organize the bathrooms](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-bathroom-closet/)** Before everyone arrives put sheets on the beds and towels in the bathroom. Check to see there is extra toilet paper under the vanity and soap both by the sink and in the shower. Look in the closet to see if there are extra hangers in case your guest wants to hang up some clothes. If there is a chest of drawers in the room, see if there is space for a guest to unpack clothes. I also like to put little bouquets of flowers in the bedrooms. Because there was a toddler coming to my house, I looked around to see what I wanted to put out of reach in each bedroom. Then I put those things away. Avoid having anxiety over house guests, particularly little ones by removing things you don’t want them to break by accident. #### **Organize the activities** When people come to visit me, I like to leave the time relatively unplanned. Having said that, I always have ideas of things to do. As it happened, my son wanted to walk along the Beltline in Atlanta. He told me that in advance. We planned an afternoon to do that with the children. I wanted to go to the Atlanta Botanical Garden because there was a new exhibit which I thought the entire family would enjoy and they did! Since the weather was perfectly gorgeous, we also spent time just hanging out at the pool and local playgrounds. Think about the people coming to visit and things they may want to do. Also, consider the weather which is always unpredictable. Have ideas of things to do on rainy days as well as on lovely days. You can avoid having anxiety over entertaining your house guests if you have plenty of options up your sleeve. #### **Plan the meals** Get in touch with your guests before they arrive and find out what they like to have on hand in the kitchen for breakfast and lunch. This way you won’t be caught off guard when they ask you for avocado toast for breakfast. Also find out about any food allergies. I wrote my daughter-in-law and asked for a shopping list. One of the things she suggested I stock was avocados because everyone in their family loves avocado toast. Of course, she gave me some other must haves like milk for the toddler. I did some thinking about meals I could prepare in advance and freeze so that I would not be concerned about the time and wanting to get home to start prep for dinner. My son told me that everyone in the family loves pasta, so I made a tray of cannelloni and froze it. That worked like a charm. Look through your recipes to see if there is a meal or part of a meal that you can prepare in advance. [Organizing and preparing in anticipation of having people ](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-it-is-hard-to-stay-organized/)stay at your home helps to avoid anxiety over having house guests. You can be confident that they have a comfy place to sleep, things they may need in the bathroom, and meals to share. The best part is that you will enjoy the visit with your friends and/or family. Afterall, the point of the visit is to spend time with each other. I am so thankful for all the small moments, conversations that happened in the car, while taking a walk, or relaxing after dinner which I shared with my house guests. Use my tips to organize and prepare your home and avoid anxiety over having house guests. If you want more guidance, consider joining the [Clear Space for You clutter support group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) I run with Jonda Beattie. [*Diane N. Quintana*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies, Planning --- ### [7 Tips for How to Be a Good House Guest](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-tips-for-how-to-be-a-good-house-guest/) **Published:** June 12, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Recently I wrote about [how to get your home organized so that when house guests](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-avoid-having-anxiety-over-house-guests/) arrive you can enjoy them. I’m following that post up with 7 tips on how to be a good house guest. When you are staying in someone else’s house it is different from staying in a hotel where you can set yourself up the way you want to. ### **Some things to think about** In someone else’s home everyone may be sharing one or two bathrooms. You may be traveling up or downstairs to get to the bathroom. Remember to pack pjs. The place you are sleeping may also be a bonus room or family room turned into a bedroom for you temporarily. Where do you put your clothes and toiletries? Then again, you may have an ensuite [bathroom in a dedicated guest room with a closet ](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-bathroom-closet/)just for you and your accessories as you would (or maybe even better than) in a hotel. Sometimes you know what to expect because you have either stayed with this family before or your host has given you the details of where you will stay in their home in advance. When I visit my son and his wife in Seattle, I know I have a lovely room with an adjacent (just outside the room) bathroom that is shared with the family. I’m planning to visit my other son in Nevada in July. He has just [moved into a new home](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-for-a-move-to-a-new-home/), so I have no idea what to expect other than he says he has a place for me to stay. And then there are meals. If you are an early riser, do you just march into the kitchen, make the coffee, and help yourself to whatever is there? Let your host know in advance of any food allergies you or someone in your family may have so that they don’t inadvertently serve those ingredients. There is an art to being a good house guest. There are small things you can do so that your host will love having you stay and will be invited to return. ### **7 Tips for How to Be a Good House Guest** #### **Bring a small gift for your host** There’s no need to go overboard with a hugely expensive gift. If you like to bake, consider bringing cookies or a dessert if that’s practical. Ask yourself what your host may appreciate. Are they a wine lover? Perhaps either bring or send them a bottle of wine. Think of a small gift which won’t add to clutter (a consumable) that they might enjoy. #### **Have a small tote for your toiletries** Bring your toiletries to and from the bathroom. Leaving shampoo and conditioner in the shower just adds clutter when you are sharing a bathroom. Respect their space by removing things that belong to you from the bathroom as you leave it. Doing this will also keep your belongings near your suitcase so you won’t leave anything behind. #### **Unpack your bag** Unpack your bag even if there is no closet or no chest of drawers available to you. Make small, neat piles of your things to keep the room looking tidy. An added benefit is that your clothes won’t become wrinkled, and you will easily find what you are looking for. It’s so much easier to look through a small, neat pile of clothes than to dig through your suitcase. #### **Keep track of your things** Be sure to keep track of your things. If you are reading a hard copy book in the living room, bring it back to the room you are using at the end of the day. You don’t want to leave something behind and then have to ask your host to send it to you. #### **Offer to help** Offer to lend a hand in the kitchen, in the yard, or wherever you think a little help may be appreciated. However, if the host says ‘thanks but I’ve got it’ don’t insist on helping. Some people would really prefer to do things themselves. All you can do is make the offer. It may be accepted, or it may not be. Either way, your host will appreciate that you made the offer. #### **Strip your bed, fold your towels** Strip your bed and neatly fold your towels before you leave to go home. Your host will have work to do to clean up from your stay. Doing this chore for them is always welcome. #### **Write a thank you note** Take a few minutes when you get home to write a Thank You Note. It doesn’t have to be long. It can be very short and sweet. All you do is thank your host for allowing you to stay with them. Follow that up with a compliment about their home, a meal, or an event you attended with them. Put the note in an envelope, add postage, the address, and then mail it. Writing a thank you note is a small but thoughtful gesture acknowledging your host’s hospitality. Some people automatically know how to be a good house guest. If you are not one of those people use these 7 tips to help you make your stay as enjoyable for your host as it is for you. Are you planning a visit to a friend’s house? Would you like some help planning your visit? Jonda Beattie and I run a clutter support group called [Clear Space for You.](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) We have new groups starting in July and would love to help you plan your summer vacation. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize*](https://releaserepurpose.com)*, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** house guest, Organizing Strategies, Planning, summer vacation, thank you note --- ### [What is Your Reason to be Productive](https://dnqsolutions.com/what-is-your-reason-to-be-productive/) **Published:** June 26, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** The most common reason to be productive is to make money so we can fund our way of life. But are there other reasons for being productive? Or rather, are there other reasons for being continually doing something? My friend and colleague, Julie Bestry, has been writing recently about [Toxic Productivity](https://juliebestry.com/2022/06/20/toxic-productivity-part-2-how-to-change-your-mindset/). These blog posts have fascinated me. Julie always, in every article or blog post, provides lots of interesting background information and research. Are you wondering why I am writing about this? Well, I started thinking about my own [reason to be productive](https://dnqsolutions.com/reasons-you-are-more-productive-when-someone-is-helping-particularly-if-you-have-adhd/). I asked myself some questions. Am I a workaholic? Do I work too much? Does my quest to be [productive ](https://dnqsolutions.com/productive-things-to-do-while-you-wait/)come before anything else and to the point where I exclude things that are not productive? Am I being productive or am I just staying busy so that I have things to do? How does being organized help with productivity? As I work through the answers to these questions. I encourage you, as you read along, to think about your answers. #### **Being busy versus being productive** There is a distinct difference between being [busy and being productive.](https://dnqsolutions.com/be-more-productive-and-less-busy/) I can be busy all day long and accomplish little or nothing on my to-do list. When I am busy, I float from one task to the next and am usually avoiding a certain task. Having said that, being mindlessly busy allows my brain to mull over the problem I have encountered with the task I am avoiding. Typically, I resolve the problem and can then get started on the thing I didn’t want to do. I bet you can come up with all sorts of little things to do around your home to make it look like you are doing something when you are just avoiding something else. Don’t get me wrong. Doing those little tasks is being productive. Although, you may be doing anything but that which is on your list of things to do. There are some [days when I don’t feel](https://dnqsolutions.com/feeling-out-of-sorts-organize-your-day/) like doing anything productive. I find it best on those days to admit that it’s not a good workday and to put my energy into self-care. You can argue that taking time for self-care is another way to be productive because when you indulge in self-care you are better able to care for others. #### **Boundaries** As I pondered the first question, am I a workaholic, I realized that I spend an awful lot of time working. But I don’t think I am a workaholic. Something Julie wrote in response to another friend and colleague, Linda Samuels, was that weekends are not for work. What a novel thought! My weekends are often filled with work. Why? Well, frankly, many of my clients work during the week. So, if I am going to work for people who work Monday through Friday I must do so when they are not working. Having said that, I agree that there must be days when I don’t work. That brings me back to boundaries. I thought about how I can give myself non-working time. When you work for yourself, and you work from your home it’s easy to find work things to do unless you create boundaries and honor them. I made a promise to myself that I will only schedule clients on one Sunday and two Saturdays a month. The other weekend days will be days to rest, relax, and have fun. Then I promised myself two half-days at my desk. One day is for the business of running my business and the other is for the more creative work I do. The last boundary I created involves my work hours. I am a morning person. My best work is done early in the morning. So, I decided to end my office hours in the late afternoon/early evening. I admit, I sometimes stretch these boundaries when the reason is compelling enough. #### **Household Chores** Maintaining a clean and tidy home is another reason to be productive for me. I love seeing the clean surfaces and having my home smell fresh – and not like my adorable dog, Josie! I have a regular schedule for doing [household chores](https://dnqsolutions.com/sick-of-doing-household-chores-heres-how-to-get-more-done-with-less-resistance/) so that I do not spend a lot of time cleaning. And because I only do a little bit at a time it never becomes overwhelming. #### **Organizing and productivity** The final question was: does being organized help with productivity? The answer is a resounding YES! Being organized helps you be productive in every way. When your physical space is organized you can more easily organize your thoughts and your workflow. #### **My best reason to be productive** As I pondered these questions the thought came to me that I truly love being productive. Simply put, it makes me happy. Just like seeing those clean and clear surfaces in my home makes me happy, it makes me happy to think through the day that has been and acknowledge the many ways in which I was productive. This is one of the reasons the [clutter support group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) I run with Jonda Beattie is so popular. At the beginning of each session Jonda asks each participant to enumerate their wins. Voicing the ways in which they have made [progress towards their stated goal](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-make-progress-towards-your-goals/) makes each person proud of their accomplishment. I have concluded I am not just staying busy to have things to do, I am purposefully productive. Additionally, I am not a workaholic because I take time for self-care and to do things other than work. Do you have questions like these floating around in your head? Are you looking for ways to be more productive with your time, so you also have time for fun? Consider joining the [Clear Space for You clutter support group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) I run with Jonda Beattie. *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter, organizing, Productivity --- ### [Celebrating the 4th of July](https://dnqsolutions.com/celebrating-the-4th-of-july/) **Published:** July 3, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Are you celebrating the 4th of July? There are lots of different ways to celebrate when we are gifted with a 4-day weekend. Some people will travel and spend the weekend with friends and/or family. Others will participate in local parades or celebrations. Then there are those who will enjoy a quiet weekend alone. I was talking with a friend recently she said her husband and son are going on a fishing trip this weekend. My friend went on to say that she is going to celebrate and enjoy the [holiday weekend by doing things around the house](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-stop-procrastinating-around-the-holidays/) that she cannot do when her husband and son are home. She is going to enjoy the holiday weekend by checking some things that she wants to do off her list. ### **How are you celebrating the 4th of July?** Here in Sandy Springs, Georgia there is going to be a big festival event at the City Springs in the center of town. There will be music, food trucks and, I imagine, lots of people. Knowing the area, I bet parking will be a challenge. Information on the website asks people to come early, bring lawn chairs, and plan to stay awhile. The event starts in the late afternoon and ends with fireworks shortly after dark. #### **In the past** When we lived in Connecticut, we went to the festivities at the Belle Haven Club. There were games in the pool and on the beach for young children. Parents always stood around cheering their children on. In the late afternoon, families gathered at the waterfront for a wonderful cookout. There was also music and dancing. Fun was had by everyone – young and old. We lived in Bangkok, Thailand for three years and had lots of fun celebrating the 4th of July at the International School Bangkok (ISB). At the time (late 1970s – early 1980s) there was still a military presence in Bangkok. One of the best parts of the 4th of July party was the military band which came to play and entertain us. I was a first-grade teacher at ISB. My husband was there representing a U.S. bank. The American Embassy organized the party and held it at ISB because there was a large field at the school. Perfect for a large gathering. I don’t think there were fireworks to end the evening. Or, if there were, I don’t remember them. What I remember is being hot, tired, and happy listening to good music and helping the children enjoy the games. #### **Check your local paper** If you don’t know how you are going to be celebrating the 4th of July check your local paper for some inspiration. You don’t have to go out and do anything. You can be home and tune into beautiful fireworks displays from New York and probably from other places, too. #### **Staying home?** If you are staying home and enjoying a day of peace and quiet take a minute and revisit a few hotspots. Look at your bookcase. Are there any books stacked on the shelf waiting to be read? Decide if you’re going to read them. If you are not, put them in a donation box and plan a time to take them to a donation center. Assess your closet? Are there some summer clothes in there that you have already decided you’re not going to wear this year? Remove them from your closet and add them to your donation box. Is there a stack of paper beside your desk? Decide if they are waiting to be filed, shredded, or need some other action. Write your next step on the top of the page and then plan time (if not now) to follow through. How’s your pantry? Are the shelves in a mess? Set a timer and reorganize the shelves. Make good use of your day to do a couple little things which will free up space in your home. I hope you take the opportunity to either [celebrate solo ](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-celebrate-thanksgiving-day-solo/)or with friends. Have a very happy and safe 4th of July. *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC ](https://releaserepurpose.com)based in Atlanta, Georgia* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter, Planning --- ### [Getting Organized Can Be An Emotional Process: Top 3 Reasons To Do It Anyway](https://dnqsolutions.com/getting-organized-can-be-an-emotional-process-top-3-reasons-to-do-it-anyway/) **Published:** July 20, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Getting organized can be an emotional process. This is true even for people with very few things to organize. Some things that are in our homes just tug on our heart strings. We know we have no use for them, but we also don’t know what to do with them. It is even harder when emotions get in the way. Once that happens it is challenging to make progress. The logical information our brain needs to make informed decisions just doesn’t make it past those tough emotions. This stops us in our tracks. Even though it is tempting to avoid dealing with the clutter in our homes when we are feeling emotional, I am here to give you 3 solid reasons to do it anyway. Before I give you the top 3 reasons for getting organized anyway, I want to remind you that I am not a therapist. I am a certified professional organizer. So, these reasons are based on results I have seen from working with my clients. Also, this is first of several posts on this topic. Next week I will be naming the emotions that, as a professional organizer, I have seen get in the way as I work with clients to get organized. #### Getting organized is a personal process Getting organized is a personal process as well as an emotional one. You decide just how organized you want to be. Maybe you want the flat surfaces in your home to have very little on them or you may be a person that likes a bit of this and that around. Some people want their containers to be matching as well as labeled. Others are fine using mis-matched but perfectly functional containers that are also labeled. The way that works for you is the best way. If you are living in CHAOS (the can’t have anyone over syndrome) then you probably understand (maybe better than anyone else) what I’m talking about when I say that getting organized is an emotional process. CHAOS reigns when there is so much clutter in the home that you don’t want to open the door to a repair man. And you always meet your friends away from your home. ### **Here are the top three reasons to embark on this emotional process** #### **Reason #1: Create a peaceful atmosphere** When you start clearing the clutter you bring a more peaceful feeling to your home. Did you know that clutter shouts at you? Yes. It shouts that you have neglected to make a decision about what to do with this thing. Clutter, even though it is inanimate, can make you very emotional. You may be angry, sad, overwhelmed, grieving, or anxious to name a few emotions. Clutter lets you know that you did not do something. How does it do this? I am so glad you asked! It sits there out in the open waiting for you to do something. Clutter is a constant reminder. It’s waiting for you to throw it away, recycle it, put it away, file it, or display it. Simply put, clutter is the result of a delayed decision and/or action. Every time you see the pile, it is a visual reminder of actions you have avoided. Feel your feelings, acknowledge them, and then allow logic to take over. Decide how to deal with the clutter one small space at a time. It sounds simple but we all know it is not. Give yourself permission to intently focus on one small space at a time for very short periods of time. You will slowly create more and more space for yourself and bring a more peaceful vibe into your home. #### Reason #2: Have time for yourself As soon as you start removing the clutter from your home, space opens up. The more space that opens up the fewer reminders that are there waiting to shout at you. You are free to pay attention to yourself. It will be easier to clean the house because you will not be cleaning around piles of stuff. When your home is easier to clean, it takes less time which leaves you more time to do the things you want (or need) to do for yourself. #### Reason #3: Save time and money As you go about donating, tossing, or recycling the clutter you will discover things you want to keep. It can be like going on a treasure hunt! Find places to keep them that make sense to you. Then you will know where to find them (saving time) and you won’t be tempted to go out and repurchase the item (saving money). You may be thinking to yourself this is all well and good but what if I come across something that I don’t know what to do with. Maybe you are worried that if you get rid of it (toss, recycle, or donate) you will need it and then you will regret your action. This is where the problems begin. Emotions get involved and logic runs away. #### Emotions get in the way Acknowledge that getting organized is an emotional process then, give yourself permission to put those things aside that make you too emotional to think clearly. You may want to have a Pending Box. A place to put those things you don’t know what to do with or that you can’t release just yet. When you are feeling clear headed return to the Pending Box and decide when you will revisit the items the box contains. It’s totally up to you. Sometimes when you feel in control it’s easier to be more logical and less emotional. Once you understand that getting organized can be an emotional process but that the result is worth it, you will want to surround yourself with those who support your mission. Look for non-judgmental help in the form of a friend or a professional organizer. Both [NAPO](https://www.napo.net/) (the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals) and[ ICD](https://challengingdisorganization.org) (Institute for Challenging Disorganization) have directories. Search the directory for a professional organizer in your area. If you prefer to work on your own, consider [joining a clutter support group](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-compelling-reasons-to-join-a-virtual-clutter-support-group/). [Jonda Beattie](https://timespaceorg.com) and I run a clutter support group called [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/). We provide organizing advice and tips on breaking projects down into manageable steps. There are lots of options out there pick the one the suits you best and give it a try. *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter, Clutter support group, Institute for Challenging Disoganization, professional organizer, The National Association of Productivity and Organzing Professionals --- ### [5 Tips To Get Organized Without Losing It](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-get-organized-without-losing-it/) **Published:** July 31, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Almost everyone wants to be more organized than they are in one or more areas of their home or life. Sometimes people postpone, delay, or procrastinate organizing an area because it brings up too many emotions. They feel overwhelmed. We know that [organizing can be an emotional and difficult proces](https://dnqsolutions.com/getting-organized-can-be-an-emotional-process-top-3-reasons-to-do-it-anyway/)s. Is it possible to get organized without losing it and becoming a complete wreck? As a professional organizer, I’m here to tell you that, yes, it is possible to get organized without throwing a tantrum, dissolving in tears, or becoming so filled with emotion that you can’t do anything. ### **Think happy thoughts** One of the best things to do is conjure up Mary Poppins. Are you familiar with the song [“Spoon Full of Sugar”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k6o0WuaZOLo)? It is so true. Finding the fun in a job (even one you don’t want to do) makes it easier to tackle. Thinking positive thoughts or bringing a happy outlook to a situation makes it that much brighter. If the best thing to do to get organized is to be positive, the worst is to think that the project will never get done. Living in negative thoughts, beating yourself up for not doing what you know how to do or think you should do is counterproductive. When those nasty, negative thoughts begin to intrude or to knock on the door of your positive outlook turn them away. Mindfully stay the course even if you must sing the spoon full of sugar song at full volume as you work to get organized. Do what ever works to hold the more positive thoughts in place. ### **Identify your ‘why’** [Know from the outset your motivation to get organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-know-when-to-call-a-professional-organizer/). Are you organizing because you are constantly late? The problem is you can’t find your keys, your wallet, or the address of the appointment. Maybe you are getting organized to save money. You can’t find the things you want or need and so you buy replacements. Identify your reasons to get organized without losing it and then post them on your bathroom mirror, on the refrigerator, and any where else that you want to see them. If you like color, get some colorful poster board and write your reasons in big, bold print. Writing them down will help you remember them. The colorful poster board is just an added bonus. Seeing the reasons will help you stem the flood of tears when you begin to lose it because you are frustrated by the task at hand. ### **Have several, specific, and measurable goals** You know what the end goal is. Now break that goal down into several smaller, specific and measurable goals. Next, identify the steps to take to reach the first of those smaller goals. Finally, schedule time with yourself to do each one of those [small steps](https://dnqsolutions.com/small-steps-toward-change/). If the steps are small enough, you may be able to do one step in the morning and another in the evening. Congratulate yourself every time you complete one of the [steps toward ](https://dnqsolutions.com/small-steps-towards-change/)your stated goal. You are less likely to become anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed by an organizing task when the steps are small and easy to accomplish. Plus, working this way ensures that you will be successful. ### **Use a reward system** Congratulate yourself after you successfully complete each step along the road to your goal. When you reach a goal, [treat yourself with a reward.](https://dnqsolutions.com/reward-yourself/) I love rewards, don’t you? What do you want to work for? A lovely, organized space is a good reward but have something more personal also. Some people pay themselves. They assign a small dollar amount to each goal completed so that at the end, they have a pile of cash to purchase something on their ‘I want it’ list. Or you could treat yourself to lunch with a friend, time with a good book, a hike to a waterfall, a spa treatment, or anything else that strikes your fancy. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just make it meaningful. ### **Take a break to get organized without losing it** Work on your organizing project for short periods of time. Set a timer for 10, 15, or 20 minutes. When the timer goes off, walk away. Take a break. Stay focused on the one spot until that is done to your satisfaction. Please notice that I am encouraging you to be satisfied with **YOUR** efforts. If you need to take a break before the timer goes off, by all means, do so. When you feel yourself tensing up or you can’t decide what to do with Great-Aunt Suzie’s porcelain dog walk away. Give yourself time and space to settle. You can make a pros and cons list but honestly it all comes down to a few basic truths. If you love something, keep it. Do you use it? Keep it. Does this thing fill a need in your home? Also, keep it. When you get organized, you simplify your systems, so they are easy to use and the things you have in your home support you and the life you want to live. You can get organized without losing it. Use these 5 tips to help you. If you want more personalized guidance join the clutter support group, I run with Jonda Beattie. It’s called [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/). We start new groups at the beginning of every month. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC ](https://dnqsolutions.com)and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com) based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies --- ### [Feeling Sad After Decluttering? You're Not Alone](https://dnqsolutions.com/feeling-sad-after-decluttering-youre-not-alone/) **Published:** August 7, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Some people think that if they are living in a filled-up and cluttered home creating a well-organized home will automatically make them happier. In many cases, this is true. People are usually relieved that the over-abundance of things is gone. There is open space and things are put away. There’s very little clutter, so why are other [people feeling sad after decluttering](https://dnqsolutions.com/paper-decluttering-tips-for-people-with-mounds-of-paper-mail-documents/)? Since I am a professional organizer and not a therapist, I can only tell you what I have learned from my clients. ## 4 Reasons for feeling sad after decluttering ### **Change comes with mixed emotions** Anticipating change can be like riding a roller coaster. One minute you’re excited and happy thinking about the changes organizing your home will bring. Your things will have places in your home that make sense to you, and you will know exactly where to find them. You’ll have more time available because you won’t be continually hunting through the clutter to find a missing belonging. You also won’t get [stressed out because you’re having a hard time ](https://dnqsolutions.com/habits-help-to-ground-us-in-times-of-stress/)finding something important. You know you’ll save money because you won’t be running to the store to replace something you know you have but can’t find. Life is good, right? Well, then you get to the top of the roller coaster, the changes have been implemented, and the negative feelings start rushing in as the roller coaster plummets to the bottom of the ride. ### **There’s a whole range of negative emotions** Clients tell me that there’s a wide range of emotions they feel. They can be giddy one minute and then a little anxious or sad. We know that [organizing can be an emotional process](https://dnqsolutions.com/getting-organized-can-be-an-emotional-process-top-3-reasons-to-do-it-anyway/). We want organizing to be a strictly logical thing that happens, but we are not machines. People have emotions. Each person is different. Here are some of the negative feelings clients tell me they experience: **Guilt** (for letting go of Great-Aunt Suzie’s collection of porcelain dogs or anything else someone has given you) **anger** (at themselves for spending so much money on expensive things they didn’t use and are just donating to get rid of them) **anxiety** (what are they going to do with all that open space) **fear** (what if they can’t keep it this way) Then there is **sadness**. They wonder why they are [feeling sad after decluttering](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-when-you-feel-overwhelmed-by-a-task/). The clutter is gone. They tell themselves to feel happy, but they are not. In addition to feeling sad, sometimes a little depression mixes in. So, if this is you. You are not alone. ### **Decluttering and decision making is tiring** Once the decluttering is done, you can take a big sigh of relief and admit to yourself that decision making takes time and energy. Consciously making decisions is exhausting. You weigh the pros and cons and sometimes force yourself to make tough decisions based on logic rather than emotions. Some of the sadness comes as a natural let down from the high of anticipating all that change. People come to the realization that to keep the [home looking the way it does once the decluttering ](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-simplest-way-to-declutter-your-home/)is done requires ongoing maintenance. ### **Being organized is work** This is regular work. Mindfully paying attention to horizontal surfaces so that piles do not accumulate. Taking the blinders off and noticing when there is a collection of shoes by the door, magazines on a table, or receipts on the desk. As a professional organizer, I wish I could say that the organizing work always automatically sticks. But the truth is that to make it stick you must work at maintaining and/or modifying the organizing solutions you have in place. That thought can be a little depressing. It would be so nice if we could organize once and be done but we can’t. Why? You ask. Because living your best life means that there will be a mess here and there to clean up and put away. An organizing solution that once worked well may need to change again because something in your life has changed. Here’s my advice if you’re feeling sad after decluttering. Name the feeling and think through the reasons why you may be feeling this way. Usually this is a temporary feeling because once a person experiences the joy of being able to find their wallet, keys, glasses when they need them the discomfort and sadness evaporates. And then there is the satisfaction in knowing exactly where to return other items so they are easy to find. Even though people sometimes feel sad after decluttering for a little while most clients report that having an organized home brings them peace. That’s the goal. To create a peaceful atmosphere in your home so that you have a place to rest, relax, and recharge. If a peaceful home is something you are looking to create, [contact Diane](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter --- ### [Clutter and Anxiety: 5 Hacks To Keep Your Worries In Check As You Declutter Your Home](https://dnqsolutions.com/clutter-and-anxiety-5-hacks-to-keep-your-worries-in-check-as-you-declutter-your-home/) **Published:** August 14, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Does the mere thought of removing the clutter from your house fill you with anxiety? This is not an unusual phenomenon. Clutter and anxiety sometimes walk hand-in-hand. The [clutter in our homes](https://dnqsolutions.com/control-paper-clutter-in-your-home-feel-more-energized/) can make us anxious and then when we go to remove the clutter, we worry if we are doing the ‘right’ thing. It is one heck of a big catch-22. If this is something that haunts you, I have 5 hacks to share with you. Before I share my hacks with you, I want you to know that one of the most important things to remember is the ‘right’ way to do something is that which works best for you. This is particularly true when it comes to [organizing and removing clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/why-organized-clutter-is-a-step-in-the-right-direction/). I am repeating this because clients always ask me for the ‘right’ way to organize ———– (you fill in the blank). The ‘right’ way to [organize](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-way-to-conscientiously-organize-your-stuff/) is the way that works best for you. There is no hard and fast rule that says all clutter must be removed all at once. I think that would inspire anxiety in even the most even-tempered person. As professional organizers, we know that if a home is filled with clutter removing it all at once without making thoughtful decisions can inspire the homeowner to fill the house back up again. I ask you, what is the point of that? We are back to talking about this catch-22. You know you want to declutter your home, but decluttering makes you anxious, so you avoid it. The more you avoid decluttering, the more clutter accumulates, and the more anxious you feel. ### **Here are 5 hacks to help you break this vicious cycle of clutter and anxiety** #### **Hack #1: Do a brain dump** Write down every space that you want to declutter. Doing this exercise takes the information out of your brain (you don’t have to work on remembering this list of spaces). Once you have a list, decide which space to work on first. You don’t have to do them in any particular order. In fact, you may want to tackle an area that is not so cluttered to avoid becoming overly anxious. Enjoy the success of organizing an easy small space. Which space is so full of clutter that it brings you anxiety just thinking about it? You may want to address this area last. #### **Hack #2 Work with a trusted person (friend or professional organizer)** Decluttering your house can be easier if you work with a trusted friend or a professional organizer. Professional organizers are objective. They have no connection to you or your belongings and so can help you make thoughtful, and logical decisions. They can help you work through the things that may worry you. A trusted friend can also help you. The fact that they know you well and know some of your history may be an advantage. #### **Hack #3 Create some rules to follow to reduce clutter and anxiety** Rules can be very helpful. Decide which rules you will follow and then write them in big, bold print on your favorite-colored poster board. This makes them easy to refer to for you and anyone else with whom you may be working. Some sample rules may be: 1. If something is broken, toss or recycle it 2. If something is missing parts, toss or recycle it 3. If something is still in a box, donate or sell it 4. If you do not ever want to display something because you dislike it, donate or sell it 5. Recycle any magazines more than 6 months old 6. Donate or sell clothes that are too big or too small For instance, if something was a gift that has not seen the light of day (in other words, is still in the box) you may hesitate to let it leave your house. I guarantee you a professional organizer will advise you to either donate or sell that item. Maybe your grandmother, aunt, or mother used to display a porcelain vase on their mantle. It’s now yours. Just looking at this vase (which is at the back of a [top shelf in a closet](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-top-3-benefits-of-organizing-your-closet-plus-tips-tools-to-use/)) gives you anxiety. You worry that donating it is the wrong thing to do. A trusted friend or a professional organizer will tell you that if you don’t love it, you don’t have to keep it. #### **Hack #3 Tackle only one small space at a time** Keep your anxiety at bay by working in one very small space at a time. You can even decide to tackle just one drawer or one cupboard or even one shelf in a cupboard. #### **Hack #4 Work for short periods of time** Declutter your home for short periods of time. Set a timer for 10 minutes. You will be amazed by how much you can accomplish in just 10 minutes. Gather your supplies before you begin to declutter. You will probably want a trash bag, a box to hold recycling, and another box for things that don’t belong in that space. Now you’re ready to begin. Start the timer and declutter the small space in which you have decided to work. Stop when the timer goes off and evaluate your progress. Are you finished? Do you have just a little more to do? How do you feel about it? If you are ready to stop, then walk away. It’s better to stop when you are ready than to push yourself into feeling anxious. Maybe you can work for another 5 minutes to finish this one space. Or, if you are feeling great about the work and this success has motivated you to do more decluttering go for it. Decide where to work next, gather your supplies, and do another 10-minute decluttering session. This deck of cards: [Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools/) provides step-by-step instructions for decluttering one small space at a time. Use these cards for inspiration if you don’t know where to begin. #### **Hack #5 Reward yourself** I always work better when I know why I am doing something and if there is something in it for me. Set yourself up for success by identifying why it is important to declutter your home. Post your personal reason somewhere visible. Then reward yourself every time you complete a decluttering session. Give yourself time reading a book. Indulge yourself with an ice cream sundae. Sit and watch the grass grow. Do something just for you to reward yourself. Continue scheduling these short decluttering sessions until the clutter in your home is reduced to your satisfaction. Use these 5 hacks to help you as you work to break the vicious clutter and anxiety cycle. If you want to tackle decluttering your home on your own without a trusted friend or a professional organizer by your side but would like additional guidance, join the [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) clutter support group. This is a group I run with Jonda Beattie. We start new groups every month. *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter, Organizing Strategies, professional organizer --- ### [When Someone Has A Well-Organized Life, What Does That Really Mean?](https://dnqsolutions.com/when-someone-has-a-well-organized-life-what-does-that-really-mean/) **Published:** August 21, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Having a well-organized life does not mean that nothing is ever out of place because that would be boring. Honestly, if you ask ten people what it means to have a well-organized life and you will most likely get ten different answers. I will answer what this means to me personally as well as what it means to me as a professional organizer. ### Here are the 5 key components to a well-organized life #### 1. **Routines to follow** Someone with a well-organized life has routines to follow that allow them to close the loop with their chores. This does not mean that their laundry is always done or that the dishes are never sitting in the sink. It means that the pile of laundry never gets so big that it is overwhelming, and that dishes, pots, and pans don’t explode out of the sink and onto the adjacent counters. These chores are done regularly. Groceries are put away if not immediately then shortly after they come into the house. Bags of things, magazines, and mail have places to land so that they are not here there and everywhere around the house. #### 2. **Systems to rely on** Life is never static. Things change. There are many things that can happen in a [person’s life](https://dnqsolutions.com/6-gifts-for-the-organized-person-in-your-life-that-they-will-truly-appreciate/) to upset the applecart. In my experience, when the person is living a well-organized life to begin with the [life changing](https://dnqsolutions.com/prepare-for-change-so-youre-not-caught-off-guard-when-life-happens/) events only temporarily upset the applecart. They rely on their [organizing systems to factor the life changing](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-successfully-cope-with-unexpected-events-stay-organized/) event into the mix. Here’s an example: A couple has a new baby. This is cause for celebration and a restructuring of all their familiar routines. There is significantly more laundry to do, bottles to wash, garbage to take out, and baby paraphernalia to put away or organize. The mail piles up (email and snail mail). For a time, the couple will have trouble keeping up with the multitude of new chores. This couple loved their well-organized life and work together to create new systems. This sounds like a simple fix, but it is not. It takes dedication and a true desire to have a well-organized life once again. Moving house whether you move down the street, across the country, or across the world also creates havoc and necessitates new systems. But once those new systems are re-created, familiar routines fall into place, and [organization is back in your life.](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-when-you-are-overwhelmed/) #### 3. **An understanding of how much is enough** Homes become filled up and overflowing with stuff when there is confusion over how much is enough and how to release things you are no longer using. A death in the family is another one of those life changing events which upset the applecart. When my mother passed away, I helped my siblings empty her home. We all (there are 5 of us) took home furniture, china, and artwork. All of us wanted things in our homes to remind us of our mother. Some of these were sentimental items and some were useful. I had to make many decisions when all that stuff arrived in Atlanta. How was I going to factor these things into my well-organized home? What was I going to release to make room for these things? Was I keeping everything or could some of this stuff merely pass through my home? These were tough decisions. In the end, my husband and I rearranged some of our furniture. Our son took a few pieces to his apartment. I took a second look at some of the things I saved and then took them to Goodwill so that someone else could love them. Everyone has their own tolerance level for how much is enough. To create a well-organized life, you need to know how full you want your home and your day. #### 4. **What is important** Identify what is important to you. Everyone has some control over how they spend their time. Routines to follow help get chores done. Your job dictates some of your work hours. The remaining time is yours to spend. A well-organized life is a life that allows for flexibility to accommodate time for the unexpected, time for friends and family, and time to just be. This is not to say that it’s perfect or perfectly organized. A person with a well-organized life knows what is important to them and does their best to honor the important people and things in their life. #### 5. **A desire for a peaceful atmosphere** Above everything else there is a desire for a peaceful atmosphere. I believe that most people are looking for peace. Peace in their homes and a schedule that allows for peace. Having a well-organized life means that you work to maintain the organization in your home and in your daily schedule. This does not mean that your time is planned down to the second. It means that you work to remove busyness so that you have time for you and those you care about. I believe I have a well-organized life. Yes. There are times when I am crazy busy and times when the organization in my home is out of whack, but I stick to my routines, follow my systems, and I know what is important to me. Doing these things allow me to bring a peaceful atmosphere back into my home and my schedule. [Call me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) to schedule a consultation if you want to create a well-organized life for yourself. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies --- ### [How To Organize Your Life When You Are Overwhelmed](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-when-you-are-overwhelmed/) **Published:** August 28, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** It’s hard to imagine that you can EVER organize your life when you are feeling overwhelmed by all that you need to do. Everything in your life may feel equally important. Many things and people may be virtually (and actually) shouting for your attention. You may have lots of thoughts running around in your head that you keep telling yourself are important. Some of these may involve multi-step projects to complete, errands to run, chores, emails, etc. It’s probably exhausting you to keep remembering to remember. As a professional organizer I am here to tell you it’s possible to organize your life when you are overwhelmed. The good news is that when you do these things that horrible [overwhelming feeling](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-when-you-feel-overwhelmed-by-a-task/) will most likely subside. ## **Here are 6 things to do to organize your life** #### 1. **Do a brain dump** Get a spiral bound notebook and write down every little thing that is on your mind. Do not [pay attention ](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-3-best-reasons-to-pay-attention-to-your-bed/)to the order. This is a brain dump. The purpose is to take the things you are working to remember off your mind and to capture them on paper. Write down great ideas you have as well as single-step tasks, multi-step projects, errands, future travel plans and anything else that occurs to you. Putting these ideas on paper (or in an electronic document) takes them off your mind giving you space to think about what you CAN do now. #### 2. **Identify what you want to do first** Once you have written everything down go back and review the brain dump list. Select one thing as your number 1 priority for today. Be kind to yourself and pick something you are confident you can do today. You want to give yourself success. This is particularly important when you are overwhelmed. Make it easy. If you are decluttering focus on tossing trash. Now is not the time to be environmentally conscious and observant. Once you feel less overwhelmed it is easier to pay attention to recycling. If there is so much [clutter that there is chaos](https://dnqsolutions.com/beyond-the-chaos-navigating-clutter-through-the-virtual-support-group/), the first objective is to reduce the amount of clutter and to give yourself success. Success breeds success. Starting and finishing a task will encourage you to tackle another item on your list. Slowly but surely, you will work your way through this brain dump list. This is how you begin to organize your life. #### 3. **One situation at a time** Focus on only one situation at a time. Give that situation your full attention. For example, if the dishes are spilling out of the sink, the children are arguing, the phone is ringing, and the timer on the oven is going off employ a triage mindset. You are not going to be able to deal with everything at the same time. First take the item out of the oven and turn it and the buzzing timer off. Press the auto-message on your phone to let the caller know you’ll call back later. Settle the children’s argument – it could be they are just hungry. So, either give them a snack or engage them by having them help you get the meal ready. Lastly, everyone can help with the dishes and pots and pans to clear the overloaded sink. When you have a minute, look at your phone, and decide when you will return that call. #### 4. **Learn to say no** Some people become overwhelmed because they have a hard time saying ‘no’. They think to themselves, ‘I can do that, it won’t take too much time.’ When you keep adding the small tasks for other people onto what you need to do for yourself you end up giving away your flex or free time which leads to overwhelm. If saying ‘no’ to someone is hard for you substitute it with ‘let me check my calendar’. If it fits into your schedule and is a realistic task, then go ahead and say ‘yes’. But if it is going to be hard for you to accommodate because of an already full schedule feel free to say ‘no’. #### 5. **Organize your life and set realistic expectations** I always advise my clients to use the SMART acronym when they are setting expectations. SMART stands for Specific Measurable Achievable Realistic and Timely. The idea is to be realistic in what you expect of yourself. What can you do? Is it better, easier, and more realistic to delegate some things to other people? Break projects down into the smallest measurable steps so that they are achievable. This also makes them realistic. Look at your day and the time you have available. Then [schedule time](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-art-of-planning-and-scheduling-carving-out-time-for-yourself/) to work on that one task. Remember focus on one thing at a time. #### 6. **Take care of yourself** As you set out to organize your life remember to take care of you. It’s easier to become overwhelmed when you are sleep deprived, dehydrated, and hungry. Get a good night’s sleep, drink plenty of water during the day, and eat healthily. Interestingly, there is a connection between [your stomach and your brain](https://www.health.harvard.edu/diseases-and-conditions/the-gut-brain-connection#:~:text=The%20brain%20has%20a%20direct,send%20signals%20to%20the%20gut.). Work for short periods of time. You will be amazed by what you can accomplish when you focus on one task for just 10, 15, or 20 minutes. Review your brain dump list daily or weekly. Remember that life isn’t static. You will be adding things to the brain dump list. The difference is that now you know where to put all these thoughts, ideas, and to-dos so that they get done by you or delegated. If you would like to have an accountability partner, consider joining the [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) virtual support group I run with Jonda Beattie. New groups start at the beginning of every month. [*Diane N. Quintana i*](https://dnqsolutions.com)*s a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies, overwhelming --- ### [Help Diane, Why Can't I Stay Organized?](https://dnqsolutions.com/help-diane-why-cant-i-stay-organized/) **Published:** September 10, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I often have clients reach out to me with this question. They say that they know how to organize. Sorting, recycling, tossing, and even putting things away is not a problem for them. [Organizing skills are not a problem ](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-strategies-notice-the-problem-and-change-the-story/)for them and so they ask, “*why can’t I stay organized*?” The answer is simple. Organized is not a destination, it is a state of being. People think that they can organize a space once and that it is done. The fact is that it is never done for more than a day. That is unless you don’t use the space, even then it still needs to be cleaned from time to time. Let’s unpack this. ### **3 reasons you can’t stay organized** #### 1. **No regular routine or schedule for getting things done** When you don’t have a regular routine or schedule to maintain the organization in your home it can quickly become disorganized, especially if you have children. Life gets busy. Things are put down, for now, instead of being put away. You think inside your head that you will do it later or that it will take too much time to do now. I get that. But unless you decide when you are going to do that task (put whatever away) it will not happen. #### 2. **Wear blinders** We are so accustomed to things in our homes that we sometimes truly don’t see things that are right in front of us. Close your eyes, keep them closed, and then describe out loud the things that are in the room with you. Now, open your eyes and look around. What did you forget? Are there some little things here and there that you didn’t describe because they should not be there? We wear blinders in our homes and often don’t see things that are out of place. #### 3. **Unfinished tasks, chores, or jobs** There are always chores to do in a home. Sometimes we can’t [stay organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-it-is-hard-to-stay-organized/) because a chore has been left partly done. I’m thinking about 3 household jobs in particular. They are the laundry, the dishes, and the trash/recycling. Maybe the laundry is still in the dryer or in a basket. It is partly done because it is not put away. There may be dishes or pots and pans in the sink waiting to be washed. Perhaps the dishes in the dishwasher are clean and now it need to be emptied. Then there is the trash and the recycling bin. They need to be emptied when they are full. Sometimes these jobs get partly done and then we are pulled away to do something that seems more important or time-sensitive in the moment. We forget to go back and finish the job. ### **Remedy to stay organized** #### 1. **Develop a maintenance plan** In days gone by we used to assign different tasks to a day of the week. Monday was the day we changed the sheets, Tuesday was the day we did the laundry, and so on. I still do this to a certain extent. When you have a maintenance plan set up to ensure your home stays clean, it can also stay organized. The very nature of going in and cleaning a space means that you are going to look at everything in the room. If as you are cleaning you remove anything that doesn’t belong in that room and put away the things that do belong, the room will stay organized. Create a room cleaning rotation schedule so that you spend time cleaning, organizing, and evaluating the things that are in each room of your home. Set up a room cleaning schedule that works for you and your family. #### 2. **Take off the blinders** If you see something out of place in your home, pick it up, and do something with it. Is it a glass left on a table? As you are walking through the room, pick it up, and carry it to the kitchen sink. Teach your partner, your children, and anyone else in the home to do the same thing. Do plates, bowls, cutlery, and glasses get left beside beds? Let the members of your family know that these things must make their way to the kitchen and get washed or put in the dishwasher. Maybe there is a stack of catalogues or magazines on the coffee table. Decide how long you are willing to let them sit there. Recycle the catalogues you know no-one is going to order from and only hold onto magazines for a cycle or two. Do you take off your shoes in your home? Decide on how many pairs of shoes per person can stay by the door. Have a place to corral the shoes neatly so they don’t become a tripping hazard. #### 3. **Tasks, chores, and jobs** My belief is that everyone who lives in the home is responsible for helping to maintain the organization in the home. Everyone can do chores. The youngest and the oldest among us can always do something to help. Even when it isn’t an assigned job. It’s easier to get tasks, chores, and jobs done when everyone pitches in. There’s a certain amount of pride in jobs well done – even though you know in 24 hours or less they will have to be done again. Build that sense of responsibility and pride in your children by inviting them to help with chores. They can empty the dishwasher, take out the trash, and fold and put away the laundry. This will not only teach them how to organize it will also help you stay organized. Remember that when you have that sinking feeling that disorganization has taken over your home, close your eyes and assess the situation. Did you put things down, instead of putting them away? Are the horizontal surfaces covered with paper, magazines, and catalogues? Do the household chores need to be finished? Next open your eyes and create a plan for tackling each space, one small area at a time. If you would like more tips and strategies to stay organized in your home join the [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) virtual clutter support group. *[Diane N. Quintana ](https://dnqsolutions.com)is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies --- ### [6 Gifts For The Organized Person In Your Life That They Will Truly Appreciate](https://dnqsolutions.com/6-gifts-for-the-organized-person-in-your-life-that-they-will-truly-appreciate/) **Published:** September 18, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Have you started your holiday shopping? No? With the holidays looming (as of the writing of this post there are 98 days until Christmas) it’s a good idea to begin now. Some people are harder to buy for than others. I did a little searching online and came up with these 6 gifts that the [organized person in your life](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-when-you-are-overwhelmed/) may truly appreciate. I bet you will like one or more of them. ### Here are 6 gift ideas for the organized person in your life that they will use and truly appreciate. #### 1. **Keep your car organized** There’s little worse than having filled grocery bags and knowing that they are going to tip over in the trunk of your car or SUV. This trunk organizer will keep the grocery bags upright. The bread won’t get squash and the eggs won’t get broken. Another great feature of this trunk organizer is that it folds flat when not in use. It is also budget friendly as it retails at Office Depot for just $21.19. Of course, there are other uses for this great trunk organizer. Transporting plants, baked goods to school, school projects, and snacks for the team. I’m sure you can think of people who will appreciate a gift like this. Trunk Organizer [Honey-Can-Do SFT-01166 Folding Trunk Organizer](https://www.officedepot.com/a/products/143618/Honey-Can-Do-Folding-Trunk-Organizer/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&mediacampaignid=71700000094453747_17268530076&gclid=CjwKCAjwg5uZBhATEiwAhhRLHoUMFZNWyumRbX91UY7JjbpNpponl6FoRBrjOugeo9oie9DTWwnDixoC25MQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) $21.19 ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/09-18-2022-Picture1.png "| DNQ Solutions")#### 2. Tire gauge and inflator Have you ever been ready to go somewhere and discovered that one or more of your tires needs to be inflated? That happens to me when the weather changes. You know when it all of a sudden becomes chilly in the morning. I have a little machine similar to this one. This one is better because it has a digital read out of the tire pressure and you can set it to inflate up to a certain psi. It comes in so handy, not just for car tires but also for bike tires and children’s inflatable toys. In my case, grandchildren’s inflatable toys. [Tire gauge and inflator](https://www.amazon.com/Digital-Compressor-Portable-Inflator-Light/dp/B07YC12FW1/ref=asc_df_B07YC12FW1/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=385644192904&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3120858286011957362&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010944&hvtargid=pla-840523932405&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=77759986959&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=385644192904&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3120858286011957362&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9010944&hvtargid=pla-840523932405) $27.99 ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/09-18-2022-Picture2.png "| DNQ Solutions")#### 3. Save time and money This little deck of cards can save you time and money. Yes! It really can. Are you wondering how? Good, because I’m going to tell you. It will save you money by helping you maintain the spaces in your home. When the cleaning people arrive, they will be able to do their job more efficiently because there will be less stuff for them to move before they get down to their job of cleaning the room. It will save you time because you will spend only 10 minutes tidying and organizing one small space at a time giving you more time to spend doing something fun. Give this deck of cards to the [organized person](https://dnqsolutions.com/incorporate-your-personality-into-the-organization-of-your-home/) in your life to help them maintain their home more efficiently. [Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time deck of cards](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools) $19.99 ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/kitchen-v2-1024x912.png "| DNQ Solutions")#### 4. Portable File Tote If your work is now split between time in your home office and time in the official work office a great gift may be a lovely portable file tote. This tote will keep the [documents you need to have at your fingertips perfectly organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-to-organize-documents-on-file/), easy to transport, and ready for you to use when you get where you are going. There is also a place for your phone and a pen. And it comes in a nice range of colors. This tote is available at [Levenger](https://www.levenger.com/home-office-22549/desk-organizers-22555/portable-file-tote-16376.aspx?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=GoogleFeed&utm_content=All&utm_campaign=GoogleFeed&gclid=CjwKCAjwg5uZBhATEiwAhhRLHqxymOcOeW8sDD1fJOn4qBXKQV_nTfz6Wpr8fthfhy-zGbgSxf0ahBoCbXoQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) for $69.00. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/09-18-2022-Picture3.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")#### 5. A new kind of journal This next gift is for the person who makes lots of lists and has small scraps of paper in different places around the house. It is a journal called: *[My List Simplified](https://releaserepurpose.com/journal/)* $25.00 This journal has places for the organized person to capture all these lists, plans, and ideas in one place. It has a page called *Check Your Calendar* dedicated to capturing and corralling all the various lists that people keep on scraps of paper and a page specifically for notes related to the lists. This Calendar page is on the left-hand side and the Notes page is on the right-hand side. It is a spiral bound journal that will lay flat when open. The Calendar page has a place to add 3 quick wins and has 6 other sections: errands, appointments, household tasks, calls to make, things I am thinking about, and future plans/projects. Use this page every day, set it up for the week, or use it sporadically. **What makes this planner different?** There are no dates in this journal. You determine the date and day for each Calendar page. It is a “forever journal”. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Journal-Social-Media-1-1-1024x1024.png "| DNQ Solutions")#### 6. Handbag Holder I don’t know about you, but I generally put my handbag on the front passenger seat when I am by myself or on the floor behind the driver if I have a passenger in my car. It can be a pain to try and get something (like my sunglasses) out of my handbag when it is sitting on the floor behind me. This holder provides a place for your purse or handbag between the seats. I thought it was a brilliant idea. It can also hold a box of tissues and other assorted necessary items. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/09-18-2022-Picture4.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Honestly, I sourced gifts that I will be purchasing for all the organized people in my family, so I hope they are not reading this post. I always look for gifts that I am positive will not become clutter and will be used. All the gifts in this post fit that metric. I hope one or more of them strike your fancy and that this list will help you with your holiday shopping. *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies, time management --- ### [3 Steps To Purge Decorations You No Longer Use For The Holidays (Any Holiday)](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-steps-to-purge-decorations-you-no-longer-use-for-the-holidays-any-holiday/) **Published:** September 25, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** We are about to enter that time of year when some people decorate the inside and outside of their homes with seasonal decor. It seems we hit the pause button on seasonal decorations during the summer but once the temperature starts to drop it’s time to decorate again. Like everything else in your house it’s a good idea to only keep the decorations that you truly love and to purge decorations that you don’t use. ## Here are 3 steps to take to purge decorations you no longer want to use ### 1. **Find the decorations** Find all the [holiday decorations](https://dnqsolutions.com/10-tips-for-stress-free-holiday-decorating/) you have stored in your home. Look in the basement, attic or garage and pull out any container or bin that has [holiday decorations](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-put-away-our-holiday-decorations/) saved inside. Do you have holiday read aloud [books stashed somewhere on a bookshelf](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-books-without-a-bookshelf/)? Are there holiday themed placemats or tablecloths mixed in with your other table linens? Remember to look in the kitchen cupboards for any holiday related mugs, cups, glasses, plates, or platters. Your mission is to pull together all the various and sundry holiday decorations from all over your house. ### 2. **Sort the decorations** The next step is to sort the decorations. First sort them by holiday. Then go through the decorations for each individual holiday – one holiday at a time. It’s easier to purge decorations when you are only deciding what to keep and what to release for a single holiday. Decide which ones you think you will use this year. When the [holiday rolls around](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-stop-procrastinating-around-the-holidays/), you may reevaluate the decorations you have set aside to use. #### **Ask yourself these questions as you sort the decorations:** Are there any decorations you don’t want to use because they are either broken, too shabby looking, or you don’t like anymore? Set those aside. Are there decorations you still like but will not use this year? Put those decorations in a different pile. ### 3. **Purge decorations you no longer use** The final step is to evaluate the decorations you have set aside. If the decorations are broken toss or recycle them. No one else will want broken decorations. But if the decorations are merely a little long in the tooth or those you no longer like, go ahead and donate them. This is the time of year when people are actively looking for decorations. Yours may feel old to you but they are new to someone else. It can be difficult to purge decorations that you have used for years, maybe decades. Some of them probably pull at your heart strings. I know I have a few remaining decorations that my children made for me when they were in kindergarten. That was easily 30 years ago. However, I know that every year as I am thinking about decorating my house for the holidays, I purge decorations that are either broken or no longer speak to me. If you would like guidance or accountability as you purge decorations for your home, consider joining the [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) virtual clutter support group I run with Jonda Beattie. [Contact Diane ](https://dnqsolutions.com)for more information. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies --- ### [How To Declutter Your Christmas Decorations Without Getting Lost In Sentiment Or Guilt](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-declutter-your-christmas-decorations-without-getting-lost-in-sentiment-or-guilt/) **Published:** October 2, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Decluttering Christmas decorations can truly difficult. Some decorations were probably gifted, some made by your children, and still others may represent a vacation you took. Having said this, most of your Christmas decorations are probably connected to a memory in some way. When you go to pull out these decorations instead of seeing them as they are we almost always view them through rose-colored lenses. We look past the flaws of their age and see them in the light of the memory they bring to the surface. It is a challenging task to declutter your Christmas decorations without traveling down memory lane or thinking about the person who gave you some of the décor. ## **Here are some tips to declutter your Christmas ornaments** ### **Make some rules to follow** #### **One of my rules is that if it is broken or falling apart, I will let it go** Last year I finally tossed (Yes. I said tossed) an ornament my son made for me. He was in second grade at the Singapore American School. This ornament was made on the lid of a plastic container and had his picture wearing a Santa hat on it. I can still see it in my mind’s eye. It was adorable when he first gave it to me several decades ago but now it is falling apart. Time to let it go and my rule gave me permission. I also put the tree topper in the trash and gave myself an assignment to find another special something to put on the top of my tree. The one I let go had been the one my mother used for as long as I can remember. Letting this angel go was truly difficult. She was broken. Her wings had come off several years ago. Now her skirt was ripped, and she was not looking at all beautiful. Did I feel guilty? Yes! This angel brought back memories of my father placing her on top of our tree. I know, though, that if my parents were alive neither one would think twice about tossing this [decoration because it was no longer in good shape](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-steps-to-purge-decorations-you-no-longer-use-for-the-holidays-any-holiday/). That thought brought me right back into the present and the angel into the trash. #### **Another rule I follow is that if I don’t love the decoration, and it is in good shape, I will donate it to GoodWill** When I was teaching school, my students often gave me Christmas decorations as gifts. I always used the ones they made me – at least for one season. The parents sometimes bought an ornament or other décor as a gift. If it didn’t fit in with my other decorations or if I didn’t love it, I gave it away. Make your own rules to declutter your Christmas decorations, write them down, and then follow them. If you have trouble following your rules by yourself, my next tip may help you. ### **Ask a trusted friend for help** Only ask a friend who will tell you what they truly think, not what they think you want to hear. Share your rules with your friend. Then as you pull out your decorations and begin the decluttering process have your friend help you make decisions. Think about your decorations. Do they fit your current lifestyle? Have you moved recently? Maybe your Christmas decorations looked great in your other home and not so great in this home. ### **Are you feeling guilty because the decorations are expensive to replace?** Maybe you can sell them. Now is the time of year when people are looking for and buying [holiday decorations](https://dnqsolutions.com/10-tips-for-stress-free-holiday-decorating/). Ask your friend’s opinion. Perhaps you can recoup some of your cost. Another question to answer is how much does it cost you to keep something you don’t like and will not be using? Decorations take up space. Do you have lots of storage space? Then it’s not a problem. If one of the reasons you want to declutter your Christmas decorations is to consolidate them and save space, then go ahead and sell or donate the ones you no longer want. ### **What is your reason to declutter your Christmas decorations?** Perhaps the most important thing to consider as you begin to declutter your Christmas decorations is your reason. Why do you want to do this? Answer this question. Be confident in your response. When you are comfortable with your reason for taking on this task it is not as challenging. Sure, your rose-colored glasses may get in the way from time to time. If they do, sit in the memory, and then make your decision to keep the decoration or let it go. If you decide to keep a decoration that you have trouble letting go you can always revisit this decision next year as you decorate for Christmas. The virtual clutter support group, [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/), I run with Jonda Beattie is a wonderful accountability partner. If you want to declutter your Christmas decorations by yourself and would also like some accountability, we are available. New groups start at the beginning of each month. [*Diane N. Quintana*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter, Organizing Strategies --- ### [The Best Way To Declutter Holiday Photo Cards](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-way-to-declutter-holiday-photo-cards/) **Published:** October 9, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Recently I wrote about [decluttering Christmas decorations](https://medium.com/@dnqsolutions/how-to-declutter-your-christmas-decorations-without-getting-lost-in-sentiment-or-guilt-c0f606c87eaf) and shared some tips to undertake this task without getting lost in sentiment or guilt. A reader posted a comment asking what to do about the holiday photo cards. Here are my best strategies to help you declutter holiday photo cards. Let’s admit up front that decluttering photos is a difficult process under any circumstance. These holiday photo cards are sometimes even more difficult. Typically, it is a photo of the family. In recent years, I’ve received cards that have a collage of pictures documenting the family’s highlights for the year. It’s so much fun to look at all the familiar faces and read the sentiments. However, no where on the card does it say you must keep this card indefinitely. It’s time to talk about [ways to reduce](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-ways-of-reducing-your-fear-of-donating-belongings/) this collection. ## **How to declutter holiday photo cards** ### **Play the Friends, Acquaintances, and Strangers Game** Admittedly, you will not be receiving cards from strangers. This is the title of an organizing game created by Judith Kolberg. Professional organizers use this game to help clients reduce collections of things and it’s a good strategy to use to [declutter holiday](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-declutter-after-the-holidays/) photo cards. This is how you play. Get your stack of holiday photo cards and start dealing them into 3 piles. Friends are the ones you want to have over to your home for dinner. Acquaintances are the ones you say hello to but would not invite them over for a meal. Strangers are people you don’t know. Since you DO know everyone who sent you a holiday card you may to define ‘Strangers’ as people you have not known for very long. Acquaintances may refer to people who have children in your child’s class and you see them at school, but you don’t hang out with them. Friends are the ones you see frequently. You know them and their children. #### **Recycle or toss some cards** Recycle or toss the cards that ended up in the Stranger and Acquaintance piles. Those piles are probably not as big or as difficult as the ones that ended up in the Friends pile. #### **Take a second look** Go through the Friends pile of cards a second time and determine if you can reduce this pile any further. Remember your goal is to declutter holiday photo cards. Only keep the ones that are the most precious or perhaps the ones that come from your closest friends or your family. ### **How to keep and organize holiday photo cards** #### **Photo Album** I keep some of holiday photo cards from my very closest friends and my family in a photo album. It is fun to look back and remember how my friends and their children and my nieces, nephews, brothers, and sisters looked in years past. Since I will not get a second photo album in which to store the photos from these holiday cards once a year I re-evaluate the ones I am keeping. I spend an hour or so looking at the pictures and reminiscing then I decide which ones I can now release. This creates space in the photo album for the new photos. #### **Memory Box** You can also keep holiday photo cards in a memory box. Commit to having just one box to hold these cards. If you have lots of these cards you will need to declutter holiday photo cards once a year. Schedule time with yourself, just as I do with my photo album, to look through the cards and release the ones that no longer tug too hard at your heart strings. The best [way to declutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-simplest-way-to-declutter-your-home/) holiday photo cards is going to be the one that works the best for you. Pick one of the strategies in this post and try it out. For more organizing tips [sign up for my monthly newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/) and follow me on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions). If you, like my reader last week, have a question, please feel free to post it. I will do my best to answer promptly. *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies --- ### [5 Tips To Staying On Task When Working From Home](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-staying-on-task-when-working-from-home/) **Published:** October 16, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Working from home can be a curse as well as a blessing. You know you can stay focused and be productive but there are all sorts of distractions at home. Everything from basic household chores to your partner, children, and pets can distract you from staying on task. How are you supposed to manage these distractions and your work? ## **5 Tips to staying on task** ### 1. **Clearly Define Your Workday** Since you’re [working from home](https://dnqsolutions.com/4-tips-for-working-from-home-with-young-children/) your workday could begin as soon as you roll out of bed. You have no commute, and your email is easily accessible and answerable on your phone. Heck, you could even begin your workday in bed. Is this you or do you want to ease into your workday? Understand what works best for you, your family, and the nature of your job. If your office is in a different time zone you may need to adjust your work hours accordingly. Do you take a quick look at email while drinking that first cup of coffee or do you wait until your morning chores are done and the children are off at school? Does your workday end when all work is done or at a predetermined time? Staying on task is easier when there is a definite beginning and end to your workday. Do yourself a favor and refrain from checking work email when your workday is finished. The messages will be there in the morning. As tempting as it is to get ahead of the workload it is often better for your relationships if you do not let work distract you when you are technically not working. ### 2. **Office Placement** If possible, place your desk in an out of the way [spot in your home](https://dnqsolutions.com/create-your-home-organizing-sweet-spot/). It is difficult to stay on task when you can see all that is going on in your home without you. If you have very little children, it’s hard to explain to them that you are not available to them while you are working. Make it easy for them by placing your workspace in an out of the way location. The flip side to this, though, is that when you need a break you can take it with your children. You can read them a story, build with blocks, and have a snuggle. All because you’re working from home. ### 3. **Schedule Interruptions** Everyone needs a break from their desk. There are things you may want to do (or have to do) around the house. Schedule them into your day to make you get up from your desk. I take a break and water my plants outside. Sometimes I also do a little weeding. This gets me up and moving. Plus, it gives my brain a break from whatever I was focusing on. The other thing I do is take my dog Josie on a 10- or 15-minute walk. I schedule these walks to coincide with lunch or afternoon breaks. I use [this journal](https://releaserepurpose.com/journal/) to keep track of chores during the week, calls to make, errands to run and so much more. When I’m ready to take a break, I look at the Check Your Calendar page to pick one of the items on the list to do. It helps me to stay on task. [Research](https://rightasrain.uwmedicine.org/mind/well-being/taking-breaks) shows that taking a break is good for your brain. In particular, scheduling time to close your eyes and do nothing gives your brain a chance to process. Who knows you may even land on a great fix for a problem you’re trying to solve. ### 4. **Stay away from social media and email** Give yourself permission to scroll through your Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, and Twitter feeds at specific times of day then stay away from it. Social media is a huge distraction, as you know, and will take you down virtual rabbit holes. There’s no need for that. Go to that playground on your breaks. And be sure to set a timer so that the break doesn’t eat into work time. Have set times when you check and respond to your mail messages. Do you reply to mail right away or do you let things linger and then forget they are there? It’s a good idea to respond to the messages for which there’s a clear answer. Then either file or delete the message. Schedule time to respond to the messages that require a more thoughtful answer. Staying on task is easier when the notifications on your phone are turned off so the little ding ‘you have new mail’ doesn’t distract you from your project. ### 5. **Make a list the night before** At the end of your workday, take a few minutes to review what you have accomplished. Note where you left off with your projects. Clean up the top of your desk. Tidy your piles, do any filing, and put away any orphan pens or pencils. Then review your schedule for the next day. Plan your desk time around the appointments in your calendar. Decide when you will take your breaks and plan in a little flex time just in case something happens to come up. Staying on task when you’re working from home is easier when you have a sense of how your day will unfold. Building flex time into your daily plan gives you grace to handle things in as stress-free manner as possible. If staying on task and getting things done is something you want to do better join the [Clear Space for You virtual clutter support group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) I run with Jonda Beattie. We will help you create daily schedules that consider all you want to accomplish. [*Diane N. Quintana*](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) *is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, ICD® Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** Calendar, Organizing Strategies, Planning --- ### [How To Organize Your Socks](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-socks/) **Published:** November 3, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I love socks. There’s nothing my feet like better than a pair of comfy socks to cushion my feet unless it’s a fabulous foot massage and pedicure. Even though I love my socks they sometimes present problems. They get lost easily and it can be difficult to find the pair you want unless you [know how to organize](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-know-when-to-call-a-professional-organizer/) your socks. Looking for the right pair of socks can make you take extra time getting ready in the morning. Time is already tight in the morning, there’s no need to waste it looking for just the right pair of socks. It’s time to get those socks organized to make your morning run more smoothly. ## **How to Organize Your Socks** ### **Sort your socks** How many different varieties of socks do you have? I have little socks which I wear with flats, no-show socks, ankle socks, crew socks, and trouser socks. Years ago I also had knee socks. Having these socks all mixed up together in a drawer presents a problem. It can take time to sort through all these different kinds of socks to find the variety of sock I want. Does that happen to you, too? My solution is to have all my socks sorted according to type. This may sound like a big project but, it will probably only take you between 15 and 30 minutes to complete, depending on how many pairs of socks you have and how many different varieties. The first [step to take to organize](https://dnqsolutions.com/why-organized-clutter-is-a-step-in-the-right-direction/) your socks is to dump all the socks onto the floor and sort them according to type. If your socks are not in pairs, pair them up. If there are any orphan socks put them aside. I will share some ideas of what to do with them at the end of this post. Then put them in groups according to the style. Put all crew socks together, all trouser socks, all no-show socks and so forth. ### **Contain your socks** Make finding the style socks you want to wear super easy, use containers. Decide how many containers to use based on how many of each kind of sock you have. If you have only one or two pairs of the little socks to wear with flats you may want to combine those with the no-show socks. You determine what will work well with your personal collection of socks. ### **Types of containers** The type of container you use will depend on where you plan to keep your socks. If you are using a big drawer in a chest of drawers, use drawer dividers. Have one section for each style of socks. If you are keeping your collection of socks on a shelf, you can use baskets, clear plastic shoe boxes, or even empty cardboard shoe boxes. No matter where you store them, using containers will help to organize your socks. ### **Label the containers** The last step is labeling the containers. Even if you are using dividers in a big drawer, label the sections. This makes putting away your socks just as easy as finding the pair you want to wear. Now, put them away. Easy peasy! ### **3 ideas on what to do with orphan socks** 1. Use them as dusting cloths. Put your hand inside the sock and dust away. This is particularly useful if you are dusting venetian blinds. 2. Make sock puppets out of them. Children love attaching buttons for eyes, bits of felt, and yarn as decorations. 3. Donate them to a school or community center to use for art activities. Now that you know how to organize your socks, take this advice and help your family members get their socks organized, too. Do you have a deck of the organizing cards, Jonda Beattie and I created? It’s called ***[Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools)***. This deck has 50 cards each one with an idea of how to organize one small space in just 10 minutes. Buy a deck for yourself and then one for your friend as a small gift. These cards will help you [organize lots of small spaces](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-a-small-bedroom-to-make-the-most-of-your-space/) around your home just as easily as we organized your socks! *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies --- ### [How To Organize A Small House With No Storage](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-a-small-house-with-no-storage/) **Published:** November 11, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Organizing a small house is a challenging project. It can sometimes feel almost impossible to organize a small house when there is no storage. That is when you need to be creative and think outside the box. As a professional organizer I am often asked how best to store things when there is no obvious or apparent place to store them. Here are my tips. > ## **Tips to organize a small house with no storage** ### **Evaluate what you own** Be critical as you decide what you are keeping. Here are some questions to ask yourself. ***Do you use it?*** If you know you use something and use it often keep it in a handy spot. ***How often do you reach for this thing?*** If it is only once a year, is it something you can borrow from a friend? ***Is it a treasure?*** Maybe it is something you truly love maybe because your child made it for you. Perhaps it is a verified collectible that you love having around. Keep these things. Remember, though, space is limited in your small house. The more you keep, the less space you have. ### **Declutter often** Take 10 minutes everyday to declutter one small space. Use the [**Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time**](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools) deck of cards for inspiration. You know you have 10 minutes every day to give to decluttering your home. When there is no storage space available, decluttering becomes even more important. ### **Organize a small house by installing shelves** Use vertical space and install shelves. Look up as you are evaluating the space available. Where can you put shelves? Even a single shelf or a pair of shelves can not only be useful but also decorative. Use them to hold glasses and dishes in the kitchen, books and knick-knacks in the office or bedroom, or extra towels in the bathroom. You can even put skinny shelves on the back of doors. [The Container Store has an Elfa system](https://www.containerstore.com/s/elfa-utility-white-mesh-pantry-over-the-door-rack/d?q=back%20of%20the%20door%20elfa%20system&productId=11006153) made specifically for the backs of a pantry door. This system is also perfect for the back of a bathroom door. Use it to hold extra rolls of toilet paper, boxes of tissue, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and anything else you need to. This Elfa system is particularly handy when the cupboard under the sink has limited or no available storage space. ### **Be creative with your furniture** ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/11-10-2-DNQ-Blog-large-furniture-small-houseiStock-1322052306.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Lack of space interior design mistake Sofa furniture does not fitThink about size as well as space. You do not want to place one or 2 massive pieces of furniture in a small room. The furniture will overwhelm the room. Look for furniture that has clean lines and that will complement the space available. Select pieces that have built in storage space. For instance, drawers under a bed, a hollow footstool, or a chair that can also be a stepping stool. It’s important when you want to organize a small house with no storage that the furniture in the house serves more than one purpose. If the bed has built in drawers underneath it that gives you storage space for bulky clothes, extra blankets, another set of sheets, or anything else you want to store there. A hollow footstool can hold any number of things including but not limited to board games, a throw blanket, or CDs or DVDs. These are just a few examples of furniture with built in storage. I know you can find more options if you take the time to look outside the box. ### **Use storage bags** Use different sizes of storage bags to contain things instead of using boxes. You can slip large storage bags under furniture. This is great for blankets, towels, and out of season clothes. Use small storage bags to separate collections of things. You will probably want to contain these bags in a box. It will be easy to find the group of things you’re looking for if they are all together in a storage bag. Store the box holding the collections out of the way on a high shelf. ### **Here are the benefits** When you take the time to [organize a small](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-a-small-bedroom-to-make-the-most-of-your-space/) house even though it has no storage you will have nothing extra. There will be no clutter shouting at you and nothing to trip over. The benefits are that when you have less stuff you have less to take care of. You will have the things you need, use, and love and little more than that because there’s no space. And you will have more time to spend with people you love and doing things you want to do. For more tips like these sign up for my [monthly newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/) and connect with me on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/). [*Diane N. Quintana*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize, LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies --- ### [How To Avoid Difficult Conversations At Thanksgiving](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-avoid-difficult-conversations-at-thanksgiving/) **Published:** November 20, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I come from a very large extended family. Growing up Thanksgiving Day always involved lots and lots of family members. There were tables of people here there and everywhere at my Great-Uncle John’s apartment in New York City. Loud and often boisterous conversations filled the air. As a little girl, I was never one to join in. Listening, observing, and melting into the background was where I felt most comfortable. There was an understanding that this was a day of peace and harmony. A day to [give thanks](https://dnqsolutions.com/remembering-giving-thanks-for-our-frontline-warriors/). No one dared raise topics which may provoke difficult conversations. When I was a teenager, we moved from the New York City to the Connecticut. Our Thanksgiving Dinners were different for a few years after we moved to the country (as we called Connecticut). There were the five of us siblings, our new stepbrother, my mother, and stepfather. We, children, missed the big group of cousins, aunts, and uncles, and we were just getting used to our new family. The conversation was sometimes peppered with questions no one wanted to answer or if they answered it was always with a snarky retort. These were difficult conversations. Years later when I had my own family, we once again filled our home, a friend’s home, or my mother’s home with lots and lots of people. I learned over the years how to moderate conversations so that if a difficult topic is raised it can be gracefully side-stepped. This way conversation does not grind to a halt, and no one feels uncomfortable. ## **How to avoid difficult conversations at Thanksgiving Dinner** ### Stay neutral Remember this meal is meant as a celebration so if someone raises a controversial topic do your best to remain neutral. You can say something like “*Thank you for sharing your opinion”.* This way you have acknowledged the person’s comment and have avoided difficult conversations by keeping your opinion to yourself. ### **Have an open mind & avoid difficult conversations** Sometimes people ask questions just to have something to say and they don’t realize they are either asking something too personal or that they are putting you in an awkward position. Keep an open mind and side-step the question. Remember this is a festive occasion and that the person probably didn’t intend to over-step. Many years ago, at Thanksgiving someone told me that it was time I gave my 2-year-old son a sibling. What they didn’t know was that this was something I was longing to do, and it just hadn’t happened yet. Thankfully my mother over-heard this comment and swooped in with a platter of appetizers. She told this person they simply had to taste these delicious canapes. This gave me a chance to walk away without commenting. I believe people often say things just to fill the void. They mean no harm. Keep that in mind. ### Nod Body language is also effective. You can nod your head to acknowledge that you are listening. You don’t have to say whether you agree or disagree. If someone asks your opinion, you can deflect and toss the question across the table to someone else saying something like “*what do you think about this?”*. Or you can change the subject. ### Remember why you are at this meal [Thanksgiving is a day](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-celebrate-thanksgiving-day-solo/) to express gratitude for all the blessings you have. I don’t know if you do this but a tradition in my family is to go around the table and ask each person to share one thing for which they are thankful. Even the youngest among us can do that. If someone begins to walk down the path leading to difficult conversations use one of these tips to guide them away from that topic. Get them talking about the good [things in their life](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-for-organizing-the-things-in-your-life-to-reduce-stress-clutter-and-mess/). Talk about your children, your dog, sports, or tell a story about something funny that happened to you. I wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving. My hope is that this [feeling of thankfulness and gratitude extends beyond the designated day](https://dnqsolutions.com/feeling-out-of-sorts-organize-your-day/) and permeates all you do this month and going forward into the New Year. For more tips like this sign up for [my monthly newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/) and follow me on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/). *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog --- ### [How To Organize Your Bathroom Closet](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-bathroom-closet/) **Published:** November 27, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Bathroom closets can be wonderful storage places for all the things you need in your bedroom and bathroom, if the closet is large enough. Some of the closets have shelves that are long and narrow. Other closets have great shelves, but also have large caverns of empty space at the top or the bottom. It’s important to make the most of the space in your bathroom closet available so you can store the necessary items and find them quickly when you need them. ## Here are my best tips to organize your bathroom closet ### **Gather your supplies** You will need a garbage bag to hold things you are removing to either toss or recycle. Another bag or box to hold anything you are donating. And a small box or bag to contain things that don’t belong in the bathroom closet. You will also need a cloth to wipe off the shelves. The way I figure it is if you are going to all this trouble to [organize your bathroom closet](https://dnqsolutions.com/organize-your-closet/) you may as well clean it. ### **Organize your bathroom closet one shelf at a time** It’s so much easier and less overwhelming when you tackle a project like this in small bites. Remove everything from the top shelf. Sort the contents into things to keep and things to recycle, toss, or donate. Wipe off the shelf. Think about the things you are keeping. Do they all belong in the bathroom closet? Put anything that belongs in another room aside. You will deliver those things to where they belong when you are finished [organizing your bathroom closet](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-top-3-benefits-of-organizing-your-closet-plus-tips-tools-to-use/). Follow these steps for every shelf in the closet starting with the top of the closet and working your way down, one shelf at a time. ### **Things to keep in the bathroom closet** #### **Bathroom essentials** Keep the obvious bathroom essentials like toilet paper, feminine products, extra toothpaste, toothbrushes, dental floss, extra shampoo/conditioner, and any other extra products you use regularly. Be mindful of how many extras you keep. Sometimes we like to try a new product and if you have a backlog of extras that can be problematic. As you are sorting through each shelf in the bathroom closet remember to ask yourself if you still use this product. If it’s something you no longer use, donate it. #### **How to organize these bathroom essentials** If space is at a premium, store an (as in only one) extra of the products you currently use in a holder on the inside of the bathroom closet door. You can use a clear shoe holder that sits on the inside of the bathroom door or an Elfa [Pantry door organizing unit](https://dnqsolutions.com/organize-your-pantry-with-these-5-tips/). This storage unit works equally well on a bathroom closet door. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/clear-pocket-shoe-organizer81vIXrgvvrL._AC_SY879_-123x300.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Clear pockets![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Elfa-Pantry-Over-the-door-shelving-10067599PantryDWRackWhite-300x300.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Elfa over the door storage shelves are also great on the inside of a bathroom closet doorUse the cavern at the top of the bathroom closet to hold extra bed pillows or extra bedspreads/duvets. Contain these things in large Ziploc storage bags. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Container-Store-stacking-drawers-10081102g-Astage-modular-drawers-300x300.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Stacking drawers are great to use in the extra space under the bottom shelf to organize bathroom closet. Be sure to label the contents of each drawer so you can easily find the product you are looking for. These drawers are great for things like bandages and hair accessories. **Sheets and towels** I store my sets of sheets stacked one on top of the other. The rule I follow is one set on my bed, one in the wash, and another in the closet. It’s always good to have a clean set available, just in case. You can also store sets of sheets by folding them small enough to fit inside a pillowcase. That ensures the set is all together and easy to grab when you’re ready to change your sheets. I stack towels together by type. All washcloths, hand towels, bath towels, and bathmats are stacked individually in my bathroom closet. Another way to keep towels is to roll them. This method saves space if the shelves are not very deep. As you sort through and reorganize your sheets and towels remove any that you no longer want or that are too worn. Schedule time to donate them to your local veterinarian or animal shelter. ### **What should not be in the bathroom** **closet** Medications should not be stored in the bathroom as the moisture in the air can damage the medication. Keep medication in a dry place. My recommendation is a shelf in a cupboard in the kitchen. If you have young children, be sure that the shelf is out of their reach. Like every other area of your home the bathroom closet has the potential to become disorganized from time to time. When you notice that things are starting to look messy or be out of place take control and reorganize those spots. Use the [Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools) deck of cards to easily regain order. For more tips like these sign up to receive [my monthly newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/) and/or follow me on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/). *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies, professional organizer --- ### [How To Organize A Deep Pantry](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-a-deep-pantry/) **Published:** December 4, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** The pantry is one of those zones in the kitchen that can easily become disorganized. In my experience the shelves are rarely a perfect depth. They are either too narrow or too deep that is unless you have a customized pantry. This makes maintaining the organization challenging. There are though some basic guidelines to follow which make organizing a pantry easier. Here are some easy-to-follow tips to use so you know how to [organize a deep pantry.](https://dnqsolutions.com/organize-your-pantry-with-these-5-tips/) The biggest problem with deep shelves in the pantry is that it’s hard to see what’s at the back of the shelves. When you can’t easily see what’s at the back of the shelf, you don’t know what you have, so non-perishable food gets wasted because it lingers so long that it becomes expired. And you waste money buying ingredients you probably have but can’t easily find. ## **Steps to follow to organize a deep pantry** #### Step 1 Start by identifying the categories of food you keep in your pantry. Think along the lines of grocery store aisles. Group like items together. Typical categories are - baking supplies (flour, sugar, vanilla, chocolate, chips, nuts, raisins, baking soda, baking powder, etc.) - Canned goods: create separate groupings for canned vegetables, canned fruits, soups - Pasta - Breakfast cereal, oatmeal - Snack food - Crackers #### Step 2 There are a few different [ways to provide better access to organize ](https://dnqsolutions.com/are-you-finally-in-the-mood-to-organize-heres-an-easy-way-to-get-it-done/)a deep pantry. You can use baskets or bins to corral and contain different types of food. This makes it easier to see what you have. You can easily pull out the basket with the category of food you’re looking for and find the item. Here are some examples from The Container Store. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/12-4-2022-DNQ-pantry-basketsWaterHyacinthBinXSm10060505-150x150.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")These baskets come in a wide range of sizes![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/12-4-2022-DNQ-Pantry-bin-LinusPantryBin10057465_x-150x150.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")These bins by linus come in a range of sizes and shapes![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/12-4-2022-DNQ-Pantry-bin-snacks10077086-T.H.E.-all-purpose-bin.webp "| DNQ Solutions")This bin is great for corralling snacksA second option is to install pull out shelves. There is a company called [**Shelf Genie**](https://www.shelfgenie.com) that provides a free consultation. An associate will come, measure the pantry, and give you a quote to install custom designed pull-out shelves. There are also a wide variety of do-it-yourself pull-out shelves. These you buy and install yourself. Most of them do not reach the full depth of the shelf if your pantry is very deep. Having said that, these are a great option. You can install these at the front of the shelf and then have extra supplies in that category sitting behind the newly installed pull-out shelf. Here are a few options I found at The Container Store. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/12-4-2022-DNQ-Pantry-Blog-10077215-Lynk-Slide-Out-Wood-Drawer-150x150.webp "| DNQ Solutions")Pull out shelf from the container store![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/12-4-2022-DNQ-Pantry10066128ElfaMediumCabinetSized1Runne-150x150.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Another option from the container store#### Step 3 Think about what you use most often. What do you want to be able to grab quickly? If you have very [young children](https://dnqsolutions.com/4-tips-for-working-from-home-with-young-children/), you may want to have foods for them on the easiest to access shelf and front and center. Create zones within your pantry and decide on a shelf or shelves for each zone. You may have a category of food that takes up several shelves. This is particularly true if your shelves are narrow. When the shelves are very deep, it’s easier to keep everything belonging to one category together. #### Step 4 If your children are old enough, you may want to have a few baskets of snacks within their reach so they can help themselves when the time is right. When my children were little, I had a basket such as the one I’m suggesting you also create. There were only enough snacks for one day at a time in the basket. I restocked it every evening before I went to bed. This is because I knew my boys and left to their own devises, they would not have had the self-control to limit the number of snacks they had before dinner. Keep the remainder of the snacks at adult height and maybe at the back of the shelf. #### Step 5 If your pantry is very large, consider keeping some of the small kitchen appliances here. If they are light weight store them on the upper shelves but if they are heavy store them on lower shelves. #### Step 6 As you finish up organizing these deep pantry shelves take a moment to admire your work. Acknowledge that it will become disorganized from time to time, particularly [around the holidays](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-stop-procrastinating-around-the-holidays/) when we tend to bring in lots of extra food and ingredients we don’t normally use in our everyday cooking. Having said that, it is possible to maintain the organization by mindfully putting away groceries. Earlier in this post I said to think about the aisles in a grocery store. These are labeled by broad categories. It will help you and your other family members if you also have labels on your deep pantry shelves. These labels will remind you of what goes where. This is helpful when you are in a hurry. Aren’t we always on our way to doing something else when we are putting away groceries? Another little tip is to put newer canned food items under or behind older canned foods. This reduces the chance of food expiring before it is used. For more organizing tips like these sign up for my [newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/) or follow me on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) and [Instagram.](https://instagram.com/dnq_solutions) [*Diane N. Quintana*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies --- ### [How To Organize Your Purse](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-purse/) **Published:** December 11, 2022 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Let’s be honest, here. I don’t know about your purse, but my purse contains my life. When I don’t know where it is I get a little anxious. How about you? When I can’t find something that **I KNOW** is in my purse I also get a little anxious and even upset. I think to myself, it must be there. That’s where I always put … (you can fill in the blank). Does that ever happen to you? It is very important to me to keep my purse [organized because it’s one simple way](https://dnqsolutions.com/are-you-finally-in-the-mood-to-organize-heres-an-easy-way-to-get-it-done/) for me to avoid stress and anxiety. It’s not difficult to [organize ](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-strategies-notice-the-problem-and-change-the-story/)your purse and I will share with you my simple strategies to organize your purse. Before we begin to organize your purse, let’s acknowledge that your purse, like my purse, is probably a catch-all for things that you encounter when you’re out and about during the day. If I have a little trash and can’t find a waste basket, into my purse it goes. Then there are little things, like a flyer I found at one of my favorite local shops, Breadwinner, advertising their specials. At this time of year, my purse also holds things like my gloves and sometimes a hat. And receipts from holiday shopping. Of course, all this is in addition to the things I must have with me at all times like my keys, wallet, phone, and glasses. ## **Simple Strategies to Organize Your Purse.** ### **Empty your purse** The first step is to empty your purse. Toss the trash and then group like with like. [Put the receipts from your holiday ](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-put-away-our-holiday-decorations/)shopping in an envelope and label it. ### **Go on a treasure hunt** Did you find things you have been looking for? Sometimes I find coins, dollar bills, and even a credit card at the bottom of my purse. Why? Well, if I’m in a hurry I don’t always take the time to put things back exactly where they belong, like in my wallet. I just toss them in my purse and away I go. Keep a few coins in your wallet along with some dollar bills, just in case. Put the credit card back where it belongs. ### **Extra make-up** I have a little make-up bag in my purse, and it’s supposed to hold a small tube of lotion, a small pack of tissues, hand sanitizer, and lipstick. My make-up bag is big enough to hold those things and small enough to fit in my purse. The issue is that when I need a tissue, I don’t have time to rummage through my purse, unzip the make-up bag, and grab a tissue. I tend to leave the small pack of tissues out of the small make-up bag. Let’s make this easy. ## **Tools To Organize Your Purse** ### **Organizing insert for your purse** Here is an example of a holder for these small things that makes it easy to access them and easy to put them back. There’s a place for my lipstick, glasses, tissues, pens, a small notepad, and more. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/12-11-22-Purse-Perfector-150x150.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Fully loaded purse perfectorIt is a [purse perfector](https://www.amazon.com/stores/PursePerfector/PursePerfector/page/316F9E32-C504-43A9-8989-B17F2BBA1E49). The best thing about this is that it easily lifts out of one purse and slots into another if you like to change your purse from time to time. You can be sure using something like this helps you to organize your purse. It is truly helpful in tote bags which tend to be just empty space without any zippered compartments. ### **Holder for credit cards** I love this little holder for credit cards. It has a window to store my driver’s license and slots to hold credit cards. Plus, a zippered section where you can keep a few dollar bills, if you want, or other credit (or loyalty) cards. It easily fits in a pocket or a section of your purse organizing insert. Even better it is RFID. No one can use a reader to steal your credit card or driver’s license information when it is in this holder. The other reason I like this holder is that it is easy for me to put my credit card back in the slot. I don’t have to open a wallet. I just pull this little holder out of my purse, use the card, and slip it back to where it belongs. There are many of these on the market. This one comes from [IDStonghold](https://www.idstronghold.com/products/rfid-wallet-mini?currency=USD&variant=33146677788771&utm_medium=cpc&utm_source=google&utm_campaign=Google%20Shopping&utm_medium=adwords&utm_campaign=&utm_source=&gclid=CjwKCAiA-dCcBhBQEiwAeWidtTV4APhfneWMmsGHOS77-6iZeN2vEJZT4ubq3CkCX75ReN6o2U98iBoCPi0QAvD_BwE). ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/12-11-22-ID-Stronghold-mini-walletid-stronghold-blue-leather-rfid-minimalist-wallet-the-mini-wallet-idsh7004-rylblu-28400196321466_130x.webp "| DNQ Solutions")This is the key to being organized, right. Making it easy to put things back where they belong so you can find them again. ### **Leash or clip for your keys** Some purses have a little leash on the inside to which you can clip your keys. That makes it super simple. Don’t despair if your purse doesn’t have a leash. You can create a place in your purse to always clip your keys. Use a carabiner to create your own keychain clip or select one from the endless links if you do a search on google for Carabiner Keychain. Use these [simple strategies to organize your purse](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools) and avoid the stress of wondering where your wallet, keys, and anything else you routinely carry in your purse have vanished. For more organizing tips like this follow me on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) and [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/) and sign up for my [newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/). *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies --- ### [How To Put Away Our Holiday Decorations](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-put-away-our-holiday-decorations/) **Published:** January 1, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** It’s time friends. Time to return our homes back to normal and put away our holiday decorations. Yes. The holiday rush is over. We are now left with the job of cleaning up. It was so much fun, wasn’t it, to get out the decorations and feel the anticipation of the holidays. It is not so much fun in reverse. We have to get out the boxes and crates which hold the decorations, stuff the decorations inside as quickly as possible, and return the boxes and crates to the attic, basement, or storage room. Really? What if we went about this in a more deliberate, mindful, and methodical way? How are we going to remember which strand of lights goes outside or that we want to buy a timer for the lights, so they go on and off as needed? What if, as we carefully pack the boxes and crates, we note what is inside? Just as we would if we were packing a moving box and for the very same reasons. So that we know what is inside each box. Maybe next year we will be going away for the holidays and will only want to decorate minimally. If we label each box with the contents, we will easily be able to pull out the decorations we want to use. ## Here are my tips to put away our holiday decorations ### **Start with tabletop and or fireplace mantle decorations** Have a tote in which to put these decorations. If you don’t have one, Take a look at these from [The Container Store](http://Stacking%20clear%20plastic%20containers). They have clear plastic containers in a variety of sizes. Decide if you still love these decorations. If you do, grab a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Make a list of the tabletop decorations you put in each container. Attach the list to the outside of the container. My friend and colleague,[ Jonda Beattie](https://www.timespaceorg.com/), puts her regular, everyday decorations in the box which holds her holiday decorations so that her home doesn’t look cluttered when she is decorating. After the holidays, she does the process in reverse. She removes her everyday [decorations from the holiday](https://dnqsolutions.com/10-tips-for-stress-free-holiday-decorating/) decorations box, fills the box with her holiday decorations, and then returns the box to the attic. You can do that too. If there are a few decorations, you no longer love put them aside for safe keeping. When October rolls around again you can take them to the donation site of your choice. ### **Next up is the Christmas Tree** Do you have containers specifically meant for ornaments and wreaths? If you do not, check out [The Container Store](https://www.containerstore.com/s/storage/holiday-storage/12). They have containers designed to hold these decorations. Most of my ornaments fit into one of the 3-tiered ornament holder boxes from The Container Store. I love that I can put 2 or 3 of the smaller ornaments into a section. The reason the other ornaments don’t fit in the holder is that they are either larger wooden ornaments or small needlepoint stocking ornaments. These I put in a Rubbermaid tub layered with tissue paper. Mindfully put your ornaments away in their container. Evaluate them and decide if you want to keep using them or if they have seen better days. If we [declutter as we put away our holiday ](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-way-to-declutter-holiday-photo-cards/)decorations, we can be assured that when we open up these containers and tubs in November or December we will only see decorations we love. Remember to look up and down. When I decorate my tree, I hang ornaments on every possible branch. Sometimes they don’t stay where I put them and fall, landing near the base of the tree. If your tree is artificial, and has pre-strung lights, the final step is to take the tree apart and put it into the storage box or bag. But if your tree is a real one, the next step is to remove the lights and put them away. I’ll let you know how to put away the lights in a minute. The final step for a live tree is to take it outside. Find out if your garbage collector will take away the tree. There is [a free Christmas Tree recycling event in Atlanta](https://www.11alive.com/article/news/community/where-to-recycle-your-christmas-tree-this-january/85-c2e9d0f5-4028-4195-a857-c3798fb2e715) on January 8th. See what is available where you live. Then clean and dry your Christmas tree stand and put it away in your garage, shed, or basement until next year. ### How to put away the strands of lights Strands of lights can be such a hassle. They look beautiful on a tree and when they are decorating the outside, but they are a bear to install if they are tangled. Here is a fail proof way to keep them so they stay untangled and ready to use from year to year. #### Supplies to have on hand: 1. Gallon sized plastic bags. I prefer the ones meant for the freezer because they are heavy duty and usually have space to write on. 2. Permanent marker 3. [Garden tape](https://www.levitthookandloop.com/green-plant-ties.html?utm_source=google_shopping&gclid=CjwKCAiA76-dBhByEiwAA0_s9Y0XGuNmt1te9IopenMgSmfTVGASlwlu0gfrYHXg22EYFu0DQcF_HhoC-pIQAvD_BwE) you will use this tape to wrap around the middle of the strand of lights. It tears easily and only sticks to itself. #### Follow these steps: 1. Decide where you want to remove the lights. 2. Remove all the strands of lights from that section of your home. 3. Lay each strand of lights out so there are no kinks in the wires. 4. Put one end of the lights in your non-dominant hand and wrap the cord down your forearm to your elbow and back up to your hand until you reach the end of that strand. 5. Gently remove the loop of lights from your arm and put if on a flat surface. 6. Take a 6” length of the garden tape and wrap it around the middle of the loop. This will keep the lights from tangling. 7. Put the loop of lights into the plastic bag and note the location it came from (outside front door, tree, or …) Do this for each strand of lights. Yes. This is a process and will take time, but it is worth it in the end. Next November or December when you go to string up your lights you will not first have to untangle the lights and second wonder where on earth you put these lights before. When we carefully and mindfully [declutter and put away our holiday decorations ](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-declutter-your-christmas-decorations-without-getting-lost-in-sentiment-or-guilt/)we give ourselves the gift of organization. We can be secure in thinking that things are stowed efficiently and that we are keeping the decorations we love and want to use again. Connect with me on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/diane.quintana) and [Instagram](http://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions) for more practical tips like these and sign up for my [monthly newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/) to read even more of my organizing suggestions and strategies. [*Diane N. Quintana*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta*, *Georgia* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies --- ### [Paper Decluttering Tips For People With Mounds Of Paper, Mail & Documents](https://dnqsolutions.com/paper-decluttering-tips-for-people-with-mounds-of-paper-mail-documents/) **Published:** January 8, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Paper is a problem for many people. For some it becomes a source of irritation as it comes in and requires them to make a decision. For others, it is a chore and a frustration because we’ve all been told not to waste paper. It almost seems to multiply overnight. I happen to like paper. I love to write and send nice cards to friends and family. And organizing paper, making sense of the piles is one of the organizing tasks I love to do. As we start the new year let’s create order by reducing the mounds of paper and making sense of the documents with these paper [decluttering tips](https://dnqsolutions.com/9-tips-on-decluttering-that-set-you-up-for-the-greatest-success/). ### **Paper Decluttering Tips** One of the main [reasons paper](https://dnqsolutions.com/paper-calendar-two-of-the-best-reasons-to-use-one/) accumulates is that we don’t know what to do with it. Another reason is that we don’t schedule time with ourselves to process the papers. So, the paper piles grow. An easy way to reduce the paper piles is to note the action you need to take on the top of the paper. So, if you don’t have time to process the paper right then, you will know (without reviewing the document again) what action to take when you do have time. The next step is to schedule time once a week to process papers. What action do you need to take? #### **Here are some questions to ask yourself as you declutter and organize your papers.** 1. Is it something to pay? 1. Can I pay it online or does it require a check? 1. When is it due? 2. Do I [file it with vital documents](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-to-organize-documents-on-file/)? 1. Does it replace a vital record I already have? 1. Is it an update (insurance rider, updated will or healthcare proxy)? 3. Is it something to shred because it contains sensitive information about me or my family? 4. Do I need to keep this information forever in an archival file box? #### **Gather some supplies** If you have a shredder, bring it into the room where you are working on these papers if it isn’t already here. Get some manila file folders, some hanging files, and some clear tabs. You will also need a pen, pencil, or marker. #### **Begin with what you have** It’s always good to start from where you are. Go through your existing files. Remove any documents that are either outdated or irrelevant and determine whether they can be recycled or shredded. My rule of thumb for shredding is if the document has sensitive information like an account number, your social security number or any other identifier then shred it. If it only contains your name and address, I recycle it. #### **Do a broad first sort** Take a stack of papers and pretend that you are dealing cards. Try not to pay too much attention to the details on the paper, just look to see if it fits (broadly) into one of these categories: **Action Archive Household Personal Tax Vital Documents Recycle Shred** When you have finished dealing the stacks of papers into these broad categories go back to each individual pile and do a final sort. You may decide under some of these broad categories to divide the pile into narrower sections. For instance, under ACTION you may have PAY, FILE, READ, RESPOND. Within the ARCHIVE file you may want a section for volunteer activities or positions you held. It’s nice to have a record of these activities including the year, how long you participated, and the volunteer position you held. It can be useful information on a resume. Also put the actual tax filing as well as the supporting documents in the TAX section of your ARCHIVE files. The HOUSEHOLD file can contain names and phone numbers of service providers as well as maintenance records for appliances. VITAL [DOCUMENTS must be updated](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-and-most-important-reason-to-update-documents/) from time to time and the stack of papers may contain some updates. Be sure to shred anything you remove from these files. [Here’s a list of Vital Documents](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/DNQ.Handout.Vital-Documents-1.pdf) for you to review. #### **Create new folders and files** Create a 2023 Tax file so that you have an automatic place to put anything tax related. This file should be easily accessible and not in the archive section of your files as you will be putting things into it as they arrive in the mail. ### **More Paper Decluttering Tips** If you do not already, take the time and investigate receiving bank statements and bills through your email. Most vendors and banks prefer to send electronic statements. It costs less for them, and they can be sure you receive the information. If you want to have a paper copy you can always print it. I find it easier to reconcile bank statements from a paper copy, but I receive my bank statements electronically. Also, if you are concerned you may miss a bill because you get so much email, you can create notifications in your calendar to look in your email for certain bills or statements. This way they won’t get lost in the sea of emails that arrive in your computer. #### **Set a time limit on magazines and newspapers** Decide how long you will keep a magazine or newspaper before it gets recycled. Sometimes it takes a little while to read an entire magazine. Maybe you haven’t finished reading one before the next issue arrives in your mailbox. Set a time limit so that magazines don’t just accumulate. You can also rip out the articles you want to read and put them in a folder. Take the folder with you to the Dr. appointment or have the folder with you as you sit in the carpool line waiting to bring your children home and then recycle the article once you’ve read it. #### **Stop at the recycling bin on your way in your home** Here’s a final paper decluttering tip. Stop at the recycling bin on your way into your home. Deposit any flyers or circulars into the bin so that they never even make it into your home. Finally, paper decluttering is difficult work. Each sheet of paper requires you to read it and make a decision. When you decide to begin this task do it in short amounts of time. Set a timer for 15 to 20 minutes. When the timer goes off, get up, and take a break. Get something to drink and maybe a snack. You can even take a short walk around the neighborhood. Then go back to the papers and work for another short segment of time. Give yourself permission to tackle this task a little at a time so that you make sound decisions and so that you don’t get overwhelmed. If you want a little guidance, [reach out to me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact). We can work on paper together in-person or virtually. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC ](https://dnqsolutions.com)and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC ](https://releaserepurpose.com)based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter, Organizing Strategies --- ### [How To Organize Your Clothes When You Don't Have A Dresser](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-clothes-when-you-dont-have-a-dresser/) **Published:** January 22, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Keeping clothes tidy is something that can impact how your bedroom looks. When clothes are piled all over the bedroom it looks disorganized and cluttered. Some people don’t have a closet and others don’t have a dresser to use. Today I’m talking about how to [organize clothes without a dresser](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-great-strategies-for-organizing-clothes-without-a-dresser/). There are many creative ways to [organize clothes](https://dnqsolutions.com/ideas-for-organizing-clothes-without-a-closet/) without a dresser. Some people even prefer having no dresser because it’s easier to see the clothes that are available to wear. It is also easier to put clothes away when you don’t have to open and close a dresser drawer. Here are my [tips for organizing](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-get-organized-in-a-small-apartment/) your clothes when you don’t have a dresser. ## **How to organize your clothes without a dresser ### **Large Walk-in Closet** If you have a large walk-in closet, you can use some of the hanging space for a couple of sets of free-standing drawers. The Container Store has a variety of stackable drawers. Use them to hold undergarments, socks, and workout clothes. ![Stacking drawer from the container store](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/01-22-DNQ-stacking-drawer10087129-Iris-Medium-Modular-Stackin-150x150.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Sample stacking drawer from the container storeUse shelf dividers on the shelves above the hanging rod to create sections for leggings, T-shirts, sweaters, and other bulky clothes. Or maybe get set of soft hanging sections, like this. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/01-22-DNQ-hanging-shelf10077553-6-compartment-sweater-hange.webp "| DNQ Solutions")Get some cascading hangers to hold things like jeans. Invest in slim hangers and hang all your tops along with pants, skirts, and dresses. ### **Small Closet** If your closet has barely enough room for your dresses and suits use a cubby system in your bedroom to hold your clothes. Create a cubby system by purchasing a set of utility shelves or a bookshelf. Get some baskets or tubs that will fit on the shelves. Remember to measure the depth of the shelves before you go out any buy any bins or baskets in which to organize your clothes. Ikea has a variety of shelving options from which to select. [This one will hold baskets](https://www.ikea.com/us/en/cat/shelf-units-11465/) which you can use for undergarments, socks, and workout clothes. Other clothes like jeans, t-shirts, sweaters, and other bulky clothes can either be folded and just put on the shelf or put in baskets also. Even if the closet is small, there is probably a shelf above the clothes rod. Use it to hold baskets of clothes you wear infrequently. ### **How to organize your clothes without a dresser and a closet** If you have neither a dresser nor a closet you still have lots of options at your disposal. The least expensive option is to buy a clothing rack and set it up for things you must hang. Then get a utility shelving unit and some baskets or tubs as described above. Ikea has a [wide range of wardrobes](https://www.ikea.com/us/en/cat/armoires-wardrobes-19053/) from which to select one that will fit your space. Chose one that has some hanging space and some shelves. You can also search Wayfair and Overstock.com for armoires and wardrobes to create storage for your clothes, Do you have a whole wall to use? The Container Store can create a [custom closet](https://www.containerstore.com/custom-spaces/closet?redirectSearchTerm=custom+closet) for you with shelves, drawers, and hanging space. You can decide, based on your budget if you want to use the Elfa system or have a system with some open shelving and some closet doors. If you live in Atlanta, check out [Closets by Design](https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwi21uL_zNv8AhU6FNQBHT4VDZQYABA1GgJvYQ&ohost=www.google.com&cid=CAESauD2CIStuDmQj0uZtR6cyBOzIH4qwIs-1rENw2vZXU288ANT7IKk0nB8psO7d8-nHQuCGkU-dbZ03aMzOHzhMTok9QWdCdGBI1CzhE4TEfDoP6yJ3GU0bOa_t1dHm_wgi8lD9s83GvJTEPU&sig=AOD64_0iH7RbHsQZ8xzmmr3uwIpyhje7Jw&q&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwiCmNv_zNv8AhXSlmoFHYuABDUQ0Qx6BAgIEAM). Another option is to install some towel bars to use for clothes you want to hang on a hanger as well as some decorative hooks. Then get some stacking wooden boxes or crates. Turn the wooden boxes or crates on their side and stack them. You can have as many as you need to store your clothes. Cover the boxes or crates with a sheet, if you want to hide the contents from view. It’s not impossible to organize your clothes without a dresser. Think outside the box. Measure the space available and decide if you want to see the clothes or not. Then go shopping. If you are struggling to organize your clothes consider reaching out to a professional organizer, like me, for some non-judgmental assistance. *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC ](https://releaserepurpose.com)based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies --- ### [3 Reasons To Update Your Will Now](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-to-update-your-will-now/) **Published:** January 29, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Before I talk about the reasons to update your will, let’s talk about wills in general. Some people think talking about your will or someone else’s will is a bit morbid. I understand. No one wants to talk about death and it can feel creepy or somewhat disrespectful to ask someone about their plans to divest their belongings when they die. However, having a will is one way to take responsibility for yourself, your belongings, and to show respect to those you love. That puts a different spin on it, doesn’t it. Do I have you thinking about this? Maybe you are wondering why a[ professional organizer](https://dnqsolutions.com) is talking about reasons to update your will. I understand. Let me explain. Sometimes [people need to find documents](https://dnqsolutions.com/paper-decluttering-tips-for-people-with-mounds-of-paper-mail-documents/) to support the changes or updates they want to make to their will. That’s one [way in which a professional organizer](https://dnqsolutions.com/are-you-finally-in-the-mood-to-organize-heres-an-easy-way-to-get-it-done/) can be very helpful. Another question people often ask is does everyone need a will? The answer is a resounding, ‘YES’! ### **How old do you need to be before you write a will?** Many people think that they don’t need to write a will until they are settled in a career, are married, and/or have children. This is not the case. Everyone over the age of 18 needs to have a will. Are you surprised? The reason is that when a person turns 18 years old, they are deemed a responsible adult. As such they have property. They may not own a home, but they may own furniture, clothes, a bike, a car, and some jewelry. I bet they also have a bank account including a savings account that their parents probably started when they were born. In some cases, they have a credit card. When you have a will you can say what happens to these things. You can also say what you want to have happen to your remains. There are questions to answer like do you want to be cremated or buried. What sort of service do you want to mark your passing? Sometimes a person’s parents belong to a religion that holds no meaning for the 18-year-old. If this is true for you, having a will and outlining the service you want will be important. A person’s wishes can be clearly stated in their will. A young person may opt to use an [online will creating service](https://legalforms.findlaw.com/create-a-will-online/?DCMP=google:ppc:diy_ep:19255051402:607551371755:147998074761&HBX_PK=will%20and%20testament%20online&sid=9010944&source=google~ppc&gclid=Cj0KCQiAic6eBhCoARIsANlox85zDZcRxfcd_U8mRGwWLv24KtcZZJXXVcf-jiz3RAIZbKExBsMy2fgaAtp-EALw_wcB) such as this one to write their first will. It is not expensive and will begin a process which they can add onto or amend as they get older. The consequence of not having a will is that the state in which you live will determine how your property is divided. This is true no matter how old or young you are when you pass away. ## 3 Reasons to update your will ### 1. **Have your circumstances changed?** It is a good idea to review your will once a year. As you get older your circumstances may not change significantly from year to year. Reviewing your will serves to prompt you to make changes as your circumstances change. If when you read through your will and realize that you forgot to add that you inherited (fill in the blank) from your mother or father, you have the opportunity to update your will so the missing information is included. Perhaps the person you have appointed as Executor or Executrix of your will is also getting older. You may now want to appoint someone else to carry out your wishes, someone younger. ### 2. **Do you now have a child or children?** If over the last year you had a child or adopted a child you will want to provide for them in your will. Maybe you now have a grandchild and want to leave them a sum of money or something else to remember you by. It’s also important to state who will be the guardian of your child/children should something unforeseen happen to you. This is one of the very best reasons to update your will. You never know what will happen from one day to the next. Accidents are unpredictable. If you do not specifically state who you want to be the guardian for your children the state will decide for you. Maybe you have a sibling or parents who you would want to take care of your children but what if you don’t? Take that worry out of the equation and include the name of the person you would want to be your child’s guardian should the unthinkable happen. ### 3. **Have the laws changed?** An estate attorney will know if the laws in your state or in the nation have changed and can advise you on updates you may want to consider making to your will. #### **3 more important documents** There are 3 more [important documents](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-and-most-important-reason-to-update-documents/) to have in addition to a will. They are called advance directives. - The first document is called a **Living Will**. A living will is a written document that states what medical treatment you would or would not want if you are in a terminal condition or a persistent vegetative state. - The second document is a **Power of Attorney**. In this document you give someone you trust financial authority so your bills and other financial obligations are met if you are unable to do so yourself. - The third document is **Health Care Instructions**. Here you give a trusted person authority to make medical decisions on your behalf if you are unable to speak for yourself. Young adults may not be aware of the importance of these documents. If you are a parent of a young adult have a conversation with your child and help them create these vital documents. My advice is to put all these documents in place once you turn 18 years old because you never know what will happen. #### **What about passwords?** As you go about updating your will, create a document that has the password to your computer and all your other password protected accounts. This is something to update annually or as often as you change your passwords. We all think nothing will ever happen to us or that there’s time to share this information with our loved ones. The truth is that none of us knows when we will be unable to communicate our wishes to our loved ones. As Benjamin Franklin said “*an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure*” There’s no time like the present to do this for yourself. Don’t wait. Even if you don’t have everything in place, or every password noted schedule time to start this process. Show yourself and your loved ones some love and make it easy for them to help you should the occasion arise. A professional organizer, like me, can help you gather these documents and find a place in your home office to keep them in case they are needed. *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize,](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** professional organizer --- ### [Want A Romantic Valentine's Day? Here's How To Declutter Your Bedroom](https://dnqsolutions.com/want-a-romantic-valentines-day-heres-how-to-declutter-your-bedroom/) **Published:** February 5, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Do you have a special person, someone you love with whom you are planning to celebrate Valentine’s Day? This day will be here before you know it. It’s time to get your home (in particular your family room, dining table, and your bedroom) organized. As a professional organizer, I want to teach you how to declutter your bedroom and your family room and dining table so you can have a romantic Valentine’s Day. Are you wondering why I am singling out these three areas? When you invite someone into your home the first room they might relax in is the family room. Perhaps you are cooking for this person so you want to be able to eat dinner at the dining table. Finally, you may be anticipating the evening will end in your bedroom knowing how to declutter your bedroom puts the finishing touches on a romantic Valentine’s Day. Who knows you may even end up extending the romance with breakfast in bed the next morning. Having clutter in any one of these three areas is a big turn-off. [Declutter these areas for yourself](https://dnqsolutions.com/show-love-for-yourself-on-valentines-day-every-day/) as well as for any guest you may entertain. ### **Start with the family room** You can probably declutter this room in 30 minutes or less. Look around and remove any trash. Put any piles of laundry sitting on chairs or the sofa into laundry baskets and hide them on top of the washer and drier. If you have time go back and fold the laundry and put it away. Sift through the collection of magazines and newspapers. See if there is anything you can recycle quickly. Gather the mail that is probably sitting on the coffee table and put it on the dining table. Look for any shoes you may have kicked off when you walked into your home and put them in the closet. Now, go to the front door. Walk outside, take a breath, and walk back into your home. What do you see? If you notice anything out of place or that bothers you deal with that next. ### **The dining table** The dining table is a great, horizontal surface and tends to collect odds and ends. It’s time to do a quick sort of the things that are sitting there. Toss or recycle anything you no longer need. Put like with like. If you know where something belongs, put it away. Create a pending bag or box for things (including papers) for which you aren’t positive of the next step. Then decorate the table so that it looks ready for romance. Here are some inexpensive ideas to use to decorate the dining table. Get some bunches of pink, red, and white balloons and scatter them around the table. Put red candles in candlesticks. If you have candlesticks of varying heights that makes for a nice display. Set the table with a white tablecloth and use either red or white napkins. Do this even if you are not staying in for dinner. You can also opt to make a centerpiece with flowers or chocolate kisses. ### **How to declutter the bedroom There are several places to declutter in the bedroom. The first is the bedside table. Whether you have a table on each side of the bed or just one bedside table you will want to follow the same steps. Remove everything from the top of the bedside table. Toss the trash. Put back only the very few things you absolutely must have on the table. These might be a lamp, a box of tissues, a flashlight, the phone charger, and maybe some lotion. #### **Next look at your chest of drawers** Is the top piled with stuff? Follow the same strategy as I used for the bedside table. There may be things on the top of the chest of drawers that belong in the bathroom. Gather everything that belongs somewhere else and then deliver those things to where they belong. Some may go to the bathroom, others to the kitchen. Are there clothes spilling out of the drawers? Now is not the time to cull your collection of clothes. You are decluttering the bedroom to make it look warm and welcoming. Push the clothes down and into the drawers so that they can shut. Make a mental note to return to the task of [organizing the contents of your chest of drawers another day.](https://dnqsolutions.com/6-tricks-to-better-organize-your-day/) #### **The bedroom chair** The bedroom chair is a great place to toss clothes at the end of the day. If it is full of clothes, it’s time to empty it. Hang up any clothes that you can wear again. Put dirty clothes in the laundry basket. Find any shoes and put them away in the closet. #### **The bed** Remove the sheets and take a couple of minutes to dust the bedframe. You will be surprised by how dusty it is, if you haven’t done this before. Make your bed with clean sheets. Fluff up the pillows and turn back the top of the sheets so the bed looks like it is inviting you to climb inside. #### **The bedroom closet** Now is not the time to organize the bedroom [closet but you can pick up the clothes](https://dnqsolutions.com/ideas-for-organizing-clothes-without-a-closet/) that may be laying on the floor. Hang them up, put them in the laundry, or if you don’t want them anymore put them in a donate bag. The goal is to make the closet look tidy. #### **The bathroom** Look at your bathroom vanity. Is it scary because it is so cluttered with stuff? Do what you can to clear the counter. Here are some ideas. Put makeup in a bag and under the sink. Find all the hair accessories and put them in a drawer. Remove some of the shampoos and conditioners from the bathtub or shower leaving only the ones you use. ### In Conclusion The idea when you declutter the bedroom is to make the entire room look as warm and welcoming as possible. Piles of clothes, a mountain of used tissues, a full trash can, and an overflowing chest of drawers do not promote a romantic feeling. If at any point you find yourself stuck, get out the [Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools) deck of cards for inspiration. Pull out the cards for the bedroom, bathroom, family/dining room and follow the step-by-step instructions on the card to declutter each small area, 10 minutes at a time. You can also [send me an email](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) to schedule a quick one-hour virtual organizing session with me. Declutter your bedroom for yourself, too, because you deserve a lovely, warm, and welcoming room in which to relax at the end of every day, not just Valentine’s Day. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com) based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter --- ### [The Best Reason To Declutter and Organize Your Home](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-reason-to-declutter-and-organize-your-home/) **Published:** February 19, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Have you ever scurried around quickly decluttering an area before someone comes over? Why am I asking this? Don’t I already know the answer? Of course! I know you do. Everyone does this, myself included. Yes. Even professional [organizers toss things in a drawer](https://dnqsolutions.com/thinking-of-organizing-that-file-drawer-2/), a cupboard, a bag, or a closet from time to time. Doing a quick fix. I think it’s not human to always have everything in place. We do this because we don’t want to be embarrassed by the stuff we have out and about. When I do this, I make a mental (or physical) note to go back and deal with the things I have quickly tossed somewhere to make my home look neat, tidy, and organized. There are many reasons to declutter read on to find out what they are as well as the best reason to declutter and [organize your home](https://dnqsolutions.com/create-your-home-organizing-sweet-spot/). ## **Reasons to Declutter and Organize Your Home** ### **Avoid Shame and Embarrassment** The most obvious reason, and the one I already hinted at, is to avoid feeling ashamed or embarrassed by the way your home looks. Why is this? Well, we all (and I do mean everyone) have a mental picture of how we want our homes to appear to anyone who happens to walk through our front door. We want them to like what they see or at least not be gasping in horror at the piles of laundry, stacks of dirty dishes, and overflowing trash cans. Sometimes before we let someone in we say something like ‘*please excuse the way my home looks. I wasn’t expecting anyone.’* We do this to let the person know this isn’t the way we want them to think about our home. If our homes are truly filled and overflowing, we don’t want the person to report us to the local authorities. There is always that chance. So, we make excuses and provide the visitor with reasons for things not looking the way we think they think it should. (By the way, the visitor is most likely not thinking about the way your home looks. They are probably just happy to see you or to do their job.) ### **Better Health and Safety** Another reason to declutter and organize your home is that everyone wants to feel safe when they are at home. Decluttering and organizing the entry, hallways, and rooms to avoid tripping hazards and to provide space for a gurney to come through is also a great reason. When things are left piled here and there the piles sometimes spill over. It’s an unavoidable consequence. If someone is walking quickly past where the pile has spilled over there is a likelihood they will slip or trip over something that is in the way. Another unavoidable consequence of having too much stuff is that it is impossible to clean. Some may say that’s one less thing for them to do but the reality is that a clean environment is a healthier environment. The very nature of accumulated piles is that they are dusty. It’s a fact. Use the mantra ‘*don’t put it down, put it away’* to have a healthier and safer home. At least if you can’t put it away now decide on a time (or block of time) when you will do it. Two other good [reasons to declutter and organize](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-it-is-hard-to-stay-organized/) your home are often repeated. They are to save money and to know what you have and how to find it. ### **Declutter and Organize to Save Money** You save money when you know what you have and where it is because you don’t go out and buy a duplicate item. The logic is undisputable. The trick is to create places for your things to belong so you know where to put them away. The second trick is to put them away after using them. ### **Create an Organizing System that Makes Sense to You** Create a system of putting things away that makes sense to you. Things can be put away in plain sight or they can be put away out of sight. The choice is yours. I said above (and it bears repeating) that a [reason to declutter and organize ](https://dnqsolutions.com/getting-organized-can-be-an-emotional-process-top-3-reasons-to-do-it-anyway/)is to know what you have and how to find it. The importance of this cannot be overstated. When you worry about finding things like your keys, wallet, eyeglasses, or an important document you create stress in your body. Avoid stress by creating systems to put things away that make sense to you. When you know where things are and how to find them life is easier and less stressful. ## **The Best Reason to Declutter and Organize Your Home** The very best reason to declutter and organize your home is so that it looks the way you want it to. I’m not talking about making your home magazine photo-shoot ready. You know the way you want your home to look. Accept that it will get messy from time to time. After-all you live in your home. But, don’t you just love walking into your kitchen in the morning and facing an empty sink and tidy counters? When you put the laundry away, you open space in your family room to sit and relax. It’s difficult to truly relax when you share the couch with a pile of laundry. The clothes are there waiting for you to do something about them. If you work at home, walking into your office in the morning and seeing a reasonably tidy desk lets you know you can get right to work. You take time and make the effort to declutter before guests come over. Why not declutter and organize for yourself? Show yourself some love and respect by decluttering and organizing your home just for you. Avoid the temptation to let things slide because no one is coming over. You are someone. Do it for you and then sit back and enjoy being in your home. Create some new habits of decluttering and organizing a little bit each day so it doesn’t become an overwhelming task. Would you like help figuring this out? Do you live in Atlanta? If you do, we can work in-person. If you live elsewhere, we can work together virtually, or you can join the [Clear Space for You ](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/)virtual clutter support group. [Contact me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) to schedule time to talk about the best option for you. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com) based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter, organize --- ### [Use Life Hacks To Begin Creating Better Home Maintenance Routines](https://dnqsolutions.com/use-life-hacks-to-begin-creating-better-home-maintenance-routines/) **Published:** February 26, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Last week I wrote about the best reason to declutter and organize your home. It is, in case you don’t know, for you. Declutter and organize your home to make it look the way you want it to, to make yourself happy. Often we let things slide because no one else is around to be clean, tidy, and organized for. We ask ourselves ‘*why bother?’* and *‘who cares?’.* The flip side of this is that if we don’t bother to clean up, tidy, and declutter after ourselves we end up with a home that is so disorganized that we become overwhelmed and don’t know where to begin. What if you use life hacks or shortcuts to motivate you to begin creating better home maintenance routines? It’s always better to do something than nothing. Doing nothing gets you nowhere, right? Think about how you feel when you go to get something to wear and there are no clean clothes. Or when you reach into a cabinet and there are no clean plates. Life can be easier when you incorporate chores even when you don’t feel like doing them. I am proposing that you use these shortcuts to get you half-way to completing an organizing chore. ## Use Life Hacks ### **Life hack for doing dishes** There are times when you may not have enough time to do the dishes before leaving the house. If you leave them by the sink they will be harder to clean with the crusted dried-on bits of food. If you have a small dish-pan either in the sink or beside the sink filled with soapy water you can put the dirty dishes there to let them soak. They will be much easier to wash when you have time. Using this life hack creates the routine of doing something with the dishes. It gets you about half-way done. All you do, when you are ready, is take then out of the dish pan and put them in the dishwasher or rinse them and dry them. No need to wash the dishes since they were sitting in soapy water. Using this life hack also avoids the messy pile-up of dishes next to the sink shouting at you to do something. ### **Life hack for making the bed** When you make your bed, your bedroom looks tidier. There’s no question about it. Typically, the bed is one of the largest pieces of furniture in the bedroom when it is messy everything else looks messy too. Sometimes the routine of making the bed is overcomplicated by the things we use. Keep it simple if you don’t like to make your bed. There’s no need to use a top sheet, a blanket, and a blanket cover unless you want to and like making your bed that way. To keep it simple, have a fitted sheet on the mattress and a duvet or comforter on top of the bed. If you like lots of blankets, you can always layer more blankets on top. Add some pillows and you’re done. Now, all you need to do to make your bed is pull up the duvet or comforter and plump up the pillows. If you use extra blankets, fold them and put them at the foot of the bed. You will be done in less than 5 minutes. ### **Life hack for doing laundry** I like folding and putting laundry away but if you don’t and if your laundry just sits around your home on various pieces of furniture shouting at you to do something consider a different strategy. If you have [space in or near your laundry](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-steps-to-control-clothes-clutter-in-a-small-space/) set up a small clothes rack with extra hangers. Anything that needs to be hung up can go there straight away, right out of the dryer. Use small baskets and label them according to clothing type for instance under garments, socks, exercise clothes, t-shirts. Just sort the clothes from the dryer into these baskets. Then take the baskets to your bedroom. You can either dump the contents into drawers or leave the labeled baskets neatly lined up against the wall in your bedroom. Using this life hack gets you half-way through the laundry process. It’s not for everyone but if you’re struggling to fold and put away laundry this life hack will at the very least keep the laundry out of your family room, so the sofa and chairs are available for you. ### Better Home Maintenance Routines These shortcuts will bring you a little closer to completing [household chores](https://dnqsolutions.com/sick-of-doing-household-chores-heres-how-to-get-more-done-with-less-resistance/) that everyone has and that very few love to do. Unfortunately, these chores do not do themselves. We do them because if we don’t our homes become ever messier. If you find yourself thinking that you don’t want to do dishes, make your bed, or do laundry try one of these shortcuts to do some part of the process. The more you do a little something toward tidying and [decluttering your home,](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-reason-to-declutter-and-organize-your-home/) the more you may find yourself liking the way it looks and feels just for you. Afterall, you live in your home. One of the best parts of being home is being able to relax and feel at peace. Try these shortcuts and let me know if they help. If none of these life hacks appeals to you reach out to me. We can work together virtually one-on-one or in the[ clutter support group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) to create some shortcuts that work better with your personal situation. If you live in Atlanta, we can also work in-person. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize*](https://releaserepurpose.com)*, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter, Organizing Strategies, overwhelming --- ### [The Truth About Being Kind To Yourself](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-truth-about-being-kind-to-yourself/) **Published:** March 5, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** There’s all sorts of advice out there which tells people to be kind to themselves. This advice also says to treat yourself the way you would a friend or to give yourself grace. I was sharing this information with a friend of mine who asked me what being kind to yourself really means. I told him what it means as it applies to organizing. Since I am a professional organizer, I can tell you about the ways you can be kind to yourself as you go about decluttering and [organizing your home](https://dnqsolutions.com/create-your-home-organizing-sweet-spot/). #### **Let’s review these two expressions one at a time** **Give Yourself Grace**: this expression means that you should not expect yourself to be perfect. You are a human being and are therefore fallible. You will make mistakes. Do your best to avoid them but accept that if you have done everything you can, and something doesn’t work out quite the way you want it’s not because you are a bad person or that you have done something bad. How does this apply to organizing? Well, perhaps you are trying a new strategy and working to have only one place in the house to keep your mail. You slipped up, and left a pile of mail (including an invoice) on the kitchen counter. Because you’re accustomed to seeing mail here, there, and everywhere you don’t notice this mail on the kitchen counter for several days. When you do notice it, you berate yourself and speak to yourself in negative and unhelpful way. Give yourself grace and forgive yourself. I know this is easier said than done. All of us are our own worst critic. Think about the mistake you made. And ask yourself these questions: What can you learn from it? Is there anything you did correctly? Take note. Where did you go wrong? Try not to over analyze this. Think about what you can do to fix this. Take a breath Pick up the mail Put it where you’ve decided is a better place to process the mail Schedule time to pay the invoice ### **Treat Yourself the Way You Would a Friend** How do you treat your friends? Do you forgive them if they make a mistake? I think you probably do, I know I do. It’s so much harder to forgive ourselves. We have this negative chatter in our heads that likes to review all the mistakes we’ve made and to berate us. When these thoughts swirl in our heads, the only comments we hear are the negative ones. Change the channel by taking this advice from the author of ***Chatter***, [Ethan Kross](https://www.ethankross.com/). He advises us to talk to ourselves in the third person. Call yourself by your name. He is not saying to forget about the mistake you have made instead he advocates that you have a conversation with yourself as if you were talking to a friend. Be gentle. Acknowledge the fact that you are having difficulty [changing your habits](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-leverage-your-good-habits-and-routines-amid-changing-circumstances/). Think about your options. What can you do differently? Do you need to enlist help? Would writing down some reminders about the behavior you want to incorporate help you? ### **Let’s go back to the example of the mail and papers** You have decided the kitchen counter is not the place you want the [mail and/or papers](https://dnqsolutions.com/paper-decluttering-tips-for-people-with-mounds-of-paper-mail-documents/) to land. There’s a side table in the family room that has a great spot for a basket and a hanging file holder. It even has room underneath it for 2 waste baskets. You’re going to label one waste basket “shredding” and the other “recycling”. You think this is the perfect place because you like to sit in the family room and watch (or listen) to television while you process your mail and papers. Consider putting a large note to yourself prominently placed in the kitchen saying something like: “*Don’t put the mail/papers down here. Take them to the family room.”* ### **The truth about being kind to yourself** It is easy for someone to tell you to be kind to yourself and much harder to do. When a friend is talking to you about a mistake you made, they can review what happened with you, give advice, and then walk away. You are always with yourself. If you allow yourself to sit and only contemplate the negative behaviors, these thoughts fester and become a self-fulfilling prophecy. But, if you tell yourself the truth, acknowledge the mistake, and then review the ways you can help yourself avoid making the same mistake, you are being kind to yourself by not allowing your thoughts to stay [focused on the things you did wrong](https://dnqsolutions.com/focus-on-whats-strong-not-whats-wrong/). #### **Avoid making excuses** Instead, enlist help. Ask family members to help you remember where to put the mail. Post reminders and actively talk to yourself out loud about the behavior you want to create. Remember to call yourself by name and talk to yourself as you would a friend. It takes time to change a behavior, more time than we generally allow ourselves. When you forget and backslide into the unwanted behavior stop, tell yourself you can do better, and move on. You know that scolding, berating, and putting yourself down do not work. If you are a parent, ask yourself how well this works with your children. Even better, ask yourself what example you are setting for them if you are constantly scolding yourself? My mother always said, “*you catch more bees with honey than with vinegar*”. Speak to yourself nicely without making excuses and allow yourself to try again. Celebrate every time you do the behavior you are trying to make habitual. If we go back to the example of the mail and papers, celebrate when there are no papers floating around on other surfaces. ### **In conclusion** The truth is being kind to yourself is one of the hardest things you can do. It is possible to learn this skill. Practice talking to yourself out loud. Leave reminders about the behaviors you want to change so that it is easier. Remember that no one is perfect. Celebrate your successes and challenge yourself to change the channel when the negative voice inside your head starts to pester you. You can do this! If you want some help to create an organizing or decluttering strategy for your home [reach out to me.](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) I am happy to provide ideas. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies, professional organizer --- ### [The 3 Best Reasons To Take A Mini Vacation](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-3-best-reasons-to-take-a-mini-vacation/) **Published:** March 12, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** In years past I rarely took vacations except for the ones you may expect. My family and I usually went away around Christmas. We also typically took a Spring Break vacation. I don’t know why but since my children are grown and on their own, my [vacations have become a thing ](https://dnqsolutions.com/14-things-to-do-before-leaving-for-vacation/)of the past. This year vacations are making a re-appearance in my life in the form of mini-vacations. I just returned from one and I can’t say enough good things about it. ### **What is a mini vacation?** I am defining a mini vacation as a long weekend away from home. My vacation was from Thursday through Sunday evening. Technically (according to Wikipedia) a mini vacation includes Monday. ### **Mini vacations are easy** I loved this little vacation because it was so simple. My brother, Chris, and his wife, Joan, moved to Mount Pleasant in South Carolina early in 2022. They visited me in October, and it was time for me to see where they were living. A few days in advance I checked-in with them to make sure I didn’t need any dressy clothes. They confirmed I did not. Packing was easy. I used a large tote bag. Afterall, I was only going to be away for a short time. Getting there was easy, too. I just hopped in my car. Yes. It is a bit of a drive from Atlanta but, being a professional organizer, I used my time wisely. I listened to interesting Podcasts, let my brain settle, and admired this scenery. I have always done good thinking in the car. This drive gave me two opportunities to let my brain relax and arrive at solutions to things that had been niggling at me. ### **They are more affordable** Another good thing about these long weekends away is that they are more affordable than an extended stay at a resort. Even if you decide to go somewhere that requires a flight, you can often find a less expensive flight if you can be flexible with the time and the day of the week that you travel. Since I drove and stayed with family, my only cost was gas for the car and a few snacks for me. ### **Benefits are endless** The [benefits of taking a mini vacation](https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/dont-forget-the-basil/201806/the-value-mini-vacations) are endless. Instead of looking forward to a two-week vacation once a year, scattering min-vacations throughout the year gives you multiple opportunities to relax and unwind. A long weekend away is enough time to begin discovering a new city or town. If you love the area, you may decide to schedule a return trip. But, maybe you’ve seen everything you want to see during the long weekend. You won’t feel as if you [spent too much time ](https://dnqsolutions.com/time-spent-with-family/)there. And, you don’t have to go there again. You can cross it off your list of places to visit. ### **Leave work at home** A benefit I discovered is that I purposefully left almost all my work at home. I planned my time the week before I left to get everything important off my desk. Alright, I admit to taking one small work project with me which I finished in the early morning hours before Chris, Joan, and I left the house for the day so it didn’t interfere with our fun. I find that when I take longer vacations it’s necessary to bring quite a bit of work with me. It stares at me from the desk in the hotel room. When that happens, I schedule time out of the vacation days to attend to the work. It’s ok but not as relaxing as spending most of my vacation time away truly away from my work. It was wonderful to be relatively work free for most of the weekend. These mini vacations are something I am planning to add to my year. I will schedule them for myself once a quarter. ### **The 3 Best Reasons** 1. It is long enough to get away and truly relax and short enough that you don’t feel like you’re drowning in the backlog of work when you return. 2. Getting away, even for a short time, let’s you shift your perspective. It takes you away from your everyday surroundings and plops you into something different. 3. [Frequent mini vacations](https://community.thriveglobal.com/8-reasons-why-everyone-should-embrace-the-mini-vacation/#:~:text=A%20mini%2Dvacation%20means%20taking,a%20different%20city%20or%20region.) are better for you than 1 longer vacation. Leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts. Will you take a series of mini vacations this year or will you take one longer vacation? *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** Planning --- ### [How To Downsize Your Home Without All The Drama](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-downsize-your-home-without-all-the-drama/) **Published:** March 19, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Are you getting ready to sell your home and move to a smaller place? Or, are you downsizing and staying where you are? No matter which you are doing you will need to evaluate your belongings and decide what stays and what goes. If you have lived in your home for more than a couple of years you will have lots to assess. How will you do this with a minimum of fuss and bother? Is it even possible to downsize your home without drama? As a professional organizer, I can tell you the answer is “Yes!”. I have done this for myself as well as for others. ## **How to downsize and declutter your home** The first thing to do is decide if you are downsizing and remaining where you are or moving to a smaller place. Reducing what you have and staying where you are is a wonderful way to downsize. When you do that, you eliminate any furniture, decorations, knick-knacks, and belongings that you are either no longer using or that you no longer love. Why downsize and stay where you are? Maybe there is no driving reason to move. When you declutter and downsize your home there is less to clean, less to take care of, and less for someone who empties your home once you are gone to deal with. #### **Have a party** One strategy to [declutter your home ](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-reason-to-declutter-and-organize-your-home/)is to have a party. You can use this strategy if you are downsizing and staying in place or downsizing and moving. Invite all your friends and neighbors. Put all the things you don’t love or use anymore out on display. Tell your friends that before they leave the party they have to take one [thing from the stuff on display](https://dnqsolutions.com/understanding-disposaphobia-aka-the-fear-of-throwing-things-away/) away with them. Tell your friends the stories behind the things you are giving away. It’s wonderful to relive the memories and to know that your friends will take the memory with them – along with the object you no longer want. This strategy removes the things you don’t want to keep and you can be confident these things are going to have a new home with a friend. #### **Giving the furniture to family** There was a time when I was thinking about downsizing my home dramatically and moving to a much smaller place. At that time I had conversations with my son and his wife about certain pieces of furniture I was sure they would want in their home. We talked about my beautiful dining table that has 3 leaves and can expand from seating 6 comfortably to seating 12. My husband designed it along with the sideboard when we lived in Bangkok, Thailand. It’s made of solid teak wood and has 12 teak wood chairs that go with it. It’s gorgeous and so versatile. I love it. Then there are the two beautiful old chests of drawers that came from my grandfather’s house. Furniture is just not made this way anymore. These pieces are solid and heavy. They can hold lots of clothes or linens. I asked my son and his wife because I knew they were moving into a much bigger house with more bedrooms. My son’s wife very sweetly said we will think about it. Then she added, if we take these pieces of furniture just for now because we need furniture will you be alright if we donate them if we change how we want to decorate? #### **How did I feel about this? I was happy when I thought these pieces of furniture were going to have a place in my son’s home. They would have a history with him and his family. The chests of drawers have been in our family for generations. I didn’t like the thought of spending the money to ship these pieces of furniture to them only to have them donate them in a few months. I decided not to move after all and to keep the furniture. ### **Are you ready to downsize your home?** If you are considering downsizing and have furniture that you know you can’t use in your new home, ask your children before you ship it off to them. Your children will most likely have different decorating styles from you. They may want these pieces of furniture, they may not. How will you feel if they take the furniture, just for now? #### **Things to think about Remind yourself these are inanimate objects which serve a purpose. Just as you do not want more furniture than your house can hold, your children probably do not want to be guilted into taking furniture they don’t want. Ask yourself these questions: **Can you sell them?** Maybe take them to a consignment store or sell them yourself online. Understand that you may only receive a small amount of money of what you think is the value for them. **Is there a particular charity or donation site that speaks to your heart?** There are many organizations which help people with a limited budget acquire necessary furniture for their homes. Do some research in your town to find a charity you may want to support. At the end of the day, I want my children to feel comfortable in their homes and to have furniture which supports the life they want to live. I don’t want to saddle them with things which may not fit their vision. I’m willing to bet you feel the same way. If you’re ready to downsize your home and want guidance from someone who has been through this process [reach out to me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact). I know how difficult it can be to [declutter and downsize your home](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-simplest-way-to-declutter-your-home/). Our things trigger memories of places we’ve been and people we’ve loved. The truth is that the memories will always be a part of us even when our things are benefiting other people. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies --- ### [Reasons To Organize Your Closet With A Professional Organizer](https://dnqsolutions.com/reasons-to-organize-your-closet-with-a-professional-organizer/) **Published:** March 26, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Is your closet ready for a spring make-over? Have you ever thought how great it would be to organize your closet with a professional organizer? Recently, I have been organizing lots of closets. There is something very satisfying about creating order in a closet. I love the look on my clients’ faces as we work together to make their closet functional for them. Each of them at one time or another during the process said, “*I never would have thought of doing that*”. As a professional [organizer I can look at the space ](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-small-space-organizing-hacks-from-a-professional-organizer/)objectively and provide lots of different storage options. During the year our closets can become a place to shove things to get them out of the way and maybe even hide them. If you have shelves in your closet, you can tuck small gifts in there – just for now. Then, I bet, you forget about them. The floor is another great place to stack things, particularly if you don’t have many long hanging clothes or if you keep your long hanging garments in another closet. You can close the closet door or just ignore the stacks of things on the floor under your clothes. At least those things are out of the way. How long do you leave them sitting on the floor before you take a second look? ## **Reasons to organize your closet with a professional organizer** ### **Take everything out of the closet** It is overwhelming to contemplate removing everything from your closet. First, there’s no denying it is physically difficult work. There’s lots of reaching, carrying, and stretching involved. Working with a professional organizer is motivating. You want to make the best use of the organizer’s time. Think about where in the closet you want to begin. I always suggest tackling the closet in sections. If you have a walk-in closet, tackle one wall at a time. Only put back the things that will belong on that wall or in that section. Have a donation bag or box handy as well as a bag or box for things to take to be cleaned or fixed. If you are not working with a professional organizer, find a friend to do this with you. Once your [closet is organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/organize-your-closet/), you can help with your friend’s closet. ### **Tactile sympathy** Do you know about [tactile sympathy](https://simplyorganizedhi.com/blog/organizing-101-tactile-sympathy/)? This is when you touch or hold something that belongs to you and you become more reluctant to let it go even if you think it’s past time to do so. You can avoid tactile sympathy regarding the clothes in your [closet if you are working with a professional organizer.](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-top-3-benefits-of-organizing-your-closet-plus-tips-tools-to-use/) The [organizer can hold up a clothing](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-great-strategies-for-organizing-clothes-without-a-dresser/) item and you can say whether it stays or goes. If you can’t decide, the organizer can ask you questions like: When was the last time you wore this garment? Does it still fit? It’s much easier to release clothes from your closet when you are not handling them yourself. ### **Zone out your closet** Talk through the way in which you like to access your [clothes with the professional organizer](https://dnqsolutions.com/ideas-for-organizing-clothes-without-a-closet/). Let them know if you like to have jackets with their matching pants or if you like to have your favorite hoodie in the front of your closet. Best practices suggests that we group clothes by type. Your best practice may be that you like certain clothes grouped together because you wear them all the time. Make it easier to find the clothes you want to wear by creating zones for large categories of clothes. In one of the closets I recently worked we created a place for short-sleeve and sleeveless tops and a separate place for long sleeve tops. Once we had the tops in their zone we grouped by color. My client was thrilled and amazed simultaneously. She had no idea she had so many white tops. Why? Because they had been hiding since they were mixed in with all the other colors. Now when she is thinking of wearing a white top she knows where to look. ### **How much is enough?** Sometimes when we’re out at the mall and see a cute shoe, top, dress (you can fill in the blank) we buy it because we like it (particularly if it is on sale) and because we can’t remember if we have something similar in our closet already. This occurs when we can’t easily see categories of clothes or shoes. As we sorted the shoes in one of my client’s closets, we found about 10 pairs of black shoes. My client readily agreed that she did not need to have 10 pairs of black shoes. After she tried them all on, she released 3 pairs because they didn’t fit well. She also agreed that if she hasn’t worn a pair of these shoes during the next 12 months, she will donate them. As you organize your closet determine how many of each type of clothing you want to have in your closet. If you find you have an abundance of a certain category, promise yourself to shop in your closet before you shop in the mall. ### **What sort of hangers do you want to use?** Slim line hangers are great because they save space. The thicker hangers are bulky and take up more space than necessary. Fabric hangers prevent clothes from slipping off the hanger. These are great for silky tops, pants, and jackets. Did you know that you can return wire hangers to your local dry cleaners? Yes. They will usually take the hangers back and either use them or recycle them for you. Use wooden hangers for things that are heavy like winter coats. If you are thinking about replacing your hangers, you don’t need to replace all of them at once. That can be an expensive undertaking. Consider replacing them in one section of your closet at a time. ### **What to do with seasonal clothes?** Some closets are big enough to keep the cold weather clothes and warm weather clothes out year round. I don’t switch out my clothes because winter is not terribly cold nor does it last very long here in Atlanta. If space is tight use underbed storage drawers to contain out of season clothes. A second option is to fold the clothes and put them in a water tight plastic bin in the garage. A third option is to put the [clothes into space ](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-steps-to-control-clothes-clutter-in-a-small-space/)saver bags and keep them on the top shelf of a closet. ### **What goes in the drawer, in a bin, or on a shelf?** As you organize your closet with a professional organizer you may come across things you can keep in a drawer, in a bin, or on a shelf. As you talk through the ways in which you want to access your clothes and accessories the organizer can suggest options to store things differently. Consider file folding t-shirts and keeping them in a bin or drawer instead of hanging them in the closet. [The Container Store](https://www.containerstore.com/s?source=form&q=closet+storage) has a wide variety of storage options to use in a closet. When you organize your closet with a professional organizer you are working with an objective professional. Chances are the organizer will have lots of suggestions for you. The most important thing for you to do is be honest. Tell the organizer how you want to find your clothes so they can tweak the system to fit your needs. If this is something you want to do on your own or with a friend join the [Clear Space for You virtual support group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/). Jonda Beattie and I will give you actionable steps to take each week and hold you accountable so that you finish the project and are happy with the results. If you want to work with a professional organizer and live in Atlanta, [reach out to me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) for a complimentary phone consultation. Here are two other resources to find professional organizers in your area: <https://challengingdisorganization.org>; [https://napo.net](https://www.napo.net/). For more organizing tips like these [sign up for my monthly newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/). *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies, professional organizer --- ### [5 Reasons Not To Follow The Messy Trend](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-reasons-not-to-follow-the-messy-trend/) **Published:** April 3, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** One of my organizing friends sent me the article from the New York Times “[This Trend Is A Mess](https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/08/style/clutter-messy-room-tiktok-instagram.html)” and asked me what I thought about it. My first thought was that it upset me. I work with people who struggle to become organized. Why would someone purposefully create a mess in their home and then create a video of it to post on TikTok? The answer, of course, is to get followers. This article talks about a young social media influencer who creates messes in their homes. I was so annoyed that I decided to reach out to some of my other organizing friends from around the world to get their thoughts about the Messy Trend. ### **What professional organizers think about the Messy Trend** In the interest of full disclosure, I am a professional organizer. My specialty is in working with people challenged by Chronic Disorganization, ADD, and hoarding tendencies. I am a subscriber of ICD and a member of NAPO. I am also an ICD® Master Trainer, a CPO-CD®, and a CPO®. Everyone I asked to share their opinion is also a subscriber of the [Institute for Challenging Disorganization](https://challengingdisorganization.org) (ICD®). All these organizers are Certified Professional Organizers in Chronic Disorganization (CPO-CD®), and some are also ICD® Master Trainers. Many of them are also members of the [National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals](https://www.napo.net/) (NAPO) and are Certified Professional Organizers (CPO®). I have used part of their quote in this post. If you are interested, you can read [their entire quote here](file:///C:/Users/dnq/OneDrive/Documents/DNQSolutions/2023%20Invoices/DNQSolutions/2023%20Blogs/04-02%20This%20trend%20is%20a%20mess%20response%20from%20organizers.docx). Ever since I began my organizing business in 2005, I have held the belief that a person’s home should be their place of refuge. I work with clients to help them curate their belongings, so they keep what they love, need, and use. Once that is done, we work together to remove the things that have no meaning or purpose and are simply taking up space because they don’t know what to do with them. The goal is to create the home they envision for themselves. Organized as much or as little as makes them feel comfortable. ### **Embrace your space** My friend [Linda Samuels](https://www.ohsoorganized.com/) from New York takes this a step further and says, “… *I’m all for embracing your space to reflect who you are, what you need, and how you prefer to live. So, if mess and chaos work for you, live that way without shame or apology. And if, instead, you like to color coordinate and have neatly stacked and labeled bins, then run with it. No right or wrong. No judgment. Be you.”* Linda is not encouraging people to decorate with trash, she is agreeing with our friend, [Wendy Hanes](http://www.hoardinghomesolutions.com.au/) from Australia who says, “*As professional organisers, our role is to help our clients find their own personal healthy spot where they can live safely, in an environment that is pleasing to them and supports their goals.”* ### **Have disarray and clutter** The very idea that a social media influencer would intentionally mess up her home and encourage critters and cockroaches by leaving empty containers of yogurt on the floor and then show this to the world as a trend to follow is truly appalling. I love what my friend, [Nacho Eguiarte](http://www.nachorganiza.com/) from Mexico said. “…*. The other thing is you can have disarray and clutter but that doesn’t mean you can’t put trash in the garbage bin. We need to agree that being organized and having a clean space is not about the images on Instagram or Pinterest…”* ## **5 Reasons Not To Follow The Messy Trend** 1. **It is difficult to find what you are looking for when everything is in disarray.** You will waste time moving things from one place to the other while you play hide ‘n seek with the thing you need in the moment. If you’re in a hurry, looking for one specific thing in a messy space can create anxiety. 1. 2\. **Clutter creates stress.** As [Laurene Livesey Park](http://organizeme101.com) says, *While I certainly believe that people should find the level of mess, or organization, or tidiness that is comfortable to them, we know, and research supports the fact, that living in cluttered spaces causes stress.”* 3\. **Excessive clutter causes CHAOS.** CHAOS stands for the Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome. People feel this way when they are embarrassed to open their door to friends and/or delivery people. They don’t like the [way their home looks](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-simplest-way-to-declutter-your-home/) and don’t want anyone else to see it that way. 4\. **Messiness creates a feeling of being overwhelmed.** When your home is messy, it is hard to know where to start creating order or to know what to do first. It is overwhelming. Sometimes it is easier to close the door and try to forget about it. The problem is that it will never go away on its own. 5\. **You cannot relax in a messy home.** Things strewn about your home in piles here, there, and everywhere create a tense atmosphere. It is not possible to unwind and relax in a place where everywhere you look there are random piles of clutter. ### Magazine photos are staged I believe this social media influencer was trying to make a point. They did not need to purposefully trash their home to show how someone really lives. Ask any professional organizer and they will tell you that the picture perfect photos in magazines are staged. No one lives in those photos and, yes, they can be sterile. I suggest that instead of trashing their home, this influencer show how it is without either messing or tidying it up. That, at least, would be honest. *“Media has always promoted impossible standards, ultra slim models, perfect families, beautiful and orderly homes. Backlash is normal, and promoting the other extreme gets attention.”* Wendy Hanes ### **Is this messy trend the right kind of attention?** I do not think it is. I think it makes people who [struggle with disorganization](https://dnqsolutions.com/struggling-with-chronic-disorganization-these-3-tips-will-help-get-you-motivated/) shake their heads in disbelief. They wonder why would anyone do that? Ask a busy family about how hard it is to create and maintain order. They will tell you they don’t need any help messing up their home. Living life does that for them. My friend, [Alice Price](http://www.organizelongisland.com/) sums it up nicely when she says, “*Like so many issues today the messy/minimalist issue is presented as an either/or binary choice. The reality is that this issue, like so many others, exist on a bell curve with both extremes being problematic. *This article is the pendulum swing to the other extreme. *Posts that present creating homes for cockroaches or finding sticky tabletops acceptable or floors so strewn with clutter that there are no clear paths through rooms due to clutter of any kind encourages unsanitary and potentially dangerous situations. *Social media influencers create an illusion that their vision is the correct one and the one to strive for. Impressionable followers can easily develop very stilted opinions of what defines messy, clutter, neat etc.”* ### Find the middle ground There is a middle ground when it comes to organizing and your stuff. Too little and the space may look and feel sterile. Too much and the environment may be unsafe and promote stress. Decide what works for you. Surround yourself with things you love that you use, and that you need. As Nate Berkus famously said, “*Your home should tell the story of who you are, and be a collection of what you love, brought together under one roof.*” If organizing your belongings doesn’t come easily to you reach out to a professional organizer. You can work in-person or virtually or join a clutter support group. [Reach out to me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) to talk through your options. But whatever you do, do not follow the messy trend. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com/) *and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize*](https://releaserepurpose.com/)*, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines, How to Organize Your Life Blog --- ### [How To Have A Successful Multi-Generation Vacation](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-have-a-successful-multi-generation-vacation/) **Published:** April 16, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** It can be hard to have a 100% successful vacation under the best of circumstances and even more challenging when there are multiple generations to consider. I have just returned from a super fabulous and successful multi-generation vacation to Myrtle Beach with my son and his family. They flew to Atlanta, spent Easter here, and then we drove to Myrtle Beach. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/04-16-DNQ-Easter-Susana-and-Ari-rotated-1.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")That sounds very straight-forward, doesn’t it? Well, what I didn’t initially say is that this adventure included my two-year old grandson and my five-year old granddaughter. There were 3 generations on this trip. My husband and I are seniors. My son, Alex, and his wife, Judy, are Millennials. And then there are the grandchildren. Myrtle Beach is a solid 5 ½ hour to 6-hour drive from Atlanta. Can you imagine a trip like this? I believe there are three essential [elements involved in having a successful ](https://dnqsolutions.com/unlocking-success-the-power-of-planning-scheduling-plus-two-other-elements/)vacation of any kind and truly important when you have multiple generations on vacation together. Read on to find out what they are. ### **Our Successful Multi-Generation Vacation** #### **Planning** Of course, every vacation requires an element of planning. You plan where you will stay and often plan where to have your meals by making reservations at specific restaurants if it is a busy time of year. My job was to plan where to stay. I found the Sheraton Broadway in Myrtle Beach. This resort offers two-bedroom suites connected by a family room. It also has a washer and drier which are important when you are traveling with small children. And a small kitchen which is also important. More about that in a minute. We took two of these units. The children and grandchildren in one and my husband and me in the other. Alex planned our driving route. He and Judy knew the children can be happy in the car for about 3 hours. We took 2 cars because neither of our cars was big enough for 4 adults plus 2 children in car seats. The idea was to divide the grandchildren. Alex and Judy would switch cars at the halfway meeting point. Alex did some research and found the [Riverbanks Zoo](https://www.riverbanks.org/) in Columbia, South Carolina. Ari and Susana love to go to the Zoo. It was a fabulous place to stop. All of us benefited from the opportunity to stop and stretch our legs. The children ran around, saw some great animal exhibits, and we had a little lunch. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/04-16-DNQ-Riverdale-Zoo-rotated-1.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Our short stop to stretch our legs turned into a longer stop because there was so much to see and do. I’m an avid gardener and would have loved to spend time at their Botanical Garden. This gives me a good reason to go back. Judy and Alex worked together to figure out where to have our dinners and made the reservations for times that would be fine for the little ones. #### **Planning our days at Myrtle Beach** I am an admitted sun worshipper. I am always happy to spend endless hours in the sunshine either lounging or reading a good book when I am on vacation. This, as you may have guessed, is not in the cards when you are traveling with multiple generations and interests. The grandchildren were happy to play at the beach for a bit. But even though the sun was strong the water was chilly. Since Ari is only two years old it is best if he can take an afternoon nap. Although Susana is five and has unlimited energy she does better when she has some quiet time in the afternoons, too. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/04-16-DNQ-family-at-the-oceanIMG_2579-rotated-1.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")Once again Alex did some research. At one beach Alex, Judy and the children made a fabulous sandcastle and found lots of shells. On the next day, we went to Huntington Beach State Park. There we saw Atalaya Castle and went for a great walk to see lots of alligators sunning themselves in the shallow water. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/04-16-DNQ-alligator-rotated-1.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")For our return trip to Atlanta, Alex planned a stop in [Camden, South Carolina](https://www.historiccamden.org/) to visit an historical site. He knows it’s important to have different things to see and do. #### **Preparing** Since Myrtle Beach is within a days’ drive, we brought along a cooler filled with breakfast and lunch foods as well as some leftovers from our Easter dinner. I even packed some snacks to keep in the kitchens in our suites. I keep a running grocery list of family favorites for snacks and had little snacks on hand for when anyone got a little hungry. When my children were small, I carried a tote bag that became sort of like a Mary Poppins bag. Whatever anyone needed was usually in my tote bag. I decided to bring along a tote bag for this trip so that I was prepared to temporarily keep the things that anyone wanted to hand me. The thing you can never prepare for is inclement weather. We were very lucky and had beautiful sunny days for our entire trip. #### **Flexibility** There are many reasons to plan and to prepare when you take a trip but I believe the most important thing to do when you travel anywhere with anyone is to be flexible. This skill comes in handy as a professional organizer because we must often tweak and tweak again organizing strategies, so they work with an individual’s natural tendencies. Being flexible when you are traveling, particularly when you are traveling with multiple generations, is imperative. Alex and Judy are experts at being flexible. When we were dining out, which we did for several lunches and all our dinners, they took turns jumping up to chase Ari who has a hard time sitting still. Of course, since he is only two years old that is to be expected. There were also a couple of times when we thought we were going to see or do something, and we shifted gears. Either there was no more interest in the event, or a different and better option was presented. No matter. Everyone flexed their flexibility muscles, and we [changed our plan ](https://dnqsolutions.com/have-a-change-of-plans-its-best-to-accept-them/)with smiles on our faces. ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/04-16-DNQ-Alex-and-family-at-the-beachIMG_2592.jpg "| DNQ Solutions")### **In conclusion** If you are traveling with or without multiple generations this spring or summer and want to have a successful vacation, remember to incorporate these three essential elements: planning, preparing, and flexibility. When you have a plan, it can be tweaked. If you don’t plan, you don’t have anything from which to work. When you prepare by packing a selection of clothes and favorite snacks you know you will be comfortable and that no one will get that hungry angry attitude. Being flexible provides options. We all know that we can’t control the weather. Be willing to shift gears if the weather changes, if you have to stop to let a member of the group rest, or if someone has a strong opinion and wants to do something different. I had a super successful multi-generation vacation and I hope your vacation will be super successful, too. If you want help planning a vacation or any project [reach out to me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) to schedule a 15-minute consultation to find out if in-person organizing, virtual organizing, or a clutter support group is a good fit for you. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com/) *and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize,*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies, Planning --- ### [Getting Your Garden Ready For Spring](https://dnqsolutions.com/getting-your-garden-ready-for-spring/) **Published:** April 23, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Have you been focused on spring cleaning inside your home? This time of year, when the light is newly bright again, take the time to open your eyes and look into all the spaces in your home. Get right into the corners and dark spaces. Clean them. Take the opportunity to look closely at your belongings. Dust them off and put them back or remove them from your home (if you determine they no longer fit your decorating style or lifestyle). Remember that spring lasts a good three months. Now is also the time to get your garden ready for spring. When you are scheduling time in your calendar to do your deep spring cleaning in each area of your home also schedule time to focus on spring gardening. Tackling your whole home at one time is a daunting and [overwhelming task](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-when-you-feel-overwhelmed-by-a-task/). When you plan it out and break it down into small tasks this project becomes much more manageable. The same concept applies to spring gardening. ### **How to prepare your garden for spring Whether your garden is large, small, or consists of pots it’s important to take stock of your garden. I love to garden. I used to have a very large garden with many different garden areas. Now I have a very small garden and lots of pots. No matter the size, I love to spend time in my garden! The last few days I’ve been out looking at my garden to see which plants made it through the winter. I’m taking stock and thinking about the different plants I may want to add. While it’s too soon to plant it’s not too soon to plan and decide what you’d like to do with your garden. ### **Spring flower beds My garden is full of shrubs, some perennial flowers, and some annual flowers. Some of my plants are along the sides of my home and some are in pots. No matter your level of expertise or the size of your garden, playing in the earth with plants is a wonderful pastime. Look at the area in your garden you may want to change. Determine if you’re adding plants in the shade or the sun. If it’s a sunny spot, try and calculate how many hours of sun that spot gets. It makes a difference as to which plants you want to consider. Likewise, if it’s a shady spot try and figure out if that area gets any sun at all or if it’s deep dense shade. The amount of sun makes a tremendous difference in the plants that will thrive in a location. Another thing to consider as you get your garden ready for spring planting is the size and color of the plants. Do you need to fill in with some low growing plants in the front of your garden? Maybe you want to add a few annuals to provide a pop of color in your garden. ### Getting planters and pots ready for spring In addition to the amount of sun or shade there are some more things to consider when you plant your pots. You may want to add some vinelike plants that will spill over the edge of the pot and a single tall plant to add visual interest. Once you have these things figured out take a trip to your local plant nursery, Home Depot, or Lowe’s. Generally, the people who work there have great information to share about the plants they carry. They can tell you about how tall and/or bushy a plant will get as well as what you will need to do to promote its continued growth. ### **Plan your vegetable garden** ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/04-23-DNQ-raised-garden-8587631_3406_planter-boxes-cedar-raised-garden-tif-150x150.webp "| DNQ Solutions")If you have never planted a vegetable garden and want to begin growing your own vegetables, start small and get your garden ready for spring planting by defining the area for vegetables. You want an area that has good drainage and good soil. One of the best ways to do this is by [preparing a raised bed.](https://www.gardeners.com/buy/planter-boxes-cedar-raised-garden/8610895.html?VariationId=P_5637154996&channable=411875696400383) This is a great option for a beginner vegetable garden. Also, since the garden is raised it may not be as easy for small animals to snack on your plants. Before you install your vegetable garden, whether it is raised or in-ground, look carefully at the amount of sunlight the area receives. Vegetables need lots of sunlight to grow. As with everything else, getting every garden ready for spring is something that requires a plan. Pull out your calendar and schedule time to look at the garden space. It will take several observations at different times of day to figure out how much sun each area receives. Then take a walk around your neighborhood or your local botanical garden and take pictures of plants you like. Soon it will be time to plan the trip to buy the plants, and plant them. If you planning a garden is something you want to do and don’t know how to plan your time [reach out to me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) to schedule a free phone consultation. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com/) *and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize,*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Calendar, Planning --- ### [Easter Baskets: the case of the lingering clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/easter-baskets-the-case-of-the-lingering-clutter/) **Published:** April 30, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** It’s about to be the end of April. Easter has come and gone but yet the Easter baskets linger out in plain sight. Yes. You can plainly see them sitting on the top of this beautiful chicken coop that Nick found in an antiques store in Singapore. What is wrong with this picture? Every time I walk past the chicken coop, I think to myself I should do something with these Easter baskets and yet they linger. Does this ever happen to you? You see something in your house that you know you want to do something with. Every [time](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-find-some-time-to-do-nothing/) you see it you think that thought but still nothing happens. Why is this? Let me tell you how I solved this problem with the Easter baskets and maybe that will help you with your lingering clutter because I know you have some – everyone does. ## **Easter baskets and lingering clutter** I realize that part of the problem with the Easter baskets was that I had not decided where to keep them when they were not being used which is 364 days of the year. I bought these 2 baskets just before my grandchildren arrived in early April. The baskets I used for my children were long gone. The other part of the problem has to do with the contents of the baskets. My grandchildren are too young to know that part of the fun at Easter is eating the candy as you find it. Consequently, each of the baskets still have the Godiva chocolate Easter Bunny in them in addition to other chocolates. I don’t want to throw them out, nor do I want to eat them. I wonder if I can [freeze them](https://www.godiva.com/customer-assistance/faq.html#:~:text=To%20store%20chocolate%20for%20up,bags%2C%20close%20tightly%20and%20freeze.) and use them again next year? Then there is the stuffing in the basket and all the colorful plastic eggs. What do I do with that stuff? My options are to put it in plastic bags and keep it somewhere or toss it. ### **Do a little investigating** I don’t like it when my clutter shouts at me. It bothers me that every time I see these Easter baskets, I know that I am procrastinating. Doing some investigating always helps me conquer a problem, so I put myself to work. I decided to investigate the closets as potential storage spots for the Easter baskets. As it happens, I needed to get a raincoat out of the coat closet, and I looked up. There it was. The perfect storage spot for the Easter baskets. It is a shelf above the coats that has lots of vertical space available for the handles of the baskets. I decided to keep the colorful shredded stuffing for the baskets in a Ziploc plastic bag and the colorful plastic eggs in another much larger plastic bag. Then I put both of these bags in a clear plastic box which I labeled Easter on the shelf in the coat closet. I decided to toss the chocolate bunnies and other random chocolates. I learned that if I put it in the freezer, I could only keep it for 6 months. Easter is a year away. Maybe I won’t buy so much chocolate next year. ### **The case of lingering clutter** When you have lingering clutter ask yourself these questions: Does it bother you? If it does, does it bother you enough to do something about it. Do I want to keep it? If I keep it, when will I use it again? Where will I put it? Is it easy to access? If I don’t want to keep it, is it something to give to a friend, donate, recycle, or toss? Once you have answered these questions, schedule time with yourself to address the lingering clutter. In the case of the lingering Easter baskets, once I figured out where I could keep them and what to do with the contents, I was able to get them [put away](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-put-away-our-holiday-decorations/) until the next time my grandchildren visit at Easter. If you have a lingering clutter problem that you would like to solve, sign up for the [Clear Space for You clutter support group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/). Jonda Beattie and I will work with you to determine your next steps to clear lingering clutter from your home. *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter, Organizing Strategies --- ### [Mother's Day Remembrances](https://dnqsolutions.com/mothers-day-remembrances/) **Published:** May 14, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Mother’s Day is a special day for me, not just because I am a mother of two children. Yes. Even though they are adults now, they will always be my children. It is a special day because that is when I indulge myself and spend time looking back and thinking about the wonderful memories I have of time spent with my mother. Do you do that, too? I must admit there are many times during an ordinary week when suddenly something my mother said or did will pop into my mind. Or I’ll see something that will make me want to call my mom. So, because I know I can no longer reach out and place a phone call I talk to the air as if I was telling my mom. If you follow me, you probably know that my mother and I were very close. We were only 20 years apart in age. As I grew older those dividing years between us seemed to shrink. We became more like dear friends. Although, when I grew too comfortable, she would remind me that she was indeed my mother. The picture at the top of this post is of me with my mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother at my christening. ## **My Mother’s Day Remembrances** #### **Gardens and flowers** My mother and I shared a love of gardening and flowers in general. I am delighted to have inherited my green thumb from my mom. When I pass by a beautiful garden, I stop, admire it, and then think mom would have loved this. Mom also loved to arrange flowers. She entered and won many, many flower arranging competitions. Those arrangements were awe inspiring. I am good at growing orchids, gardenias, and other beautiful potted plants. Arranging flowers in a vase is not one of my talents, although I give it my best shot from time to time. #### **Tennis** My mother was a terrific tennis player. I loved playing tennis with her, but she was a formidable opponent. She was famous for hitting a strong forehand down the line as well as placing the tennis ball just out of reach. Mom had a devilish little chuckle when she plopped the tennis ball just over the net at the end of a great rally. Now, when I play tennis and make one of those shots myself, I think that I had a great teacher. #### **Sayings** There are things my grandmother told me that she said came from her mother (my great-grandmother) which I like to acknowledge on Mother’s Day. One of them always helps me sit up straight. My grandmother said that when you slump, the organs inside your body collapse one on top of the other. This gives you a stomachache. As a little girl, I pictured a cartoon of my stomach, liver, kidneys, lungs, and heart all jumbled up together. Every time I slump in a chair, I can still hear my grandmother saying, “*sit up straight girl, think of your organs.*” I credit my grandmother with my good posture. I get my positive upbeat attitude from my mother. She always looked for the silver lining. If it was a rainy day, she would say that it’s good because the plants need water. If it was snowing and we couldn’t do what we had planned outside, mom would find a fun activity to do inside. Dwelling on what we couldn’t do simply was not part of the plan. There are two of my mother’s sayings I repeat to my children. They are: “*You catch more flies with honey*” and “*there’s no sense in crying over spilt milk*” I hope they remember it’s easier to be nice to people. More often than not people will be nice back to you. And that when you spill milk, make a mistake, it’s better to clean it up and move on than to be upset. Because I have so many things I remember and associate with my mother I was curious to find out what some of my organizing friends had to say about their remembrances of their mothers. I invited them to share their remembrances here. ### Here are the Mother’s Day remembrances from my colleagues. I appreciate their generosity in sharing their thoughts. “*Believe in yourself because you are more powerful than you may think*.” Sabrina Quairoli Professional Organizer/Owner > [Welcome to Sabrina’s Organizing](https://sabrinasorganizing.com/) “*My mother gave me some great advice when I had my first child and was struggling to feel productive. She encouraged me to celebrate every accomplishment, no matter how small. I might not be able to complete a full to-do list, but I might be able to unload the dishwasher or pay a few bills, and I should let myself feel good about whatever I could get done.”* Seana Turner The Seana Method [www.TheSeanaMethod.com](http://www.theseanamethod.com/) “*I don’t have any bon mots from my mother that live in my head. But my mother showed me with her actions the importance of living true to your beliefs and being kind and uplifting. However, she didn’t believe in giving praise to her children. As grown children my siblings and I would call each other and share the praise that mom had shared with us about one of them.”* Jonda Beattie Time Space Organization [www.timespaceorg.com](http://www.timespaceorg.com) “*I wouldn’t say my mother gave this as advice, per se, but I cannot see a [paper wall calendar](https://dnqsolutions.com/paper-calendar-two-of-the-best-reasons-to-use-one/) (you know, the kind with a pretty picture on top and the square dates below) without thinking of her. From the time I was old enough to have activities like piano lessons or Girl Scouts, she would encourage (harass?) me to write all of them – dates, times, locations – on the calendar she kept by the phone. No doubt, this practice gave me an appreciation for the power of knowing what was coming up in my week, and how it impacted other things in our lives.”* Sara Skillen, PCC, COLC, CPO > [SkillSet Coaching & Organizing](https://skillsetcoaching.com/) “*Sometimes when I walk through the door of my home after being away for even a few hours, I think of my mom who, upon her own return, would often say, “Hello, house!” This was long before I heard one of my favorite designers, Nate Berkus, saying, “Your home should rise up to greet you. And at the end of the day, it should ground you in a sense of peace.”* Hazel Thornton > [Welcome to Organized for Life and Beyond](https://www.org4life.com/) I hope you have a wonderful Mother’s Day! Spend time with your mom or indulging yourself (as I have indulged myself) in some Mother’s Day remembrances. *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog --- ### [Create Your Home Organizing Sweet Spot](https://dnqsolutions.com/create-your-home-organizing-sweet-spot/) **Published:** May 21, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** How do you feel when you walk through the door to your home? Maybe a better question is: how would you like to feel when you walk into your home? If you feel as if this is it. This is the place you want to be because this is where you can relax, unwind, and feel at peace. Then this post is not for you. You have found your [home organizing](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/home-organization/) sweet spot. But if you have a nagging feeling that things aren’t right when you walk through your door into your home then you have not found it. Maybe you see things you need to do, want to do, or should do to make your home feel as if this is where you belong. Perhaps you don’t know where to start, which makes you feel overwhelmed, anxious, and stressed. It’s time to create your home organizing sweet spot. ### **What is a home organizing sweet spot?** It’s always good to know what we are talking about. I define a [home organizing](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-for-a-move-to-a-new-home-2/) sweet spot as the feeling you get when you are in your home that this is where you can be you. Things are where you want them to be, your home is as organized as works for you, and you feel as if this place is your personal refuge. ### **What don’t you like about your home?** Ask yourself what bothers you when you walk through the door into your home. Is it the paint, the artwork, or is it clutter? Maybe the entry isn’t welcoming. Perhaps the entry is hard to navigate because things just land there on the floor beside the door. You recognize it’s a tripping hazard, but you have your hands full. Since you don’t know what to do about it, you say to yourself ‘I’ll think about it later’. Take time to define what it is that gives you the nagging feeling that there are things to do. Then make a list. Write down everything that you’d like to change. Once you have your list, make a second list in order of importance. From there you can schedule time to either make the changes yourself or get estimates to get the work done for you. ### **Is the problem clutter control?** As in your entry, maybe the problem in the family room, kitchen, and bedroom is clutter control. Clutter nags at you. It reminds you of all the little things you have not done. When you let clutter pile up it is impossible to have a home organizing sweet spot. The visible clutter shouts at you and creates clutter in your mind because you work to remember to tackle the clutter. Your home is not a peaceful refuge when you always feel like you should be doing something else. ### **The importance of home maintenance routines** The importance of home maintenance routines can not be overstated. When you have these routines, you prevent clutter from accumulating because you deal with it on a regular basis. This way your home can be as organized as you want it to be which maintains that home organizing sweet spot. #### **Sample morning routine** Let’s say that every morning while the coffee is brewing, you take 5 minutes and tidy the family room. You bring any dishes, glasses, or trash left over from the day before to the kitchen. After breakfast you do those dishes along with those from your breakfast. This is a simple way to do a little clutter control in those two rooms. In your bedroom, hang up or put away any clothes you intend to wear again, put dirty clothes in a laundry basket, and make your bed. Your bedroom will be easier to maintain when you do these things regularly. #### **Sample evening routine** If you work at home, straighten your workspace. Consider making a note of where you left off in a project, so you know exactly where to begin the next time. Look at your calendar and plan your next day. Make a note of any appointments, errands, and any tasks you want to do. Decide when during the day (after breakfast, before dinner) you will do them. Writing them down removes them from your mind which reduces mental clutter and helps you to relax. Clean up after yourself while you are making dinner so that the kitchen stays relatively tidy. Wash your dinner dishes or put them in the dishwasher after dinner. #### **Schedule your regular on-going household chores** In addition to having morning and evening routines which help take care of small tasks it’s important to schedule regular on-going household chores. Are you wondering how all this talk of chores and routines pertains to creating a home organizing sweet spot? Planning when you will address regular household tasks like laundry, dusting, vacuuming, cleaning bathrooms, the kitchen, and more helps keep you as organized as you want to be. When you schedule these tasks things (like laundry) don’t pile up and become so overwhelming that you don’t want to do them. I understand that regular [household chores](https://dnqsolutions.com/8-hacks-to-make-household-chores-easier/) are not exciting and that it’s easy to put them off in favor of something more fun. The kicker, though, is the more often you do these chores the easier they are to do. When you keep things relatively clean and as clutter free as suits you it takes less time to tidy up. You will be able to relax, unwind, and be at peace in your home. ### **Conclusion** Take the time to make the list of things that bother you in your home. Create your home organizing sweet spot, so you can make your home the place you want to be. Use the [Organize Your Home 10 minutes at a Time](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools/) deck of cards as inspiration when you only have 10 minutes, and you want to get something in your home done. If you want an accountability partner, join the [Clear Space for You virtual clutter support group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) I run with [Jonda Beattie](https://www.timespaceorg.com/about). If you’re not sure, contact me. I’m happy to talk with you and review your options if you’d like help making your home your place of refuge. [*Diane N. Quintana*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer. Owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize*](https://releaserepurpose.com)*, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter, Organizing Strategies, Planning --- ### [Struggling With Chronic Disorganization? These 3 Tips Will Help Get You Motivated](https://dnqsolutions.com/struggling-with-chronic-disorganization-these-3-tips-will-help-get-you-motivated/) **Published:** June 4, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** If you dream of getting organized but picture it as an unachievable goal, I am here to tell you it is possible to get organized even if you struggle with chronic disorganization. How do you know if you are chronically disorganized? The Institute for Challenging Disorganization assigns these three defining features to chronic disorganization: 1. Persists over a long period of time 2. Frequently undermines quality of life 3. Recurs despite repeated self-help attempts (from <https://challengingdisorganization.org>) As a professional organizer certified in chronic disorganization, I specialize in working with people for whom getting organized is a struggle. I often hear clients say *I have tried so many times to get this room, this closet, this [house organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-a-small-house-with-no-storage/) and have never been successful*. I am always sorry to hear that because I know just how stressful and discouraging it is when you work hard to do something and have either limited or no results. The [problem is that many people view getting organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-strategies-notice-the-problem-and-change-the-story/) as a destination. If you think to yourself that you can work [hard to get organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-it-is-hard-to-stay-organized/) and then be done, you are going to be disappointed. Organized is a state of being. It is always a work in progress. There is no such thing as getting organized and never organizing again. I know these words are harsh and are not want you want to hear but, please read on because help is at hand. ## **Find a professional organizer trained in chronic disorganization.** The key ingredient here is to find a qualified professional (such as myself) who will work with you to create personalized strategies. [Organizing is not a one-size fits all ](https://dnqsolutions.com/getting-organized-can-be-an-emotional-process-top-3-reasons-to-do-it-anyway/)process. It’s important to organize your home the way that appeals to you and works with the way you think. Search the directory on the [Institute for Challenging Disorganization website](https://challengingdisorganization.org) to find a qualified professional organizer in your area. We have strategies to help you figure out where to put your belongings so you can find them again. This will improve your quality of life. You will save money because you won’t have to buy something you KNOW you already have but can’t find. A professional organizer with an understanding of chronic disorganization will guide you to create routines and cultivate better habits. This provides you with the structure to make a daily schedule for yourself so that you arrive at appointments on time or early. Doing this helps you maintain good relationships with your family, friends, and co-workers. While you are looking for a professional organizer with whom to work here are some tips to help you get motivated to make some changes on your own. ## **3 tips to motivate you.** ### 1. **Start small.** Take 5 minutes and toss the trash. Set the timer on your phone and spend 5 minutes walking around your home picking up trash and tossing it. You will be amazed by how much you can do (toss) in just 5 minutes. Do this every day until the only trash you have is in the garbage can. This serves two purposes. First, you will have no trash to pick up. Second, it helps to create the habit of putting the trash in the garbage can. If trash starts to accumulate again, repeat the process of picking up trash every day for 5 minutes. Clearing the trash may help motivate you to do more. Try not to berate yourself for not putting trash in the garbage can to begin with. When you struggle with chronic disorganization, the default is to beat yourself up. Change the channel away from the negative refrain and give yourself props for picking up the trash today. ### 2. **Sort through piles one pile at a time.** #### **Ask yourself these questions as you sort through each pile:** Where do you use this? Is there space near where you use it to keep it? **Note:** *you can store things in plain sight if putting things out of sight makes you forget about them.* If you do not use an item, is it something to keep or could someone else benefit from it? #### **Separate things according to their category.** If it is a document, determine if it is something to keep, shred, or recycle. Keep vital documents in a safe place like a locked fire box in your home or a safe deposit box at the bank. You can also keep a scanned copy in a secure cloud account. Do you have magazines mixed in the piles? Decide how long you want to keep them? Could you read the magazine online? Are there clothes here, there, and everywhere? Ask yourself if it is because it’s hard to put them away. There is always another way to keep things. A professional organizer will have suggestions for you based on your preferences. Maybe it is something you left out in plain sight as a trigger to do an errand – to return it to the store, exchange it for something else, or to get it fixed. Instead, get out your calendar and schedule time with yourself to do this errand. ### 3. **Be mindful of your actions.** When you put something down ask yourself if this is that item’s home. If it is not, can you put it where it belongs right now? Create a habit of assigning specific times to things you tell yourself you want to do. Say to yourself that you will do xxx after breakfast or after you take a walk. Make an effort not to use the word ‘later’. If you are doing something and you get distracted, ask yourself “is this the best use of my time right now?” Try to finish one task completely before moving on to something else that may be more fun. As a certified professional organizer in chronic disorganization, I know this is a very real struggle. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to change how you speak to yourself. Always give yourself a pat on the back for picking up or putting something back. Give yourself grace. Acknowledge what you didn’t do and move on. Find a professional organizer (like me) who will support you either in-person or virtually. I’d be honored to [speak with you](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) and review your options. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, chronic disorganization, Clutter, professional organizer, The Institute for Challenging Disorganization --- ### [How To Stop Enabling A Hoarder Without Losing Your Cool](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-stop-enabling-a-hoarder-without-losing-your-cool/) **Published:** June 11, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** First, I want to acknowledge that a person with a hoarding disorder is not defined by their disorder. People who hoard are much more than their collection of stuff. My use of the word “hoarder” in this piece is contrary to how I like to express myself. But I know that this is a term people search for and I want someone looking for information I am going to share to be able to find it. It’s important if you find yourself in this situation to know how to [stop enabling a hoarder](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-stop-enabling-a-hoarder-even-when-its-hard/). There is a big difference between someone who has lots of stuff and someone who has a hoarding disorder. ### Here are the 3 main symptoms of compulsive hoarding: - A person collects and keeps a lot of items, even things that appear useless or of little value to most people, and - These items clutter the living spaces and keep the person from using their rooms as they were intended, and - These items cause distress or problems in day-to-day activities. ([Taken from the International Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation Hoarding Fact Sheet)](https://iocdf.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Hoarding-Fact-Sheet.pdf) You will make more progress with a person with a hoarding disorder if they are also working with a therapist. Someone with a house full of stuff may appear to be hoarding but when it comes right down to it, if they are able to release some of their things, it may not be a compulsive hoarding disorder. ### **What is their vision for their home?** One of the first things to do to stop enabling a hoarder is to ask them to define their vision for their home. #### How do they want it to look? Chances are they are not happy with the way it is currently. Find out if there was something that happened which may account for the accumulation of stuff. Ask if they would like help reducing the amount of stuff in their home so that they can work toward their vision. #### Pick a place to start. Talk about safety first and the importance of making it easy to open the front door to the home. Ask how they want to use their rooms. They may want a craft room or area instead of one for dining. The bathroom is a good place on which to focus after clearing the doors. Bathrooms have a tendency (even for those of us who are not collectors) to collect things that are half-used. Since a bathroom is usually a small space it may be easy to have success there. Success breeds success. ### **Be gentle in your approach.** You will get no where if you start by saying something like “*why don’t you just start [picking things up](https://dnqsolutions.com/understanding-disposaphobia-aka-the-fear-of-throwing-things-away/) and putting them away?”.* Asking a question like this is counterproductive. You will be shown to the door quickly and never get access again. You will get further if you start by asking permission to help sort just one pile. Work with the person to define what stays and what can leave either as trash, through recycling or donation. Always ask permission before opening a cupboard, a drawer, going into a room, or touching something. The homeowner may not want you to touch their possessions. It can feel intrusive to have someone handling your personal things. Be sensitive to this. ### **Listen** Be totally present with the person with whom you are working. Listen to their stories. You may find that they are able to take a picture of something and then either donate or recycle it after telling the story about how they acquired it. Listening intently will give you a better understanding of how they came to accumulate so much stuff. Was it safekeeping for someone else? Is it a result of a move and not having the same sort of storage in the new home? When you listen with an [open mind](https://dnqsolutions.com/have-unexpected-positive-results-with-an-open-mind/), you are better able to create personalized organizing solutions. ### **Stop enabling the hoarder by setting boundaries and creating daily routines.** Let the homeowner know that until they set some boundaries and create daily routines things will continue as they are. This is a fact. Work with the person to set boundaries with which they are comfortable and are willing to follow. #### **Ask:** - How long to keep magazines? - How many books to keep by the bed? - How many pairs of black pants? - How many plastic food containers to keep? - Is it necessary to keep something they do not either love, use or need? - Where do they find the things they bring in? - Are they window shopping? - Do they regularly visit the Dollar Store? - Are flyers at the grocery store or the doctor’s office enticing to them? #### Make a few posters with the boundaries clearly stated. Add some mantras to the posters to help the person resist collecting and bringing in more things. Tell them to ask themselves before they pick something up or buy something: - Where will I keep this? - Will I use it? - Do I already have something like this? They can also say to themselves “*I will walk away today. If I still want it tomorrow, I will come back and decide if I want to buy it”* Put a large recycling bin in the kitchen or living room. This makes it easy for the person to recycle paper, flyers, magazines, and food containers. Write down the daily routine. Providing structure to the day is another way to stop enabling a hoarder. You remove the flexibility to go out and pick a few things up. ### **Group like things together.** Quite often the homeowner is unaware that they have multiples of items. They may have looked for something, not found it, and bought another one. Work together and group like items. Then ask: *How many do you need?* If it is scissors, they may want to keep several so they have a set in various rooms or areas. This is another boundary. #### **Create a marinating or pending box.** If the person simply can’t make a decision about something in the pile, have them put it in a marinating or pending box. It can stay in the box for as long as it takes for them to be ready to think about it again. However, do not create a second place to store things to think about. Make a rule that If the box is full, something has to leave the box. #### **Remember to take breaks and breathe.** It is really difficult to work with someone who hoards. You may not like the answers they give you. Do not push back too hard. This is a very challenging disorder or tendency. When you get a little frustrated, ask to take a break. Chances are they are frustrated, too. Breathe, drink a glass of water, step outside for a few minutes and then return. Understand that there is every likelihood the person will continue to hoard. The job at hand is to create safe strategies to help them manage their stuff. With any luck you will also be able to get the person to release some things. ### **Work for short periods of time.** Decision making is hard work. When you work on decluttering for extended periods of time the decisions are often hasty. A person with a large accumulation of stuff must make a decision on every item. Keep the work periods short. ### **Other questions to ask.** Do you use this? If so, where do you use it? The answer to this question will help both of you figure out where to keep it. If they do not use it, ask if they can let it go. Find out if there is a charity that they want to support. It is always easier to give freely to an organization you believe needs the things and will benefit from having them. Remind them of the [just in case 20/20 rule](https://www.theminimalists.com/jic/) created by The Minimalists, Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus. In brief, it says that if you can replace something you are keeping *just in case* in less than 20 minutes and for less than $20 just let it go. ### **In Conclusion** Working with someone who hoards is challenging. The goal is always to stop enabling the hoarder. Staying calm and in control requires endless patience and understanding. If you know someone who is living in an overfull home [read the book](https://www.amazon.com/Filled-Up-Overflowing-Disorganization-Overboard-ebook/dp/B08R96XDJX) I co-authored with Jonda Beattie and use these tips to work with them without losing your cool. You can also [contact me to schedule](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) a free 30-minute consultation. *Diane N. Quintana is an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer, owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people challenged by ADHD, Hoarding and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Understanding Hoarding **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Clutter, Hoarding, Organizing Strategies, overwhelming --- ### [14 Things To Do Before Leaving For Vacation](https://dnqsolutions.com/14-things-to-do-before-leaving-for-vacation/) **Published:** June 18, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** It’s summertime and many families are taking vacations. Instead of just packing your suitcases and leaving for vacation there are some things to do around your home before you go. Vacations are wonderful. They give you time to relax, reconnect with family and friends, and have an adventure of some kind. It’s always best to come [home to a clean and tidy](https://dnqsolutions.com/are-you-getting-organized-to-clean-your-home-spring-cleaning-style/) home. No one wants to come home to a sink filled with dirty dishes, a smelly garbage can, or laundry piled up and waiting to be done – you’ll probably be bringing some laundry home with you. ### **Here are 14 things to do before leaving for vacation** Start preparing for your vacation 3 – 4 days before you depart. This will give you time in which to get everything done without feeling overwhelmed. A few of the things to do are precautionary tasks. You don’t want to advertise that you are out of town and make your home a target for vandals. Plus you can avoid some potential home problems when you do a few of these chores. **Mail:** Either arrange with a friend or neighbor to pick up your mail every couple of days or arrange with the post office to stop delivering your mail. **WHY?** A full mailbox is a sure sign to a would-be vandal that you are out of town. **Lawn:** Mow your lawn and water your plants. **WHY?** This also gives the impression that you are around and taking care of your home. Additionally, you can wait a day or two after you return before having to do this task. **Alert your neighbors:** Let one or two of your neighbors know that you’re leaving for vacation. **WHY?** Even if you don’t ask them to collect your mail for you, they can keep a weather eye out for you. If they notice someone lurking around your home, they can call the police. Be sure to also let them know when you have returned home. **Buy a few timers for lamps:** If you have a smart home with lights you can turn on and off electronically you can skip this task. Get a couple of timers and attach them to lamps that may be strategically placed near windows. Have one in an upstairs window and one in a downstairs window. Set the timers to turn the lamps on at dusk and off just after dawn. **WHY?** Lights going on and off give the illusion that someone is home. **Shades:** Instead of closing shades or curtains, leave them open or as you do when you are home. **WHY?** It may make someone wonder if you are home and discourage them from targeting your house. **Turn off the water:** Turn the water off where it enters your home. **WHY?** The obvious reason is that you don’t want to have water damage. Think of it this way, if a pipe bursts and the water starts running it can cause significant damage since you are not there to notice it and to stop it before it has a chance to create a problem. Put an alert on your phone to turn it back on when you return home. **Check your smoke detectors:** When was the last time you checked your smoke detectors? If you change the batteries when the time changes, then you’re good to go. Also, if your smoke detectors are hard wired, then there’s no need to check them. **WHY?** In case of a fire, you want those smoke detectors to work. **Adjust your thermostat:** Prepare for vacation and **t**ake a couple of minutes to adjust the thermostats in your home. **WHY?** There’s no need to heat or cool a home to comfortable levels when you are out of town. Save some money and adjust the thermostat. You want the temperature to be tolerable – neither too hot nor too cold but it doesn’t need to remain at levels that are comfortable for you. **Wash the dishes:** Run and empty the dishwasher. Put away any pots and pans. **WHY?** Dirty dishes can become odiferous when left to sit in a dishwasher. Avoid that problem. Run and empty your dishwasher the day or evening before you leave for vacation. Also, it’s nice to come home to a clean sink and counter. **Do the laundry:** Get all the lingering laundry in your home done. Completely done. This means wash, dry, fold (or hang) and put away. **WHY?** You are going to come home with laundry. Don’t add to this task by having leftover dirty laundry to wash. Take care of the laundry before you leave town so you only have the laundry you bring home to do. **Empty the refrigerator:** Remove all expired or almost expired food and leftovers from your refrigerator. **WHY?** When you come home from vacation, you want to keep your happy feeling. There’s nothing happy about opening a refrigerator and looking at or smelling spoiled food. Deal with it before you leave town. **Take out the trash:** This follows the previous advice. After you empty the refrigerator, take out the trash. Get that expired food out of your kitchen all together. **WHY?** This lets you come home to a clean, tidy, and pleasant-smelling home. **Make the beds:** You know the feeling at the hotel when you walk into the room and see the nicely made bed? Well, keep that feeling and make the beds before you leave for vacation. **WHY?** If you leave the beds unmade, you give yourself something to do as soon as you get home. Avoid that feeling. It only takes a few minutes to make the beds. Make it look like a room you want to return to. **Tidy the rooms:** Take 10 minutes before leaving for vacation. Walk through your home and tidy each room. **WHY?** Just as making the bed tidies the bedroom, plumping pillows, tossing trash, and putting things away tidies other rooms in your home. Come home to a tidy home, not a messy one. ### **In conclusion**: This may look like a long list of things to do as you prepare for a vacation but, none of them take very long except maybe the laundry if you have let it pile up. [Set yourself up for success ](https://dnqsolutions.com/set-yourself-up-for-success-accomplish-your-goals/)and do a couple of these tasks each day beginning 3 or 4 days before leaving for vacation. You will feel good knowing that your mail is being taken care of, your home looked after, and that you will be returning to a clean and tidy home. [Sign up for my newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/) for more tips like these. *Diane N. Quintana is an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer, owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people challenged by ADHD, Hoarding and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies, Planning --- ### [8 Hacks To Make Household Chores Easier](https://dnqsolutions.com/8-hacks-to-make-household-chores-easier/) **Published:** June 23, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** It doesn’t matter where you live or how big or small your home is, there are chores to do. Chores can be simple and take just a few seconds or more involved. It seems, though, that many of us tend to [procrastinate when it comes to doing our household chores](https://dnqsolutions.com/sick-of-doing-household-chores-heres-how-to-get-more-done-with-less-resistance/). No matter the size of the chore we all want to make household chores easier so that we are more likely to do them. What is it about chores that make them so hard to do, so easy to put off? First, let’s find out where the word ‘chore’ comes from. According to etymology: chore is written in the New Oxford American Dictionary as “(originally dialect and U.S.): variant of obsolete char or chare (see charwoman)”, which is the same pronunciation as the modern verb char. It ultimately comes from Middle English cherre (odd job). Essentially, the word ‘chore’ is linked to doing a job. Usually, a job around the house like cleaning, taking out the garbage, making the bed, doing the laundry, dusting, vacuuming, and more. ### **Why are household chores hard to do?** I believe it can be hard to make ourselves do household chores because of our attitude towards the tasks. Let’s face it. While the result of cleaning can be very satisfying, doing it is time consuming and usually not fun. There’s nothing fun about cleaning the kitchen or bathroom but don’t you love the way it looks and smells? ## **Here are 8** **Hacks to Make Household Chores Easier** 1. **Change your attitude**: When we approach a task with dread it takes longer to do and is way less fun. It takes longer because we drag our feet instead of getting straight to work. It is less fun because inside our heads we are complaining to ourselves that we must do this task. 2\. **Think of the task differently**: Instead of thinking about the chore, imagine yourself as a slayer of dust and germs. You are removing the bacteria and making your home safe for you and your family. 3\. **Time your chores**: Make it a game and time each chore. First, gather any supplies you need. Then set the timer. You may be surprised to find out that the chore at hand takes much less time than you thought. [Use this worksheet](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1491122411/time-your-chores-improve-your-time?click_key=c027451d3993157946146af4de92bbbb4dec570e%3A1491122411&click_sum=1ae0cd11&ref=shop_home_active_2) as you go about timing your chores. 4\. **Make it fun**: Create different playlists for the different chores you are doing. Use the [Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time deck of cards](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools). Pick a card, do the task, and you’re done in 10 minutes or less. Have little competitions. How many toys can your children pick up before the music stops or the timer goes off? 5\. **Know your why**: Intellectually you know that homes become cluttered and dirty unless they are cleaned, and things are put away. Inspect your [reasons for cleaning and decluttering](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-reason-to-declutter-and-organize-your-home/). Is it because you like living in a clean house? Do you or another member of your family have allergies, asthma, or sensitivities to dust? Does the clutter bother you? 6\. **What can you delegate**? If you like dusting but dislike vacuuming, can you delegate vacuuming to someone else in the family? Maybe you can hire a cleaning crew to come in every couple of weeks to do the chores you dislike doing. 7\. **Give yourself rewards**: Reward yourself for doing the chores. Make household chores easier to do by always having a reward to work towards. 8\. **[Create routines](https://dnqsolutions.com/use-life-hacks-to-begin-creating-better-home-maintenance-routines/)**: When you make doing a chore part of your daily or weekly routine it becomes less of a drag on your time and more a part of what happens on that day or at that time. Use [this worksheet](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1482205881/weekly-chores-checklist-plan-when-to-do?click_key=bb1e0c3e95896ac7a2eb08798109a6f1c44e2b2d%3A1482205881&click_sum=f72bcf94&ref=shop_home_active_4) to track the chores you decide you will do during the week. ### **Household chores and children** If you share your dislike for doing chores with your children, they will also dislike doing them. Conversely, if you make doing household chores part of your daily routine your children will grow up doing chores. I’m not saying that you have to love doing chores but if you change your attitude towards doing the task and let your children know that doing household chores is part of living then that makes doing household chores easier. Do you wonder if your children can do some chores? Wonder no more! They can and they should. Teach them how to do chores. Giving [age-appropriate chores to children](https://www.strong4life.com/en/emotional-wellness/independence-and-problem-solving/how-chores-help-kids-build-independence?s_kwcid=AL!15640!3!608647039183!!!g!!) is a way to teach them responsibility. When you give children tasks to do and then show your appreciation for their effort it helps build their independence and confidence in their ability to be a contributing member of the family. Plus, these are life skills. A parent’s ultimate goal is to empower their children to be self-sufficient adults. One way to do that is to [teach your children](https://dnqsolutions.com/teach-your-children-time-management-using-these-tools/) how to do routine household chores. Remember that when you give them a chore to do (after teaching them how to do it) let whatever they do be good enough. Praise their effort and do **NOT** go back after them and do it your way. The only thing that teaches them is that what they did was wrong. This is also true for partners and roommates. When you delegate tasks let the person do the chore their way. ### **The benefits of doing household chores regularly** When you make household chores easier the benefits are endless. Because you will be picking up, putting away, and tidying up on a regular basis there will be less clutter. This will make cleaning and doing chores even easier. With less to clean, it will take less time. You can skip doing chores from time to time because you will be confident that you will do that task the next time. If creating a routine to make household chores easier is something you struggle with consider joining the [Clear Space for You virtual clutter support group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/). We will guide you as you work to create routines that support you and the way you want to live your life. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, and ICD Master Trainer. Diane is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and Co-Owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize, LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specialized in working with people challenged by ADHD, Hoarding, and Chronic Disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Calendar, Clutter, time management --- ### [The Best Reason To Create An Evening Routine](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-reason-to-create-an-evening-routine/) **Published:** July 2, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Often when we think of an evening routine, we think about preparing to go to sleep. This is not what I’m talking about today. The routine I’m talking about is the one you create to tidy up the loose ends of your day. When does your day end? For some of us, since we [work at home,](https://dnqsolutions.com/4-tips-for-working-from-home-with-young-children/) our day can go on well into the evening. We continue working, doing just one more thing, and then we wonder why our minds don’t settle and allow us to relax. One solution to this problem is to create an [evening routine](https://dnqsolutions.com/routines/). ## There are many reasons to create an evening routine. Let’s talk through some of the most obvious ones before I share what I believe to be the best reason of all. ### **Know what you want to work on in the morning** Whenever it is that you decide to stop working take a few minutes to make some notes about where you left off and what you want to do next. Why? The reason is that you will not have to remember to remember. Making these notes takes it off your mind and either puts it on paper or in a digital note to yourself. If possible, tidy your desk. Put any pens, pencils and papers away. Recycle any papers you no longer need and then walk away from your computer and work station. ### **Go for a walk** Consider incorporating a walk as you create an evening routine. If you have a dog, and even if you don’t, go for a walk in the evening. It’s great exercise and it helps to clear your head of cobwebs. You can practice some deep breathing (or not) as you walk along. Focus on the walk. Listen to your footsteps and notice your surroundings. What changed during the day? Which birds are calling to each other saying good night? What do you hear and smell? Why? Thinking about answering these questions takes your mind off business and tunes it into something unrelated to your work. Walking frees your mind and helps you relax. Plus, gentle exercise like this is a terrific stress-reliever. If you practice yoga, doing 20 – 30 minutes of yoga works also but you don’t get the outdoor experience. ### **Brew a cup of tea** When you get home brew yourself a cup of herbal non-caffeinated tea. Why? This will relax you even further. ### **Think about the day and plan tomorrow** Finally, think about what you did today. If you keep a journal, this is a great time to write down your wins from the day and to congratulate yourself. We often [focus only on what went wrong](https://dnqsolutions.com/focus-on-whats-strong-not-whats-wrong/). Turn your thoughts to what went right. Of course, if there is something you want to change or do better make a note of that, too. Then, think about what you want to do tomorrow. Review your appointments, make note of any errands you want to do, and write down anything you want to remember to take care of. Why? Just as when you tidied up loose ends before you left your computer or your work station, making your plan for tomorrow in the evening takes it off your mind. This lets your brain relax. It is not struggling to remember to remind you of all these little things. You are confident you have made your notes. There’s no need to stay alert. ### **The best reason to create an evening routine is to sleep better** Everyone knows that we all need to sleep. Did you know that there are many health benefits to getting a good night’s sleep? Yes. It’s true that [people who sleep well are generally healthier](https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2021/04/good-sleep-good-health#:~:text=Good%20sleep%20improves%20your%20brain,spent) than people who don’t. A good night’s sleep can improve your mood and [reduce your stress](https://dnqsolutions.com/take-care-of-yourself-to-reduce-stress/) levels. Plus, it can improve your brain’s performance by increasing focus and productivity during the day. When you create an evening routine which allows you to unwind and decompress from the day you are setting yourself up to sleep better. Would you like to create an evening routine? If you would like my help, I’d be honored to work with you. There are many ways we can work together. [Contact me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) to schedule a phone call to review your options. *Diane N. Quintana is an ICD® Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Certified Professional Organizer®, owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. An accomplished speaker and author of five books, she teaches people how to become organized and provides them with strategies and solutions for maintaining order in their busy lives. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people challenged by ADHD, Hoarding and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Organizing Strategies, Planning --- ### [Teach Your Children How To Use Free Time](https://dnqsolutions.com/teach-your-children-how-to-use-free-time/) **Published:** July 9, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Do you ever think to yourself that you are bored, that you have nothing to do and no way to pass the time? I didn’t think so. We all have so many things to do. Things we want to do and things we don’t want to do. I even have things to do to keep me busy so I can avoid the things I’m supposed to do, how about you? When adults have free time available to them, they know how to fill it. ### **How much free time do you need?** Cassie Holmes in her book, *Happier Hour*, states that her research indicates that a person needs to have between 2 and 5 hours of free time a day to be happy. Time we can use as we wish. Less than 2 hours a day and a person can feel overwhelmed, and more than 5 hours of free time can make a person depressed. ### **Do you know how to play?** Gretchen Rubin in her book, *Life in Five Senses*, says “*Research shows we get a real boost from play, with improved brain function, increased ability to generate ideas, and a better sense of humor and perspective.”* In other words, having time to play is not only good for your mood but also good for your brain. I love to play hooky. This is when I get to ditch my desk and get out to do something fun. Most everything I ditch my desk to do involves being outside in nature. The Atlanta Botanical Garden, the Island Ford National Park, and a plant nursery top my list as places to go. I also like to take my bike to a park and ride beside the river. If it’s super-hot, my favorite place to be is in the pool. I let my mind wander, to think what it will. Very often I come up with ideas of things to write about – new ways to say the same thing, or a new strategy for a client who is stuck. ### **Learning how to use free time starts at a very young age.** I remember when my two sons were very young, they would take their shovels and pails and do “stream work” (that’s what they called it) along the side of our driveway. We lived in a rural part of Connecticut. There was a ditch that ran along one side of the driveway. My boys loved to shovel out the leaves, sticks, and mud. They took any frogs or turtles they found down to our neighbor’s pond. This activity kept them busy for long periods of time. The other thing that my children loved to do was build. They would construct buildings with wooden blocks and Legos. My boys called this their “town set-up”. Then they’d get out their Fisher Price Little People, cars and trucks and create a story. We left these set-ups on the floor in their playroom for as long as the town was in use. Eventually, it would be deconstructed, and put away, until they had another idea. Often [children don’t have very much free time ](https://dnqsolutions.com/teach-your-children-time-management-using-these-tools/)available to fill. They go to preschool or daycare. Then there are after-school activities or sports. When they get home, it’s time to have a bath, dinner, and a bedtime story. At the weekends there may be more sports and/or playdates and parties. If the children are home and nothing is planned, they sometimes complain they are bored. They have plenty of toys and games and yet, they are bored. Maybe they haven’t had an opportunity to learn how to entertain themselves. The easiest thing for a parent to do is turn on the computer, i-pad, or television and let the children be entertained with electronics but that is not play in the sense that Gretchen Rubin is talking about. ### **Too many options make it hard to choose.** You probably know that it’s easier to decide when you don’t have too many options. When [children’s playrooms ](https://dnqsolutions.com/make-teaching-your-child-to-control-toy-clutter-fun/)are stuffed full of toys, games, books, and arts & crafts they often go from one thing to the next without truly engaging with the activity. They will take out the toy, play with it for a few minutes, put it down, and then get something else out. This creates two problems. First, the child is done playing in a short amount of time. Second, the things they got out will be mixed up together, making it difficult to put things away. ### **Limit the number of choices.** When I taught preschool, I had centers of activities for the children. Each center had only two choices. Parents can limit the number of toys the children have available at any one time. Children love novelty (I do, too!). Put away most of the games and puzzles. This makes it easier for the children to engage in the activity. Rotate the games and puzzles once a week or every couple of weeks. ### **Create centers or zones.** A small bookcase and a cozy chair or big pillows make a great reading center. Place a tub of building blocks and or Legos on the floor. Challenge the children to build something and then let them tell you about it. A table and chairs in the family room may become the place to play board games, play with Play Doh, and do puzzles. That may also be the place to play with coloring books and crayons. ### **Play alongside your children.** Being creative with free time may turn out to be a skill we need to teach our young children. We want to encourage their creativity and one way to do it is to play with them. Here are some ideas. #### **Have a family game night.** Important lessons are learned playing games together. They learn the rules for the game. And they learn that there is always a winner and a loser. Nothing bad happens to the loser and the winner doesn’t necessarily get a trophy. It’s just a game. #### **Build creations.** Save some of the empty boxes of cereal or from Amazon purchases. Get out the scissors, tape, glue, markers, paint, construction paper or whatever you have handy and make something. #### **Play outside.** Get out the sidewalk chalk and play hopscotch or draw a picture. Toss a ball, play soccer, or play tag. There are all kinds of fun things to do outside. When you get tired, flop down in the grass, and talk about the shapes of the clouds. Use your imagination. Doing these things is as good for you as it is for your children. The easiest way for anyone to use their free time is to turn to our electronics. I am suggesting that you use some of your free time to play. You can still draw outside with sidewalk chalk, color in coloring books, or sit in a cozy chair and read even if you don’t have children. It will be good for you to play. For more tips like these [subscribe to my newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/) or follow me on [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) and [Instagram](https://instagram.com/dnq_solutions/) *Diane N. Quintana is an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer, owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com/) *and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in working with people challenged by ADHD, Hoarding and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Organizing Strategies, time management --- ### [Small Steps Towards Change](https://dnqsolutions.com/small-steps-towards-change/) **Published:** July 16, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I am updating this post for a second time because the information seems to be particularly pertinent now. I first published it in 2011 and [updated it in 2021](https://dnqsolutions.com/small-steps-toward-change/). In our post-covid world many of us want to make changes both personal and professional and we want them now. We spent several years spinning our wheels staying at home suspended in limbo. Now we have a new normal, we are ready for action, but we sometimes forget that to make sustainable growth and change we must take it slowly. Incremental changes are the ones which last. When we take small steps toward the change we want to make, we make lasting change, and we make it more easily. ### KaiZen: small steps toward lasting change I was first introduced to this concept on April 4, 2011. I took a class offered by the Institute for Challenging Disorganization® titled *Kaizen – The Next Step for the Chronically Disorganized Client*. It was a fascinating class. Kaizen is a word which comes from two Japanese roots, kai which means change and Zen which means good. During this class I learned that when a person is taught how to make small changes toward a stated [goal there is a better chance of success.](https://dnqsolutions.com/set-yourself-up-for-success-accomplish-your-goals/) ### How does it work? Do you wonder why that is true? Let’s think about this. I am going to use the example of a lifestyle change. Let’s say that someone wants to get in better shape. They decide they want to lose some weight and become more physically fit. They have been eating too much fast food and have never been accustomed to regular exercise. The reason that they decided to make this change is that they want to be in better shape for their high school reunion. The first method they try is a crash diet. This makes them hungry, cranky, and generally out of sorts. They also decide to exercise at a local gym every day. After one week of trying this method they abandoned the crash diet – good thing since that is not a healthy approach and they stopped exercising after day three because their muscles were so sore. If I applied the Kaizen philosophy to this situation it would look something like this: they would search online for an app to help them lose weight in a healthier way.[ Weight Watchers](https://www.weightwatchers.com/us/plans?g_network=g&g_adid=658424314707&g_keyword=weightwatchers&g_acctid=243-229-0722&g_adgroupid=120543146045&g_keywordid=kwd-27850532&g_campaign=GGL_Exact_Aud-Prospecting_Brand_Core_Core&g_adtype=search&g_campaignid=13066494360&cid%3DsemGGL_Exact_Brand_Core_Core_qdstw_qobjc_qbudc_qaudp_qrtgn_qpma_qostz_qdevz_qlobr_qgeon_qkwbweightwatchers%26account%3DWWUS%26tracker%3D43700063646773789$$=&gclid=CjwKCAjwh8mlBhB_EiwAsztdBIAAdqyMY6YWnXP-Ixkpq-6UYQ4gVoOw1dQCUXD3ou5YJRmgRPp3fhoCjFMQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds) and [Noom](https://www.noom.com/lp/weightLossGoal?cid=CjwKCAjwh8mlBhB_EiwAsztdBMXVKcqUJe2A9Gei40xMxvNgYp4KIjxxYoi9bORe92rTQjItAUAK2xoCD6cQAvD_BwE&device=c&gclid=CjwKCAjwh8mlBhB_EiwAsztdBMXVKcqUJe2A9Gei40xMxvNgYp4KIjxxYoi9bORe92rTQjItAUAK2xoCD6cQAvD_BwE&gid=52400241257%7C&group=brand-intent&lang=en&pos=&sp=google&step=pros&type=branded%7Cintent%7Ce&upv=3&utm_campaign=1355772182&utm_content=642133226131&utm_medium=paidsearch&utm_source=g&utm_term=kwd-299095591416%7Cnoom) are the two that I am familiar with but I’m sure there are many others. If they use the app consistently, they will plan their meals, eat more healthily, and the weight would come off slowly and steadily. Then, they would also plan to work out with a trainer a few times a week. This they can also do from home or by going to a gym. The trainer would teach them some exercises which would make them stronger and tone their muscles. The trainer would also encourage them to incorporate other daily exercise into her routine. Things like walking, biking, or swimming. The lesson here is that small incremental changes which are not too tough bring results and are easier to maintain. ### Break projects down into small steps During the ICD® conference in 2021, [Juliet Landau-Pope](https://jlpcoach.com/) spoke about dyspraxia. We learned that organizing or doing tasks for long periods of time is truly taxing for someone with dyspraxia. That it’s better to tackle projects in small steps and for short amounts of time. She recommends working on a project for about [10 to 15 minutes.](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools) This means that to complete a project, you need to break it down into small steps. Then do one step at a time until the project is finished. This concept of Kaizen, making small steps [toward a stated goal](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-make-progress-towards-your-goals/) is a fascinating one to me. So often we look at the big picture and want an instant result. Kaizen teaches you to slow down. To learn and incorporate the lesson of each step into that which you are working towards. It takes [time and energy to change a behavior or a habit](https://dnqsolutions.com/habits-help-to-ground-us-in-times-of-stress/). If you rush through a step to get the next step completed there is a chance that you won’t have adequately learned the previous step. **Know your reason** It’s important to know why you want to change. Changing something just because you feel like it may not stick. Staying on a diet and working out regularly to look good for a high school reunion is all well and good. The reality is that the high school reunion is just an event. It will come and go. If you want to stay on a diet and exercise regularly to be healthier so you can live a better life is a reason that will stick with you. ### In conclusion It may feel like taking small steps is a waste of time but really these small steps are vitally important. We learn better when we process information in small bites. We accomplish more when we do things a little bit at a time because we are focusing our attention on that small task. Little by little the small tasks add up and, viola! A large task is completed. I’m sure you remember the fable of the tortoise and the hare. The moral of that story is slow and steady wins the race. Win the race by taking small steps toward the change you want to make in your life. [Reach out to me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) if you would like to know more about how taking small steps will help you. updated; July 16, 2023 *Diane N. Quintana is an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer, owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC ](https://dnqsolutions.com)and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC ](https://releaserepurpose.com)based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people challenged by ADHD, Hoarding and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies, Planning, time management --- ### [How To Restart Your Routines After The Summer](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-restart-your-routines-after-the-summer/) **Published:** July 23, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Summer has a pace of its own. The weather is hot. I’m in Atlanta and the heat is often accompanied by lots of humidity. So, we move more slowly. I think this is probably true for you, too. Even volunteer organizations and associations take time off. The ones in which I’m involved take a break during the month of July. All of this is to say July is almost over. [Some schools here in Atlanta ](https://dnqsolutions.com/what-happened-to-summer-school-starts-soon/)are starting the first week in August. It’s time to restart your routines now that summer is ending. To me, it feels like summer has at least 6 more weeks to go. I’m from the Northeast and am a former primary school teacher. School doesn’t start there until right around Labor Day. Plus, the weather is still and will continue to be warm (if not hot) until mid-September. While the weather may not indicate summer is over, the fact that [organizations and associations get back into the swing of things ](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-for-organizing-the-things-in-your-life-to-reduce-stress-clutter-and-mess/)in August is a clear indicator that it’s time to pick up the pace. ## **Here are some ideas to help you restart your routines.** ### **Regulate your sleep schedule.** Maybe you (and your children) have not been paying attention to what time you go to bed or get up in the morning. It’s so easy to let children stay up later. It stays light outside quite late (although I’ve noticed that it’s getting dark a little earlier now). We don’t have the trigger of the sunsetting to prompt us to start our evening preparations. If you’re staying up later, it may be harder to get up as early as you need to. Decide what time is the best time for lights out for you and your children. Start going to bed between 10 and 15 minutes earlier each night until you arrive at the designated time. Do the same thing in the morning. Get up 10 – 15 minutes earlier each day until you’re getting up at what you’ve decided is the best time. This way you are slowly returning to your normal sleep schedule and restarting your routine. ### **Plan your outfits.** Shorts, t-shirts, sandals, bathing suits, and cover-ups are my clothes of choice during the summer. I don’t think about it. I just grab whatever is handy that will keep me cool because I’m in summer mode. It’s time to restart your routine and think about your clothes. If you have children, it’s time to think about their clothes, too. Make your morning easier by planning your outfit the night before. Look at the weather forecast for the next day. Think about the plan for the next day, the types of things you’ll be doing. Then layout your clothes in the evening. [Teach your children ](https://dnqsolutions.com/teach-your-children-how-to-use-free-time/)to do this, too. This eliminates the need to hunt for shoes or a particular item of clothing. It is all laid out and ready to wear. It also removes the need for any discussion (think argument) about what your children are wearing. If you have children, help them get into the habit of packing their bag the night before. What is the plan for the next day? Do they have an activity for which they need different clothes or accessories (bathing suit and towel, soccer cleats and athletic clothes, piano book, etc.) Is their school bag packed with homework or signed permission slip? Teaching them this habit empowers them to think for themselves plus it promotes independence. ### **Get back in the habit of planning your meals.** When schedules are very fluid, as many are in the summer, it’s easy to plan meals on the fly. If this is what you’ve been doing, it’s time to get back in the habit of planning your meals. If you haven’t ever been in the habit of planning your meals think about the benefits of starting this routine. One significant benefit to meal planning is that you use ingredients you have in your pantry which saves you money. It also saves time because you shop only once or twice a week. Plus, it reduces anxiety or worrying about what will be for dinner. Decide which day during the week is best for you to do your grocery shopping. Then plan your meals the day before. Plan meals for a week at a time. Check your pantry before you make your grocery list. You may have some ingredients lurking at the back of the shelf. Think about having a one- or two-week rotation of menus. When you do this, you know you are making meals your family likes. They can predict that its Taco Tuesday or maybe a roast on Sunday. ### **Reactivate the family command center.** If you’ve never had a family command center here’s a brief overview which can also serve as a reminder for those who’ve had one, let it lapse, and is interested in restarting this routine. A typical family command center has a monthly paper calendar, a small portable hanging file holder, a small basket for in-coming papers and mail, a place to house sticky notes, and a pen/pencil holder. This is the place for everyone in the family to add their appointments and events. It is so helpful to have a physical calendar such as this. Everyone can easily see what’s going on during the week and month. A portable file holder with appropriately labeled hanging files provides a place for papers to temporarily belong. If you have children, it’s a great place to keep a current class list, a list of babysitters, and the emergency contact numbers – just in case. I recommend going through the basket and hanging files once a week to move papers through the system. If you have a large family with lots of sports, school, and extra-curricular activities I also recommend restarting (or creating) your routine of having a once-a-week family meeting to update the command center calendar. ### **To review** As July draws to a close and August begins you may find yourself wanting to create some of these routines or restart your routines before the frantic energy of the fall is truly upon us. Read through my suggestions and pick the ones that either appeal to you or apply to your family. Maybe this has prompted you to think about how you structure your day and a routine you’d like to restart. [Reach out to me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) if you’d like in-person or virtual organizing assistance. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com/) *and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Calendar, Organizing Strategies, Planning, time management --- ### [How to Leverage Your Good Habits and Routines Amid Changing Circumstances](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-leverage-your-good-habits-and-routines-amid-changing-circumstances/) **Published:** July 30, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Have you noticed there’s a lot of talk going on about habits and [routines](https://dnqsolutions.com/routines/)? Jonda Beattie posted a blog about the benefits of habits and routines. I have been writing about incorporating household routines into daily planning as well as evening routines. My August newsletter is all about routines and in a couple of weeks Jonda and I are teaching a class on *Falling Back Into* *Routines*. That’s a lot of talk on a particular topic. There’s a reason for this. When you have good [habits and routines,](https://dnqsolutions.com/new-routines-and-habits/) you can use them to support you when your circumstances change. This is absolutely true. **Routines will change when your circumstances change.** When your circumstances change your [routines will most likely change as you work to creat](https://dnqsolutions.com/use-life-hacks-to-begin-creating-better-home-maintenance-routines/)e a new normal. But when you have good habits it’s easier to [create new routines](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-reason-to-create-an-evening-routine/) to accommodate your current situation. Creating a new routine doesn’t happen overnight. You will need to go slowly, analyze your new situation, and then figure out which of your good [habits and routines ](https://dnqsolutions.com/transforming-spaces-transforming-lives-the-power-of-professional-organizers-in-cultivating-healthy-habits-and-routines/)to modify. I remember so well when my children were small, we would establish good habits and routines and then an extra-curricular activity would change the schedule, or the time (as in daylight savings time) would change. When that happened, all bets were off. We’d be recreating our routines. Another thing that would throw us off course was when my husband traveled. Nick used to spend 3 – 5 weeks at a time traveling in Asia. Of course, our [routines changed](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-your-daily-routine-changes-when-you-move/) when he traveled because I didn’t have that extra pair of hands to help. **Rely on good habits and routines.** Recently a couple of friends have had a challenging time. Their circumstances have changed in a dramatic way. They will be relying on their good habits and routines to support them as they create their new normal. Your habits are like a security blanket. These are the things you do without thinking; like making your bed, brushing your teeth, or just getting dressed in the morning. When you stack these habits, you create a routine. It is comforting when you have a routine that works. When the circumstances change, you re-evaluate and modify the routines to create a new normal. Here are two very challenging circumstances: **Mom needs to move.** My friend learned she needs to move her mother from her rented home into assisted living. It is not a choice. She has just a few days to move her mother out of her home, find an assisted living facility in which for her to live, and make the move. Short term this is a big project. She’s great at project management so getting it done will happen. Long term this will mean scheduling more frequent visits to see her mother to make sure she’s happy in her new home. This is not only a life-changing event for her mother but also for her. She can use her good habits and routines to schedule regular Zoom or Facetime calls with her mom and visits. My friend is very good at managing her schedule: taking care of her home, her business, her children, and herself. Thankfully her husband is an active participant. She will leverage this good time management skill and the good routines she has set in place to accommodate the extra care her mom will need until she gets settled. **My friend’s husband had a life-changing procedure.** When my friend brought her husband home from the hospital it was clear that new habits and routines would need to be created. She is very organized. Her good habit of making a daily plan and her routine of following that plan will support her as she and her husband work together to create a new normal. Her morning and evening routines must change to accommodate her husband’s care. How will she do this? One day at a time. She will try and see what works. Then she will make notes regarding the timing, how long things take to prepare, to do, and to clean up. After a few days, she will create new habits and routines to follow. **In Conclusion** When you have established good habits and routines and life throws you a curve ball it’s easier to recover. Yes. It is overwhelming at first. [Stick as much as you can to the habits](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-secret-to-making-good-habits-stick/) that are so comforting and the routines which have worked in the past. You will need to tweak them, to modify them until such time as they feel comfortable again. As a professional organizer, I know that change is hard. It takes mindful practice to establish a new routine. If you find yourself in a challenging place and would like to toss some ideas around, please feel free to[ give me a call.](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) I’m happy to spend time with you discussing the possibilities. *Diane N. Quintana is an ICD® Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Certified Professional Organizer®, owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) *and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize, LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people challenged by ADHD, Hoarding and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Organizing Strategies --- ### [3 Fun Ways To Make Organizing Enjoyable](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-fun-ways-to-make-organizing-enjoyable/) **Published:** August 6, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Organizing can often feel like a tedious and [overwhelming task](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-get-organized-without-losing-it/). However, it doesn’t have to be boring or mundane. With a little creativity and a positive mindset, you can turn the process of organizing into an enjoyable and even fun experience. In this blog post, I’ll share three exciting ways to make organizing not only effective but also an activity you look forward to. Deciding to organize a whole house or just a whole room is a huge and overwhelming task. Challenge yourself to conquer the task by doing it in small blocks of time. Use the following strategies to make organizing enjoyable. You know that when you’re having fun time flies by. There’s no [reason not to have fun and get some organizing done at the same time.](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-it-is-hard-to-stay-organized/) ## 3 Ways to make organizing enjoyable ### 1. **Go on a Treasure Hunt**. Instead of looking for things to declutter, spend your time looking for things to keep. Challenge yourself to find the treasures hiding among the things to declutter in your home. Set aside the things to remove and display the treasures. #### How to play: - Pick an area of your home on which to focus. - Decide how long you want to play. It can be for any length of time, up to an hour. - Play by yourself or with other family members. - [Set aside the things to declutter ](https://dnqsolutions.com/9-tips-on-decluttering-that-set-you-up-for-the-greatest-success/)and determine if they are recycling, trash, or if someone else can benefit from them. - Schedule time with yourself to go to the donation site of your choice. #### Benefits of the game: - It puts the focus on things to keep instead of on things to remove. - You will find things you want to remove so that you can honor and display the things you want to keep. ### 2. **Organizing Game: Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time**. Who said organizing couldn’t be a game? Turn the decluttering process into an exhilarating challenge by playing the “[Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools/)” game. This game can be a solo or a group activity, making it perfect for involving family members or roommates in the [organizing process](https://dnqsolutions.com/getting-organized-can-be-an-emotional-process-top-3-reasons-to-do-it-anyway/). #### How to play: - Set a timer for 10 minutes. - Start the timer and race against the clock to clean, declutter, and organize as much as you can within the time limit. - Let each player pick a card from the deck of 50 organizing activity cards. See who can complete the tasks on their card during the allotted time. - At the end of each round, celebrate the progress made and reward yourself or the winner with a small treat or a break. #### Benefits of the game: - The sense of urgency adds excitement and prevents procrastination. - It turns a daunting task into a friendly competition, fostering motivation and enthusiasm. - The short time interval makes organizing seem more manageable and less overwhelming. - The joy of winning and accomplishing tasks fuels a positive association with organizing. ### 3. Customized Organizing Playlists: Music has the power to transform any activity, including organizing, into a more enjoyable experience. Creating personalized organizing playlists can turn the task into a fun and uplifting adventure. #### How to create an organized playlist: - Start by selecting your favorite upbeat and motivational songs. Look for tunes that make you feel happy, energized, and ready to take on challenges. - Consider the length of your organizing session and ensure the playlist is long enough to keep you going without interruptions. - Organize the playlist with a mix of songs, so it doesn’t get monotonous. Include different genres or artists to keep the experience fresh and exciting. - Use music streaming platforms or apps to easily access your playlist during the organizing session. #### Benefits of organizing playlists: - Music can boost your mood and make the organizing process feel less like work. - It provides a rhythm to follow, helping you stay focused and maintain a consistent pace. - The playlist can become a motivating factor, as you’ll look forward to listening to your favorite songs while organizing. - It can turn an individual task into a dance party, making organizing an entertaining and physically active activity. ### In Conclusion Organizing doesn’t have to be a dull and burdensome chore. By incorporating fun elements like games and personalized playlists, you can make the organizing process enjoyable and rewarding. Remember to stay positive, celebrate your accomplishments, and turn organizing into a habit that brings joy and order to your life. So, put on your favorite tunes and get ready for a decluttering adventure! For more tips like these [subscribe to my monthly newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/). *Diane N. Quintana is an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer, owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC ](https://dnqsolutions.com)and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people challenged by ADHD, Hoarding and chronic disorganization*. Top of Form ### ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies --- ### [Productive Things To Do While You Wait](https://dnqsolutions.com/productive-things-to-do-while-you-wait/) **Published:** August 20, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** We’ve all experienced those moments of waiting. It can be truly frustrating to think that you’re spending this valuable time twiddling your thumbs. You may be waiting in line, waiting for an appointment, or waiting for a friend to arrive. It’s easy to let this time slip away, lost in the void of anticipation. But fear not! There are plenty of productive things to do while you wait. ### Here’s a list of things to make the most out of those waiting moments: #### 1. **Read a Book** Keep a book handy in your bag or on your phone (eBooks or audiobooks). You’d be surprised at how much reading you can get done during short waiting periods. #### 2. **Have a READ ME Folder** Tear out or print articles you want to read and carry them with you. Read them while you wait at the bus stop, in a doctor’s office, or anywhere you are waiting. When you’ve read the article remove it from your folder and recycle it. Please don’t keep it as you can be sure there will be updated information in the future. #### 3. **Learn Something New** Download a language-learning app or explore educational YouTube channels to pick up a few new phrases or facts. #### 4. **Meditate** Waiting can be stressful, but it’s also a perfect time to practice some quick mindfulness meditation. Focus on your breath, close your eyes, relax, and clear your mind. #### 5. **Sketch or Doodle** If you have a sketchbook or even just a scrap of paper, let your creativity flow. Doodling can be incredibly therapeutic. It’s also a productive thing to do as you never know what wonderful idea may come from those doodles. #### 6. **Listen to a Podcast** Talk about ideas! There’s a podcast for nearly every interest. Pop on your headphones and dive into an episode on a topic you enjoy and want to learn more about. #### 7. **Plan Your Day** Take a moment to review your to-do list, rearrange tasks, or plan out your schedule for the rest of the day. Remember to factor in some time for fun or maybe even a reward! #### 8. **People Watch** People-watching can be fascinating. Try to imagine their stories based on their appearance and actions. #### 9. **Practice Mindfulness** Observe your surroundings with intention. Take in the sights, sounds, and sensations around you without judgment. #### 10. **Write** Keep a journal, jot down ideas, or simply write a stream of consciousness. Writing can be a great way to pass the time. #### 11. **Organize Your Digital Space** Clean up your inbox, organize your phone apps, or sort through your photos. It’s a [productive](https://dnqsolutions.com/be-more-productive-and-less-busy/) way to declutter your digital life. #### 12. **Stretch** Do some light stretching to relieve tension and stay flexible. #### 13. **Engage in a Puzzle** Solve a Sudoku, crossword, or any puzzle that challenges your mind. #### 14. **Practice Deep Breathing** Take a few moments to focus on your breath. Inhale deeply for a count of four, hold for four, and exhale for a count of four. #### 15. **Strike Up a Conversation** If you’re waiting with others, take the opportunity to have a friendly chat. You might make a new friend or learn something interesting. #### **16. Visualize Your Goals** Use the waiting time to visualize your goals and aspirations. It’s a powerful technique for motivation. Do a little preparation work in advance. If you are heading to a doctor’s appointment, chances are you are going to have to wait. Pack a tote bag and bring something productive to do with you so that you don’t feel as if the time is wasted. Remember, waiting doesn’t have to be a passive experience. With a little creativity, you can turn these moments into valuable time for personal growth, relaxation, or entertainment. The key is to stay curious and make the most of every moment! [Sign up for my newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/) to get more tips like these. *[Diane N. Quintana ](https://dnqsolutions.com)is an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in working with people challenged by ADHD, Hoarding and* *[chronic disorganization](https://dnqsolutions.com/struggling-with-chronic-disorganization-these-3-tips-will-help-get-you-motivated/)*. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Organizing Strategies, Planning, time management --- ### [Reasons To Create A Comprehensive Home Inventory](https://dnqsolutions.com/reasons-to-create-a-comprehensive-home-inventory/) **Published:** August 27, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Recently I had a conversation, really it was a series of text messages, with a friend. He told me he was worried that his daughter would come into his home and toss everything without thinking because it is very cluttered. In the interest of full disclosure, I have never been to my friend’s home, but he told me it is full of valuable stuff. As we all know, one man’s treasure may be another man’s trash. In this case, I think his home may be full of truly valuable things. I asked if he had ever considered taking the time to create a comprehensive home inventory. He had not. We know that when disaster strikes (and it can strike quickly as evidenced by the devastating fires in Maui) you may not have time to grab anything. The reports from Maui are that people are lucky to have escaped with their lives. The fire was that quick. There is never a good time to embark on a project like this. Typically, when there is a disaster such as the one in Maui, people stop to think that it is a good idea to have some sort of record of the contents of their home. Something they can show to prove what they have or lost because of a malfunction in their home like a fire or flood, because of a natural disaster, or a robbery. But there are other reasons to create a home inventory. ### **Reasons to make a comprehensive home inventory** #### **Reduce clutter:** A home inventory can serve as a practical organizational tool. By categorizing and documenting your possessions, you gain a better understanding of what you own. This can help you [reduce clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-for-organizing-the-things-in-your-life-to-reduce-stress-clutter-and-mess/). When you know you have 5 frying pans and only use 2 or 3 it’s easier to let someone else have the others. #### **Documentation of ownership:** A home inventory provides tangible proof of ownership for your items. This can be especially important for high-value items like electronics, jewelry, and artwork. Documenting ownership helps prevent disputes with insurers and provides legal support in case of theft or disputes. #### **Emergency Preparedness:** In times of disaster, having a home inventory readily available can be a lifesaver. Whether it’s a fire, earthquake, flood, or another event, knowing exactly what you have and where it’s located can help you prioritize what to save and expedite the recovery process. It’s equally [important to store this documentation](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-and-most-important-reason-to-update-documents/) in a secure cloud program so you can access it from anywhere. #### **Efficient claims**: Should you need to file an insurance claim, a comprehensive home inventory can streamline the process. Insurance companies often require proof of loss, and a well-organized inventory can make the claims process smoother and faster. #### **Moving and downsizing:** Whether you’re [moving to a new home](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-for-a-move-to-a-new-home/) or downsizing, a home inventory can help you determine what to take with you, what to sell, and what to donate. This can simplify the moving process and help you make informed decisions about your possessions. #### **Tax purposes: In certain cases, a home inventory might be used for tax-related purposes. If you have valuable items that you plan to donate, a thorough inventory can help you accurately assess their value for potential tax deductions. #### **Estate planning:** When planning your estate, a home inventory can be a useful tool for distributing your belongings according to your wishes. It can also assist your loved ones in managing your estate after you’re gone. #### **Memory preservation**: In my friend’s case, he is interested in letting his daughter know the history behind many of the things he owns as well as their value. Preserving the stories and the history of items is important to many people. ### **How to make a comprehensive home inventory** Now that you know the many reasons why having an inventory is a good idea I’m going to share how to go about this process. There are several ways to do this. #### **Take a video** Walk around your home and video all the rooms. Remember to open cupboards, drawers, and closets so you record those contents as well. #### **Create an Excel document** You can call on your Excel skills and create your own. Think through the fields to incorporate. Remember to include where you purchased the item, the cost, and any serial number and warranty – if applicable. I suggest saving it in a secure cloud service like Dropbox. #### Explore inventory programs As you do your search think about your reasons. Some programs are very basic and have limited options for listing your belongings. Others are more complete and offer a range of fees depending on how you want to use them. My favorite program is [HomeZada](https://www.homezada.com/homeowners/home-inventory). HomeZada offers a wide range of services starting with a free service. It even has a field for you to share the story of the item. You take a picture of the item, assign the value, say where it is in your home, tell the story (if you want to), and then you can indicate who you would like to receive the item upon your passing away. As I explained this to my friend, I could tell he was thinking that beginning this project may accomplish several things. It would begin the process of reducing his collection of things, he would be able to tell the story behind the things that are honestly valuable to him and let go of the remainder. I love it when the light bulb clicks on, and this was a real light bulb moment for him. He was thrilled to know that he could do something to create an official record and share this with his daughter. If you do not have a comprehensive home inventory, please consider creating one. There is no time like the present. *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) is an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/) LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Organizing Strategies --- ### [Prepare For Change So You're Not Caught Off Guard When Life Happens](https://dnqsolutions.com/prepare-for-change-so-youre-not-caught-off-guard-when-life-happens/) **Published:** September 10, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Typically, around this time of year I post a blog about preparing for disaster. The truth is that you are never as prepared as you later think you should have been when disaster strikes. As I recently wrote, the people in Maui were lucky to escape with their lives when disaster hit their beautiful island. So, what can we do? I believe we can prepare for [change in lots of big and small ways](https://dnqsolutions.com/small-steps-toward-change/). No one wants to be caught off guard when life happens. ### **Big ways to prepare for change** #### **Create a home inventory**. As I recently wrote, one of the best ways to prepare for disaster is to have a complete [home inventory.](https://dnqsolutions.com/reasons-to-create-a-comprehensive-home-inventory/) You can video the contents of your home and save a copy up in the cloud. At a minimum, you’ll have a pictorial record of what you owned if disaster strikes. This is quick and easy to do. Consider making a more complete inventory in excel or one of the home inventory apps. It’s true that this takes time and attention, but it will also serve you well if you make a habit of updating it as things come in and out of your home. #### **Make copies of all your vital documents**. Give a set of copies to your attorney, keep a set in a safe deposit box at the bank, and have the originals in a fire safe container in your home. Scan your vital documents to a password protected account like Dropbox or Trustworthy. ### **Small ways to prepare for change** #### **Change the batteries** in your smoke alarm if it is battery operated. I like to do this when the time changes twice a year. This is an easy and small thing to do but it can be lifesaving. #### **Check the fire extinguisher**. Hopefully you have a small one in your kitchen (or nearby). If you don’t, get one. You never know when you may have a small fire in your kitchen. If your fire extinguisher is charged, it may put out the fire before it becomes an even bigger disaster. #### **Turn off the outside water faucets**. [Prepare your home](https://dnqsolutions.com/things-to-do-around-your-home-this-fall/) for the winter months and turn off the outside water faucets when the temperature heads down to freezing and below. When you do this, you prevent a potential water pipe burst which can be disastrous. ### **Prepare for a change of seasons** #### **Adjust your thermostat** when the seasons change. You will not only save money by adjusting your thermostat up or down you will also save wear and tear on your HV/AC. #### **Changing the filter in your HV/AC** is another excellent way to keep this machine operating efficiently. Most companies recommend doing this at least twice a year. If you have pets that shed, you may want to change the filter more frequently. #### **Prepare your coat closets.** I don’t know about you but when the weather is warm, I am delighted to put my coat and/or fleece in the closet and close the door. I don’t think about these clothes until the weather turns chilly and I need to put on another layer before going outside. Look through your coats before the seasons change and you need to wear one. Check them out. Do they need to be washed? Mine do. Are they in need of repair? My coats get holes in their pockets because I’m always stuffing things in them. The last thing you need is to lose your keys because you put them in a pocket with a hole in it. Fix the hole before it becomes a problem. Maybe the zipper needs to be replaced or a button put back on. If you have children check their coats, too. They have probably outgrown their coats unless you bought new ones toward the end of winter. Donate usable coats, jackets, and fleeces. How about scarves, hats, and gloves? Mine are in baskets on the shelf in my coat closet. I haven’t looked at them since April or so when the weather turned lovely here in Georgia. I will look at them this week to make sure my gloves have mates. It only takes a few minutes to match them up. I’m also going to be looking though these things to see if there are any I don’t want anymore. #### **Switch the clothes in your closets.** The weather is mostly temperate here in Georgia. I have a few cool weather things but not enough to put clothes away seasonally. I rely on layers to stay warm in the winter. If you live in a place where true winter arrives suddenly don’t be caught off guard. [Plan time in your weekend schedule](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-art-of-planning-and-scheduling-carving-out-time-for-yourself/) to switch your clothes around. Keep a few warmer weather things around just in case the weather doesn’t get as cold as you think it’s going to. #### **Prepare for an event.** I am going to a conference soon. I have been thinking about what I want to pack. The dress code is business casual. There is an evening awards dinner that I am going to get dressed up for. I found a dress in my closet to wear but when I was trying on my shoes, I realized that I needed a new pair of dress shoes because one of my feet has a bunion. Thankfully, I have time to go shopping before I pack my suitcase. It’s always a good idea to look through the things you plan to pack and maybe even try them on before it’s too late. ### In conclusion: there are many things you can do to prepare for change, any change that comes your way. Take the time to think ahead. Many of the examples I’ve provided here only take about 5 minutes to do. With a little advance [planning you can prepare for change](https://dnqsolutions.com/have-a-change-of-plans-its-best-to-accept-them/). You will never be as prepared as you want to be for disaster because you will never have enough warning. But there are measures you can take to protect yourself, your home, and your loved ones so that you aren’t caught off guard. If you would like some guidance, consider joining the [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) clutter support group I run with Jonda Beattie. We start new groups at the beginning of each month. *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/) is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize **Tags:** Planning --- ### [Letting Go Is An Act Of Bravery](https://dnqsolutions.com/letting-go-is-an-act-of-bravery/) **Published:** September 17, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** As a professional organizer I often talk about letting go. When a client reaches out to me it is often because they are feeling overwhelmed by clutter. Sometimes it’s just in one area of their home. Other times it is pervasive throughout the house. No matter how much clutter or stuff there is, it is causing a problem for the client. Releasing things they’ve held onto for a long time is difficult and can make a person fearful. My goal is to provide my clients with strategies to help them be as comfortable as possible while they make decisions about what stays and what goes. This often requires my clients to be brave while they are letting go of some of their stuff. ### **Why is letting go an act of bravery?** It takes courage to say to yourself I no longer need this thing that I’ve held onto for years or, in many cases, decades. In fact, I heard a client say softly to himself the other day “*It’s ok. I am going to be ok letting go of this flyer.”* He was talking about a flyer he’d held onto for many years because it was the last event he’d attended with his mother. We often think that the object holds the memory for us. Intellectually we know that it is merely a visual reminder of a memory our brain has stored. The object is the thing that triggers the memory, makes us think of that special event. In this example, my client had other things related to this event that were of greater significance to him than the flyer he let go. Another client was going through piles and piles of papers in her office. Many were paid household bills that were more than a few years old. We sorted the piles into papers to file, recycle, and shred. She ended up [filing a handful of documents](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-to-organize-documents-on-file/) and shredding the remainder because she realized there was no reason to keep them. They served no purpose and were taking up valuable real estate on the floor of her office. ### **Facing the what if questions** Things that bring up memories are charged with all sorts of emotions. Some of these are happy feelings, some are sad, and some are filled with anger or regret. Facing these emotions is tough and requires bravery. While I am not a therapist, I can suggest the client talk through the what if questions. What is the worst that will happen if they let this thing go? What is the best thing that will happen? Why are they keeping it? Do they [need, use, or love it](https://dnqsolutions.com/surround-yourself-with-things-you-love/)? Does it fit their vision for the way they want to [live their life](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-concepts-to-rightsize-your-life-live-better/)? There are times when the client says they are not ready to let this item go. That’s ok. They have thought it through and decided that, for now, they are keeping this thing. The next step is to decide where to keep it and when to revisit this question. ### **Strategies to make letting go easier.** #### **Keep one** There are times when a momentous occasion is captured in the news, and we keep multiple copies of the magazine or article. These copies take up valuable real estate in drawers or on shelves. Keep one copy and either give the rest away to family and friends or recycle the remainder yourself. There’s no need to keep more than one copy. You can also apply this advice to printed photographs. Keep one copy. Label the back with the name of the person, the date as specifically as you can, and the event. I have a cute picture of my granddaughter receiving an award at the end of summer camp. I would label it: Susana Quintana, age 5, summer camp 2023. This is to give anyone looking at the photo information. I know letting go of photographs is difficult. Believe me when I say it’s ok to let go of multiple copies of the same picture. #### **Take a picture and write the story** When a client is considering letting go of large items like a piece of furniture or a collection of China, I suggest they take a picture and tell the story of the items they are releasing. Often, they have been thinking about donating the things for some time but feeling like they were doing their family member a disservice if they followed through. Taking a picture and telling the story lets them remember who gave them the things and the history. It’s even better if they can donate the item to a charity their family member believed in or supported. Sometimes clients have things related to a hobby they don’t have room for but hesitate to let go of because they don’t want to forget that they used to be good at it. Taking a picture and telling the story helps. They can put a book together using one of the many online tools [like this one](https://pixorium.com/pix-story-book/) and have fun sharing the pictures and stories with friends and family. #### **Create a memory box** Put extra special mementos in a memory box and plan to revisit them once a year. My friend and colleague, Jonda Beattie, does this. Once a year she takes her memory box off the shelf and spends an afternoon looking through it. Jonda told me that as she’s looking through the box and revisiting the memories, she will sometimes remove something from the box. This is because she’s ready to let that item go to make room for something else to go into the box. You can do this, too. Find a box, one you can hold on your lap and start putting things into the box that trigger certain memories. The idea is to have one memory box that holds very special things. When the box is full it’s time to let go of one or more of the items to make room for the thing you want to put into the box. **In conclusion** Letting go of things that have hung around your [home for a significant amount of time](https://dnqsolutions.com/4-tips-for-working-from-home-with-young-children/) is hard work. There’s no denying it will tug at your heartstrings from time to time and make you question if you’re doing the right thing. When you’re questioning yourself revisit the vision you have for the way you want your home to function and the way you want to live your life. If the answer is that you want to clear out the excess to make room for the things you need, use, and love then go ahead, be brave, and get started. If you’d like the help of a professional organizer like me, feel free to [contact me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) or you can search for an organizer in your area through the [Institute for Challenging Disorganization](https://challengingdisorganization.org) or [NAPO](https://napo.net). *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *and co-owner of* [*Release, Repurpose, Reorganize*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *in Atlanta, Georgia. Diane specializes in residential and home-office organizing and working with people affected by ADHD, hoarding challenges, and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines **Tags:** Clutter, Institute for Challenging Disoganization, professional organizer, The National Association of Productivity and Organzing Professionals --- ### [3 Reasons To Attend The ICD Conference](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-to-attend-the-icd-conference/) **Published:** October 1, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Recently I spent the better part of the week with (as one person said) frolleagues – friends who are also colleagues. We were all attending the 2023 conference with the Institute for Challenging Disorganization® in Waltham, Massachusetts at the Embassy Suites. In the interest of transparency, I helped to organize the conference with Kim Cox. It was a wonderful event! I participated in many great conversations, shared warm hugs, and received terrific education. I want to give you my reasons to attend the ICD® conference. There are several things to know about the ICD® conference in general. There is one session per time slot. Everyone attends the same session. This gives you natural things to talk about with anyone you encounter, friend or soon to be friend. The topics all relate back to [chronic disorganization ](https://dnqsolutions.com/struggling-with-chronic-disorganization-these-3-tips-will-help-get-you-motivated/)in one way or another as this is the mission of ICD®; to provide education, research, and strategies to benefit people challenged by chronic disorganization. ([Taken from the ICD website).](https://challengingdisorganization.org) The organizers intentionally keep the conference on the small side of things so that it feels like you can approach anyone and everyone. Every conference has a different theme. The theme for the 2023 ICD® conference was Grow Your Mindset with ICD®. ### **Participate in 7 sessions over 2 days** When you attend the ICD® conference, prepare to have your mind blown away by the level of education. Our goal as conference organizers is to provide our attendees with top level graduate education which is intended to further the organizer’s understanding of the topic at hand. Sometimes you come away with actionable steps to take with your clients. Other sessions provide you with a deeper understanding of the challenges your clients may face. This past year there were 7 unique presentations. There were 4 on Friday and 3 on Saturday. The conference ended around 4pm on Saturday giving participants time to catch an evening flight so they can spend Sunday at home. We opened our conference Thursday late afternoon with a surprise presentation from the organizing thought leader, Judith Kolberg. Judith is one of the founding members of ICD® although it was then called the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization. In fact, she is the one who first coined the expression: Chronic Disorganization. ### **Make frolleagues when you attend the ICD® Conference** ICD® is a global organization and as such attracts organizers and related professionals from many different countries around the world. This year I was fortunate to meet someone from Romania, from Greece, and reconnected with organizers from England, The Netherlands, Canada, and Mexico to name a few countries. These professionals quickly become friends and colleagues. We have much in common. Even though our cultures are different, we encounter similar challenges when working with clients with brain-based conditions like ADHD, Autism, or Hoarding tendencies. I love listening to frolleagues talk about the strategies they use in their work as well as sharing some strategies I employ. ### **Fabulous presentations from experts in their fields** There are too many fabulous takeaways to even begin to list them all here. Since I want to give you a sample, I am going to give you some small takeaways from each of the 7 presentations. **Judith Kolberg**: As a small business owner you need to be ready to pivot. Keep your [mind open](https://dnqsolutions.com/have-unexpected-positive-results-with-an-open-mind/) to other revenue streams such as virtual organizing, blogging, or coaching. **Beth Nolan, Ph.D. (Communication and Dementia)** When working with a person challenged by Dementia remember they are still the person they always have been. See if you can learn about their personal preferences. Work with them to find things you can agree on. **David Tolin, Ph.D. (Hoarding: Chasing a New Diagnosis Through Brain, Body, and Behavior)** It was very exciting to learn new statistics related to the Hoarding Disorder. It was also interesting to learn that CBT does not create lasting change in behavior and new theories for treatment are being investigated. **Devon Price, Ph.D. (Rethinking Pathological Demand Avoidance: Lack of Ability or Act of Protest)** It is best to say ‘Autistic person’ rather than challenged by autism. Another way to think about PDA is Persistent Drive for Autonomy. Perhaps the demands or what is being asked of the person is the problem. **Linda Roggli (Tip of the Iceberg: Digging Deeper to Bolster Your ADHD Female Clients)** Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria is something to be aware of and on the look out for. We need to be hyper aware of our tone of voice and body language, so we don’t inadvertently signal rejection or dissatisfaction with something the client has done – or not done. **Alicia Clark, Ph. D. (Anxiety into Action: How to Help the Chronically Disorganized Take Control)** Anxiety has a volume curve. We need to be sensitive to the level of [anxiety our client is facing and try to keep](https://dnqsolutions.com/clutter-and-anxiety-5-hacks-to-keep-your-worries-in-check-as-you-declutter-your-home/) their anxiety at the top of the curve or at the ‘chatter’ level. **Time Management Panel with Sara Skillen, Cena Block, Ellen Faye, and Cindy Sullivan** This was a wonderful panel discussion with each of the panelists describing their [strategies for working with clients to manage their time better.](https://dnqsolutions.com/icd-conference-highlights-part-2-time-tasks/) **Leslie Hatch Gail, Ph.D. (From Deficit to Capacity: An Asset Based Approach to Challenging Disorganization)** This focuses on what is working well for the client. Helping them to acknowledge and work with their strengths to achieve the best outcome. ### **In Conclusion:** The ICD® Conference is one I hope never to miss. The opportunity to make connections with like-minded professionals (professional organizers, therapists, social workers) is one of the three reasons to make the effort to be there in-person. The atmosphere is one of collaboration and cooperation as we all sit and learn together from experts in their fields. If you’ve never been to an ICD® conference maybe this little review will push you to attend the ICD® Conference in 2024. *Diane N. Quintana is an ICD® Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Certified Professional Organizer®, owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines **Tags:** Institute for Challenging Disoganization, professional organizer --- ### [How To Honor Your Loved Ones Who Have Passed](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-honor-your-loved-ones-who-have-passed/) **Published:** October 8, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** This week is a difficult one for me. It is the anniversary of my mother’s passing. I can’t believe it’s been 14 years. There are times when grief reappears, and it feels like she passed away yesterday. It is also my [brother’s birthday.](https://dnqsolutions.com/close-the-loop-honoring-my-brother/) The brother closest in age to me is still with us – thankfully. But my other brother is not. We always used to celebrate their birthdays together even though their birth years were three years apart. The anniversary of my brother’s passing is coming up on Halloween. I was thinking about my mother and brother and rather than sit in my thoughts and allow myself to be overwhelmed by grief, I wanted to do something to honor them. Since I know I am not alone in trying to figure out [ways to honor ](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-ways-to-honor-mom/)your loved ones after they passed, I thought I’d share my thoughts here in the blog and hope they may help someone else as well as myself. ## **Here are 3 ways to honor your loved ones** ### **Engage in an activity you used to do together** As many of you already know, my mother and I used to garden together. To honor her, I went out and bought violas which I will plant along the front of my townhouse. Mom used to call violas “johnny jump-ups”. Just because I had to know, I looked to find out if that is another name for violas and it is! I will think about my mom as I engage in this bit of gardening. Digging in the dirt is something she and I loved to do together. Sometimes we would talk, other times we would just quietly work side-by-side. It was easy to have a conversation about nothing or about serious things that were on our minds when our hands were deep in dirt, and we weren’t looking at each other. So, I will talk to my mom, sharing the things that are on my mind while I plant the violas. In truth, I regularly talk to my mother this way as I often tend my plants and think of her. ### **Go to church or a place of worship** When I lived in Connecticut and for a year or two after we moved to Atlanta, I was a very regular church goer. I loved the church I attended in Connecticut and tried to find a place of worship just like it here in Atlanta. Of course, you know every place is its own unique place. Just like every person is unique. I served on the Altar Guild at my church in Connecticut and so joined the Altar Guild at the church in Atlanta. It was run differently, and I was missing the familiar routine and the people at the church I left behind, so I quit. I gave myself all sorts of reasons for quitting; not enough time to do my chores and attend church (you know that’s not true), it’s a beautiful day and I’d rather be outside (well, was I outside? NOPE), or any excuse I could come up with that sounded reasonable at the time. This Sunday, I will not allow myself any excuses. I’m going to put my excuses aside and go to church. Honestly, I love the music, the prayers, and the quiet time for reflection. I’ll light a candle for my mother and my brother and say a little prayer for them. Is going to church, temple, or another place of worship something you did with your loved ones and can do now to honor them? ### **Write them a letter** Consider writing your loved one a letter. Grab a pen and some paper or a nice card and write what you would say to them, as if you were going to pop the letter or card in the mail. What do you want them to know about the things that currently interest you? Tell them how you have changed in the days, months, or years since they have passed away. Writing things down has a way of helping to process the way you’re feeling. For me, just acknowledging that even though I’m doing well I still (and probably always will) feel this sense of loss deeply from time to time. Letting go of grief was hard for me because I thought that if I let the grief go, I would also let go of my loved ones. When I wrote that thought onto a piece of paper and read it back to myself, I realized that my loved ones would not want me to just wallow in my grief. That helped me to push aside grief and to honor my loved ones by [living my life](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-concepts-to-rightsize-your-life-live-better/) the best way I know how. Now when I write them, I pretend that this is a letter they will read. I share my updates, news of my children and grandchildren, and feel satisfied because I am remembering them with love. ### **Go to their grave site** Another way to honor your loved ones is to visit their grave site. My mother’s ashes are buried in the cemetery at the church in Connecticut and my brother’s ashes are buried in the cemetery at a church we used to attend in the summer in Upstate New York. I will visit my mother’s grave site when I spend [time visiting my son and his family.](https://dnqsolutions.com/time-spent-with-family/) Can you go and spend some time at your loved one’s grave site? A friend told me a story about a man sitting on a bench at a cemetery she passes twice a day when she takes and picks up her children from school. We wondered who he was visiting. I suggested she stop and ask the man. He would probably like to talk about, tell the story of the person he spends time visiting every day. I hope she stops and asks him. It doesn’t matter how you chose to honor your loved ones after they pass. The best way will be the way that works best for you. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines **Tags:** overwhelming, Planning, time management --- ### [Reasons You Are More Productive When Someone Is Helping (Particularly If You Have ADHD)](https://dnqsolutions.com/reasons-you-are-more-productive-when-someone-is-helping-particularly-if-you-have-adhd/) **Published:** October 15, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I love it when out of the blue my phone rings and the person calling is someone I have worked with before. They are looking for my help again. Why? Because something in their home isn’t working the way they want it to. Can they fix it themselves? Probably. So why don’t they just do it themselves? The reason is that they know they are more productive when someone is helping them. I’m happy that it is me they call. In truth, most people, whether they have ADHD or not, are more productive when someone is helping them. I often hear clients bemoan the fact that they know how to sort papers, how to remove things that need to be recycled, how to sort their clothes by color, and how to do any number of individual tasks. They question why they can’t seem to get these things done on their own. #### Let’s go back to the phone call from the person seeking my help again. This client called because their office moved to a different space. In anticipation of the move, the business had all their employees empty their offices. My client did as was directed and brought everything from their office home, dumped the boxes and bags in a room, and closed the door. My client [wanted the room back.](https://dnqsolutions.com/what-is-your-reason-to-be-productive/) We started going through the boxes and bags one by one. My client knew exactly what they wanted to [keep at home](https://dnqsolutions.com/clutter-and-anxiety-5-hacks-to-keep-your-worries-in-check-as-you-declutter-your-home/), what was going to the new office space, and what was either trash, shredding, or recycling. We finished reclaiming the room so quickly that we had time left in the 2-hour session to also re-organize a hall closet and de-clutter the hall. This client told me they would never have done this without me. They wanted to reclaim the room but would have found countless reasons to procrastinate, to put off tackling it, for many more months. Is this you? Do you have a project you want to do but procrastinate? You may consider enlisting a professional organizer (like me) to help you. ## **Here are two reasons people are more productive when someone is helping** ### **Stay focused** If you have ADHD you are easily distracted. You may say the task is to [declutter the floor of your bedroom ](https://dnqsolutions.com/want-a-romantic-valentines-day-heres-how-to-declutter-your-bedroom/)and end up sitting in the family room reading a magazine. Why? You found a magazine on the floor of your bedroom and went into the family room to add it to the stack of magazines on the coffee table. As you took the magazine to the family room you noticed the title of an article on the cover of the magazine that you decided to read. So, you sat down on the couch to read it. The floor of your bedroom was forgotten as you read the article. When I am helping you, I tell you to put everything that goes somewhere else in a pile by the door. We will deliver those things when the floor of your bedroom is picked up. I will keep you focused on the current task. ### **Help you figure out where to start** Almost any project [feels overwhelming](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-when-you-feel-overwhelmed-by-a-task/) at the beginning. Most people think about [organizing a space ](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-small-space-organizing-hacks-from-a-professional-organizer/)because it is messy. They want it to look better, function better, and they want to be able to find what they are looking for. The piece of the puzzle that makes people pause is knowing how and where to start. Another [reason they have a hard ](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-it-is-hard-to-stay-organized/)time starting is that they overestimate the amount of time they need to do the task. Just like my client who was amazed that in a 2-hour session we re-claimed a room, re-organized a hall closet, and de-cluttered the hall. You are more productive when someone is helping you because they can help you move past pause and onto start. Clients with ADHD often want to think through a variety of starting points for a project. An objective, non-judgmental person can help move this process along. They can talk through the starting point options until the client arrives at what they feel is a good place to begin. #### **A strategy is Body Doubling** Body Doubling is a strategy professional organizers use with clients. It can be used when you are working in-person or virtually. Before we begin, we ask the client to identify the task and the goal for the session. These can be the same thing, or they may be different. For instance, the task for the session may be to sort the papers on the desk. The goal may be to reduce the pile of papers to sort through. On the other hand, the task may be to remove the clutter from the bedroom. The goal may be to have a clutter-free bedroom. In this instance, the task and the goal are the same. #### **How to use body doubling** When we are body doubling, we are quiet. Our goal is to be an anchor and to hold the space for our client. To be a peaceful presence. This makes them feel accountable and helps them to [stay focused on the task ](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-staying-on-task-when-working-from-home/)at hand. We can answer questions when asked but we do not engage the client with conversation. If the client strays from the task for the session, we can bring them back to the task with a gentle reminder. It is also our job to suggest a break if the client has been hyper-focused on the task for an extended period. Taking a break to stand up, stretch your legs, walk away from the task, and drink some water are all ways to refresh your brain. When you return to the task, you look at it with a fresh perspective and can make a renewed effort. ### **To summarize:** You are almost always more productive when someone is helping. The guidance, accountability, and the presence of another person acts as a catalyst to spur you into action. Look for a trustworthy someone who is non-judgmental. If you want to work with a professional organizer, like me, use the directories in [NAPO](https://napo.net/) and [ICD](https://challengingdisorganization.org/), to find someone locally or someone who also does virtual organizing, again like me. *Diane N. Quintana is an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer, owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines **Tags:** Institute for Challenging Disorganization, Organizing Strategies, professional organizer, The National Association of Productivity and Organzing Professionals --- ### [The Stories We Tell Ourselves: Fact or Fiction](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-stories-we-tell-ourselves-fact-or-fiction/) **Published:** October 29, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Do you like to tell stories? If you do, I bet you’re good at it. I don’t consider myself a good storyteller. When I was working at a school library, I always practiced reading the stories aloud so they would be entertaining for the preschool/primary school students. Just as when I’m giving a presentation or teaching an organizing class, I practice what I want to say. Jokes, when I tell them usually land flat because of my delivery. And, when I go to [tell a story](https://dnqsolutions.com/not-all-stories-you-tell-yourself-are-bad/) to a small circle of people at a party, I get a little tongue-tied and lose the thread. These are facts, not fiction. There are other stories, though, I know you will know what I’m talking about. These are the [stories we tell](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-ways-to-change-the-story-we-tell-ourselves/) ourselves when we think we can’t or don’t want to do something. Are we telling ourselves the truth? ### **The Impact of the stories we tell ourselves** I tell myself all sorts of stories when I don’t honestly want to do something. I may write on my daily list that I want to file papers, organize my pictures, or sweep the garage. During the day these things may get pushed later and later until there’s no time left, and I haven’t done these things. The story I tell myself is that I don’t have time to do them. The truth is that filing papers, organizing pictures, and sweeping the garage are not really things I want to do. They are things that I tell myself I should do. It’s a story. Does it matter if they get done? NOPE. Eventually I get around to filing the papers I want to keep and sweeping the garage. As for organizing the pictures – that has yet to happen. I had much more fun doing that when I had hardcopy pictures. Organizing digital pictures isn’t fun for me although I know I should do it so that I can find the picture I am looking for when I want it. The stories we tell ourselves have an impact on what gets done. ### **Be clear about what is important** I was listening to a virtual client the other day (you realize I have altered the details to protect my client) talk about recycling. She was telling me reasons why it was going to be impossible to remove the recycling from her house and put it out to be picked up. This was not the first time I had heard this story, nor (I am positive) was it going to be the last. Every week this client says the top priority is to flatten shipping boxes and put them out with the recycling. She wants to have the hall where these boxes land free of clutter. This is important to her. There were a multitude of reasons the recycling was not going to leave her house this week. All of which my client believed to be true. I provided her with ideas to help her make it happen, but none were going to work. The story she was telling herself was that other things were preventing her from addressing recycling. She said recycling boxes and removing them from her home was important to her. The reality is that she was placing greater importance on other things. Until those things are addressed, the boxes will stay where they are. My next step is to work with my client to better define what is important. The story this client was telling herself was that everything else had to happen before she could turn her attention to what she was telling herself is important. #### **What happens when the story is fiction (or an outright lie)?** Are the stories you tell yourself lies? I have been known to exaggerate and turn a negative molehill into a seemingly insurmountable mountain. It doesn’t happen often but when it does the negative story turns the day into a terrible awful no-good very bad day. Do you remember the children’s story by Judith Viorst: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day? My strategy for getting past this is to reframe the negative story and identify what I can learn from the experience. Here are a few stories I’ve heard clients tell themselves. These stories do more harm than good. My job is to help them create organizing strategies so they can turn these fictional negative stories into stories which end ‘happily ever after’. #### **I’m a bad person** Stella used to tell me she was a bad person because she rarely ever attended to any household tasks. She was challenged by migraine headaches, depression, and ADHD. Stella worked full-time and was tired when she came home. She wanted (or said she wanted) to have a clean and tidy home and to do a household task or two each day so her weekend was completely free to spend as she chose. We created a variety of different chores or task lists to guide her but each time I visited her home none of the tasks were completed. Stella told me as I entered her home that she was a bad person because she let all the work we had done the previous session fall apart. The story Stella was telling herself was demoralizing. She is a beautiful person inside and out. Telling herself she is a bad person is an outright lie and is harmful. She was not (is not) a bad person. Stella’s challenge is not her character. It is depression which sucks the energy out of her to the point where it’s difficult to even get dressed and go out the door to work. Since Stella wants a clean and tidy home and since the chores are difficult to get to, I suggested hiring a cleaning company to do the heavy cleaning tasks leaving Stella with just the light dusting periodically. This freed up the time I spent with Stella to tackle other organizing projects. #### **My home will never be perfectly organized** This story is true. I believe no one is ever perfectly organized. How can we be when [life is messy](https://dnqsolutions.com/impact-of-clutter/)? If we are living (which we are) in our homes, things are bound to get out of place. The story this client was telling herself was based on picture-perfect homes in magazines. She wanted her kitchen, family room, dining room, and bedroom to look like the gorgeous pictures in magazines. We talked about how unrealistic this is when you have a family. We can make it perfect, take a picture, and then go about the business of life. I taught this client the importance of realistic expectations partnered with [maintenance routines](https://dnqsolutions.com/use-life-hacks-to-begin-creating-better-home-maintenance-routines/). She decided that if things are clean, tidy, and that everything has a home, it is good enough. What kind of stories do you tell yourself? Do you make mountains out of molehills and exaggerate the negative? Is the story you are telling fact or fiction? Do you set unrealistic expectations for yourself? The stories we tell ourselves have a powerful impact. Let’s work on sticking to the facts so the things we tell ourselves match up with reality. *Diane N. Quintana is an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer, owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Clutter, organize --- ### [Not All Stories You Tell Yourself Are Bad](https://dnqsolutions.com/not-all-stories-you-tell-yourself-are-bad/) **Published:** November 12, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Recently [I wrote ](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-stories-we-tell-ourselves-fact-or-fiction/)about how some of the stories you tell yourself are fictional. They may be rooted in fact but are blown out of proportion. Some of the stories you tell yourself are bad because you tear yourself apart. You use negative self-talk. On the other hand, some [stories are great because in the telling](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-ways-to-change-the-story-we-tell-ourselves/), you discover another way to do something, build yourself up, give yourself confidence, all by using positive self-talk. ### **The stories you tell yourself can set you up to barely engage or engage wholeheartedly.** In this post I’ll share some examples of negative self-talk and positive self-talk. Often you can take the same story and spin it to the negative or the positive. It’s all in your point of view, your mindset, and how determined you are to fail or to succeed. Of course, we all know it’s naïve to think that the only thing which determines failure or success is the story you tell yourself. However, we also know the mind is powerful. The stories you tell yourself can set you up to barely engage or engage wholeheartedly. ## **3 examples of negative self-talk followed by the positive self-talk spin** #### 1. **I’m always late, I’m so stupid** I set my alarm and for once I am out of bed on time. My plan to leave the house gets hijacked because I’m so stupid and stop to watch a news segment on the TV. Sometimes, my morning runs away from me because I let myself get distracted by something like a news segment. I know better than that. If only I wasn’t so stupid all the time. I know I’m going to be late to my appointment – again. I’m so stupid. *In this story, the person tells themselves they are ‘so stupid’ which is defeating. They have identified the thing they are doing wrong, which is terrific. The first step to doing something better is knowing (being aware of) what you don’t want to do. Watching news segments which are designed to draw you in, make you feel like you want to keep on watching so you don’t miss out are not smart things to do if you want to get somewhere by a specific time – or early. This person is not stupid. They are doing something that does not align with their goal of being on time but labeling themselves ‘stupid’ is a mistake.* #### *Let’s tell the same story using positive self-talk.* I set my alarm and I get out of bed on time – good for me. This is a step in the right direction. I’m determined to get to my appointment on time or early today. I know I can do it. I go to turn on the TV news and realize that if I do that, I’ll get caught up in watching the TV. Instead, I put on some classical music and listen to that as I get ready to leave the house. It’s so tempting to turn on the TV because I like having the conversation going on in the background. The music is a better choice. Phew, I did it. I’m out the door on time. It wasn’t as hard as I thought it would be. #### 2. **I’m a slob. I’ll never be organized** All my life, family and friends have told me I’m a slob and have commented on how messy my room or my home is. They tell me if I would just pick up my things and put them away, my life would feel less chaotic. I’ve tried to put [things away](https://dnqsolutions.com/understanding-disposaphobia-aka-the-fear-of-throwing-things-away/) but there’s so much stuff. I don’t know where to begin. I must face facts, I’m a slob. There are no two ways about it. I’ll never be organized. *Unfortunately, in this story the person has adopted the label other people have given them. They use negative self-talk when they call themselves a slob and when they say they will never be organized. Let’s spin this using positive self-talk.* My friends and family say I’m a slob but I’m not sure I agree. Yes. My room and my home have always been messy. I’m trying to get organized and am working with a professional organizer to learn new ways of keeping my things. I know I have spent a lifetime living this way so it’s going to take awhile before it starts looking better. It’s discouraging when I hear myself called a slob so I’m holding on to the thought that Rome wasn’t built in a day. I’m conquering my piles one at a time. Every time I get one [space cleared out and organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-small-space-organizing-hacks-from-a-professional-organizer/), I give myself a little reward. #### 3. **It’s hard to get anything done** Today, I am going to get the garden beds cleaned and prepared for the winter. I didn’t get around to doing that last fall and want to this year. There are other things I want to do today also. I’m not sure how I’m going to get it all done. It feels like there’s too much for me to do. I better take the dog for a walk before I get started in the garden, then I won’t worry about her. I’m going to wait until tomorrow to work in the garden. The weather is supposed to be better then. Maybe I should clear papers off my desk. Oh, maybe I’ll wash some dishes. No, I think I better go get dog food after I walk the dog. I don’t know. There are so many things I want to do, it’s hard to get anything done. *It is very difficult to tackle any task when you have so many things on your mind. This person is bouncing from one idea to another and never quite settling on anything other than taking care of the dog. It’s defeating when there are so many thoughts or ideas shouting for attention. Let’s see what happens when we spin this negative story in a more positive direction.* I have lots of things I want to do today. I want to get into the garden, walk the dog, do some paperwork, and lots of other things. I’m going to first make a list on my phone and then set some alarms, so I don’t lose track of time. I know I can do this; make progress with all the things I want to do. OK. I’m going to get started now. ### To summarize: We are our own worst critics. When we tell ourselves stories which [focus on the things we did wrong ](https://dnqsolutions.com/focus-on-whats-strong-not-whats-wrong/)without looking for the silver linings we do ourselves a disservice. Negative self-talk will always make things worse. Spin the story differently. Identify the thing (or things) that are either right or wrong and find the lesson – if there is one. What can you change to do things better? Find the thing to change, use positive self-talk, and act. Reach out to me if you want help learning new ways to do things to be more organized. *Diane N. Quintana is an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer, owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines **Tags:** Clutter, Organizing Strategies, professional organizer --- ### [3 Ways To Change The Story We Tell Ourselves](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-ways-to-change-the-story-we-tell-ourselves/) **Published:** November 19, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I’ve been thinking and talking about the stories we tell ourselves. I started this series with thoughts of whether the stories are based on [fact or fiction](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-stories-we-tell-ourselves-fact-or-fiction/). Then I talked about the stories which are driven by either [negative or positive self-talk](https://dnqsolutions.com/not-all-stories-you-tell-yourself-are-bad/). I want to round out this series of blogs with thoughts about wishful thinking and ‘*when I*’ stories. Then I’ll share three ways to change the stories so we can be more present. ### **Let’s start with wishful thinking stories** We all indulge in wishful thinking from time to time. These [stories can start with thoughts of wishing we could change](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-strategies-notice-the-problem-and-change-the-story/) something we had done in the past or alter what is now. Wishful thinking stories sometimes bear little resemblance to the facts at hand. They lead to unrealistic expectations or may cause the person to make decisions that are not based on a rational assessment of the facts. A person in a home which is filled up to the point of not being able to use the rooms as they were intended may indulge in wishful thinking. They may think that they can declutter the space in a couple of days. The reality is that when a home is that full of stuff, it may take weeks or even months to unpack the layers of things. Decluttering carefully so that [important documents](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-and-most-important-reason-to-update-documents/) and belongings are saved while the rest is released so others may benefit. People indulge in wishful thinking when the truth of a situation is not as they want it to be. If they want to change the story, they need to ask themselves what they are willing and able to do to bring about change so reality more closely matches what they wish for. ### **Let’s move on to ‘when’ stories** These stories always go like this: ‘*I’ll feel better about myself when I \_\_\_’* . You can fill in the blank with any number of things. The story could also go like this: ‘*I’ll have friends over for a party when my house is perfectly organized’.* Or ‘*I’ll be happier when I have no more clutter in my house’.* Or, ‘*I’ll be able to wear the pants I’ve held onto for years when I lose 15 pounds’.* I could create any number of scenarios using this story line. My problem with the ‘*when’* story is that the storyteller is not engaging in what is happening now. They are looking to some undetermined future time ***when*** they will have changed their current situation to be more in line with what they want it to be. ### **Let’s start changing the stories** How do you get from dreaming about things being different to creating the difference you want to have in your home or in your life? I believe that change needs a catalyst; something to kick it in the pants and prompt action. For some people the catalyst will be an eye-opening moment when they realize that this is not what they want to come home to. For others it will be understanding that all this storytelling has kept their heads in the clouds while life was passing them by. Where can you find the motivation to make lasting change? It’s easy to try something new once. But it’s not so easy to keep plugging away, to do that new thing over and over repeatedly to turn that [change into a new habit.](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-leverage-your-good-habits-and-routines-amid-changing-circumstances/) This requires maintaining a certain level of motivation. There are several ways that [Jonda Beattie](https://www.timespaceorg.com/) and I have created which help to motivate our clients. ## **3 Ways to change the story** #### 1. **The Clear Space for You clutter support group** Jonda and I run a clutter support group called [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/). We are the cheerleaders for our participants who want to make lasting change in their homes. Jonda and I guide the participants as they decide what action they will take each week to take one step closer to their stated goal for the month. We start new groups every month (except for December). If you think having an accountability partner will help keep you motivated so you can change the story you are telling yourself join our clutter support group. #### 2. **Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time deck of cards** Each one of the [50 colorful task cards](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools/) gives step-by-step instructions to organize one small space in the home. These cards are fabulous because they tell you exactly what to do, where to do it, and that it will only take 10 minutes. Everyone has 10 minutes to give to organizing a small section of their home. The more our clients use the cards, the more organized their home becomes. Using these cards helps our clients change the story they tell themselves. The negative self-talk story about never being able to get organized shifts to **I can do this, a little bit at a time.** They can decide to follow the instructions on all the cards dedicated to a specific room or to pull a card at random. This keeps it fresh for our clients who may have ADHD and need more variety. #### 3. **My List Simplified** This is an [undated journal](https://releaserepurpose.com/journal/) with fields to let our clients track the things they want to do and a whole page for Notes which will capture all their wishful ideas. Once these dreams are corralled, we can look at them objectively and decide which one makes the most sense to tackle first. Dreams are great. I dream of spending a week on a beach with absolutely nothing to do other than read good books, eat good food, swim in the ocean, and spend time with my family. Sometimes I say to myself *when the grandchildren are older, we will be able to…* you can fill in the blank. I have come to realize that thoughts like this take me away from enjoying what is going on NOW. So, when I start to walk down that road and indulge in wishful thinking, I pull out My List Simplified and make some notes about ways I can engage with my grandchildren now. Then I schedule the time. When you start to indulge in *wishful* or *when I thinking* ask yourself if one of the options Jonda Beattie and I created to help ourselves and our clients will help you change the story you are telling yourself. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Clutter support group, Organizing Strategies, professional organizer --- ### [3 Excellent Reasons to Embrace Letting Go of Stuff](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-excellent-reasons-to-embrace-letting-go-of-stuff/) **Published:** December 3, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Letting go of our belongings is hard for everyone. It doesn’t matter what the thing is, it belongs to us. Sometimes it’s harder to let go if the item in question is tied to a person we love, an event that is particularly memorable, is (in our opinion) worth lots of money, or if we’ve had it forever. It’s not necessary to have a hoarding disorder to feel the discomfort that comes with letting go of something. Intellectually we know that [we cannot keep everything we want to in our homes.](https://dnqsolutions.com/clutter-and-anxiety-5-hacks-to-keep-your-worries-in-check-as-you-declutter-your-home/) Clear and indisputable logic tells us that if we don’t let things go our home becomes too packed with stuff. While letting go of our belongings is difficult, there are things we can do to make it easier for ourselves. Before I share the 3 excellent reasons to embrace letting go of stuff, I want to give you some strategies to make the process easier. ## **Strategies to make letting go easier** ### **Give it to someone you know who will love it When you know of someone (maybe a friend) who will love the thing you are thinking of letting go, it becomes almost painless. You can be positive that the object is in good hands and will be treasured. Giving our things to family, friends, or a neighbor who will love them gives us joy. ### **Give to someone or a place you know who will use it If it is furniture you are letting go, give it to a Habitat for Humanity ReStore. They need furniture for the homes they build. You can be confident that the furniture is needed, wanted, and will be appreciated. Maybe you have a friend or a friend’s child who is [moving into a new home](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-for-a-move-to-a-new-home/) and needs certain pieces of furniture which you happen to be letting go. Give the furniture to them and know you’ve helped someone. ### **Give to a place that needs it Maybe the things you are giving are baby accessories that you no longer use or need to keep. Give them to a local nursery or daycare center. It will feel great when you remove the things that are clogging up valuable real estate in your home and give them to a place you are confident will get great use out of them. Now that you have some strategies to make letting go easier let’s talk about why it’s important to embrace this activity. ## **3 excellent reasons to embrace letting go ### 1. **Clear the negative thoughts from your head** Visual reminders of things you need to deal with create negative thoughts. These thoughts tell you that you are not doing the things you told others (or yourself) you would do. The visual reminders constantly let you know that you are letting yourself down. When you embrace letting go, you give yourself permission to remove these visual reminders and quiet the negative thoughts inside your head. ### 2. **Create space in your home** [Creating space in your home](https://dnqsolutions.com/create-your-home-organizing-sweet-spot/) by letting go of the things that no longer support the way you are living your life gives you a sense of freedom. Less stuff means less to take care of, less to clean, and more [time to spend with family ](https://dnqsolutions.com/time-spent-with-family/)and friends or doing what you want to do. All of us want to spend more time with the people who are important to us. In her book, *[The Happier Hour](https://www.amazon.com/Happier-Hour-Distraction-Expand-Matters-ebook/dp/B09RX51K3B/ref=sr_1_1?crid=22SZNZ4ODO8PM&keywords=happier+hour+book+cassie+holmes&qid=1701630522&sprefix=happier+hour%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-1)*, Dr. Cassie Holmes points out that to be happy we must spend time with people we care about (and who care about us). Give yourself more time with people by letting go of the excess in your home. ### 3. **Exercising the letting go muscle makes it easier** You know that every time you exercise your body, those muscles become stronger, and they feel less strain. Think of letting go as a muscle. Every time you exercise the letting go muscle it gets a little stronger and a little easier to do. Start small. See if you can [let go of things](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-ways-of-reducing-your-fear-of-donating-belongings/) you’re not using in one small space. Just look for one or two things in that small space that you can release. Ask yourself if you use, need, or love these things. If the answer is ‘no’, put those items in a donation bag and schedule time to deliver them. #### **Set a good example for your children An added benefit, if you have children is that children learn many things by following their parents’ example. Teach them how to let go of the things they no longer play with or are broken by letting go of the things that you no longer like or use. Talk through the process with your children. Help them understand that it’s ok if they don’t like a certain game or toy. They can let it go and another child may love it. If your children have multiples of a particular toy, and the toy box is overflowing, teach them how to reduce the collection by only holding on to their favorites. No one knows how to do this without guidance. There’s a good example of this in the stories *[Benji’s Messy Room](https://www.amazon.com/Benjis-Messy-Room-Diane-Quintana/dp/1735968439/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1701630336&sr=8-1)* and *[Suzie’s Messy Room](https://www.amazon.com/Suzies-Messy-Room-Diane-Quintana/dp/1735968447/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1701630412&sr=8-1)*. ### **To Summarize: When you make letting go of the things that serve no purpose in your home part of your [maintenance routine](https://dnqsolutions.com/use-life-hacks-to-begin-creating-better-home-maintenance-routines/) you make more space for the things that support the way you want to live your life. Use the strategies in this post to make letting go easier and think about which reason for letting go resonates most with you. Then embrace that reason and start turning your home into one which supports you. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](http://www.https:/dnqsolutions.com) *and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC*](http://www.https:/releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter **Tags:** Clutter, Organizing Strategies --- ### [Hosting Houseguests with Grace: A Guide to Prepare Yourself And Your Home](https://dnqsolutions.com/hosting-houseguests-with-grace-a-guide-to-prepare-yourself-and-your-home/) **Published:** December 10, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Welcoming friends or family into your home can be a joyous occasion but it often comes with mixed feelings. Maybe you are looking forward to seeing your friends or family members while simultaneously feeling a little unsettled or anxious. While these people are clearly not strangers the thought of them opening a closet, cupboard, or drawer that is not beautifully organized may give you the shivers. In this guide, I’ll share practical tips on how to prepare yourself and your home for houseguests. Afterall, whomever you invite into your home is not there to inspect the quality of the organization in your home. They are there to see you. ### **Let Go of Perfection:** One of the keys to hosting a [stress-free gathering](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-avoid-having-anxiety-over-house-guests/) is to let go of the pursuit of perfection. Recognize that your guests are coming to spend time with you, not scrutinize the [organization in your home.](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/home-organization/) Focus on creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere rather than stressing over every detail. Consider a quick decluttering session and a general tidy-up before your guests are due to arrive, but don’t get caught up in perfectionism. ### **Ask About Food Allergies:** A key aspect of being a gracious host is ensuring that your guests have foods available that meet their dietary needs or restrictions. Reach out to them ahead of time to find out if they have any food allergies. Plan your meals with those details in mind and always have options available. Prepare your home and stock it with a variety of snacks and drinks, including some healthy options. ### **Create** **Cozy Sleeping Spaces:** Prepare your [home for guests by creating ](https://dnqsolutions.com/use-life-hacks-to-begin-creating-better-home-maintenance-routines/)comfortable and inviting sleeping spaces. Fresh linens, extra blankets, and comfortable pillows go a long way to ensuring a good night’s sleep. Put out fresh towels for your guests and show them where you keep the extras just in case they need one. If possible, allocate a drawer or a section of a closet for their belongings, making them feel at home during their stay. Put a night light in the bathroom so your guests don’t fumble around in the dark looking for the light. ### **Stock Up on Essentials:** Make sure your home is stocked with essentials your guests may have forgotten. This includes toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, and other bathroom supplies. Think about having a small basket in the room the guests will use with a couple of small bottles of water, a few snacks, and maybe information about local attractions. ### **Prepare Yourself and Do Some Research:** Before your guests visit do some research and find out what’s going on in your town during their visit. While it’s wonderful to sit, talk, and catch up with one another it is nice to offer options of things to do. Research the opening hours for the local attractions. Find out what the admission prices are. You can create a document to share with the addresses, operating hours, and ticket prices for your guests. Some of the things you may want to do together, and some may be nice for them to experience on their own. ### **Take a House Tour:** If your guests have never stayed with you before, take them on a tour of your house so they can familiarize themselves with where things are. This will also help you because you won’t have to continually explain how to find things. ### **Be Willing to Accept Help:** Prepare yourself and be open to letting your [guests help around the house](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-tips-for-how-to-be-a-good-house-guest/). You may be about to prepare a meal or set the table. If a houseguest offers to help, let them. It may not be done exactly the way you would do it, but it will be done. Let go of perfection and be happy with done. ### **Conclusion:** By embracing a relaxed approach, being mindful of dietary needs, attending to thoughtful details, and planning engaging activities you can transform your home into a welcoming haven for your guests. Remember the goal is to create an environment where everyone (including you) feels at ease. One of the best gifts we can give each other is the gift of time spent together creating lasting memories. Prepare yourself and your home as much as possible in advance then let go and enjoy the visit. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC](http://www.https/releaserepurpose.com) based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize **Tags:** Organizing Strategies, Planning --- ### [Beyond the Chaos: Navigating Clutter through the Virtual Support Group](https://dnqsolutions.com/beyond-the-chaos-navigating-clutter-through-the-virtual-support-group/) **Published:** December 17, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** When you think about a clutter support group what image comes to your mind? I had a conversation with a friend about this the other day. She told me that she pictures a meeting run similarly to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. I’ve never been to an AA meeting, so I don’t have firsthand experience. What I do know is that those meetings are non-judgmental, and the participants are encouraged to speak freely. Clutter support groups are also non-judgmental, and participants are encouraged to share their thoughts. Because there are many questions about clutter support groups, I am going to address them. This blog is the first in a series of three posts talking about [virtual clutter support groups](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-compelling-reasons-to-join-a-virtual-clutter-support-group/). ### **What is a virtual clutter support group?** First, clutter support groups used to meet in person, and some may still do that. Most clutter support groups, however, meet virtually because it is so easy. There’s no travel involved, and the participant can be on camera or off. A [virtual clutter support group](https://dnqsolutions.com/a-review-of-projects-conquered-through-virtual-clutter-support-groups/) is a group that meets to talk about clutter. The group is usually facilitated or run by either a Therapist, Certified Coach, or a Certified Professional Organizer. If you’re looking for a clutter support group to join one of the first things to look at is the person (or people) running the group. Typically, a participant in the group will ask questions which pertain to the clutter in their life. ### **Do all virtual clutter support groups operate in a similar fashion?** I run a virtual clutter support group with my friend and colleague, Jonda Beattie. Our group is called Clear Space for You because we believe that a [person’s home](https://dnqsolutions.com/incorporate-your-personality-into-the-organization-of-your-home/) needs to have space for them to live the life they envision for themselves. Of course, I know how our group is run but I didn’t know if other virtual clutter support groups are run similarly. So, I reached out to some of my colleagues. The answer to the question is that all our groups have similarities and differences. This is terrific news because that allows you to select the virtual clutter support model that works best for you. ### **An overview of 4 virtual clutter support groups** #### 1. **Clear Space for You** meets virtually once a week for 4 weeks. The meetings are 1 hour long. New sessions start at the beginning of each month. This virtual clutter support group is led by 2 professional organizers, Diane Quintana and Jonda Beattie. The group is limited to 4 people, which allows Diane and Jonda to provide personalized solutions. Each person brings their own project to the group. At the end of each weekly session, Jonda creates a digest of the decisions each participant makes during the session as well as the next steps the person intends to take. Diane N Quintana ICD® Master Trainer, CPO-CD®, CPO® and Jonda S. Beattie M.Ed 1. [Clear Space for You virtual clutter support group ](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) #### 2. **My DeClutter support Group** is limited to 6 people. Each meeting is 1.5 hours once a month. Folks commit and pay for 6 months at a time. A few days before the meeting, the facilitator, Alice Price, sends a link to an article. It can be anything from an article about gratitude, to better sleep, to procrastination, to using timers. Each meeting starts with a RTR (round-the-room) of success from the month, then a RTR about the article, and then a RTR on goals/intentions for the month. Alice Price ICD® Master Trainer, CPO-CD® COC® CVPO™ Professional Organizer and Coach Organize Long Island, Inc. [www.OrganizeLongIsland.com](http://www.OrganizeLongIsland.com) #### 3. **The Declutter/Clutter Support Group** **Classes** are a [4-week course ](https://organizationrules.com/class)that will give you the tools you need, help you gain insight about your situation, and let you know that you are not alone. You will work on a small decluttering project throughout the 4-week class. Vickie Dellaquila, ICD Master Trainer, CPO-CD will lead this group in a confidential, non-judgmental, supportive manner and with gentle accountability. Classes are delivered via zoom and class size is limited. **You can move forward in your life!** Vickie Dellaquila, ICD® Master Trainer, CPO-CD®, CVPO TM, CPO® <vickie@OrganizationRules.com> #### 4. **Weekly online groups with Alison Lush** People who join my [weekly online groups](https://learn-with-alison.thinkific.com/) share the same goal: getting unstuck with #gentleaccountability. We focus on the individual, week to week. What do they need and want to address? What resources do they currently have? Have they uncovered any insights? What skills or habits would they like to develop? Four services available: One-on-one Virtual Sessions, monthly Accountability Groups (max 6 participants), private online forum for peer support, and 40+ hours of Body Doubling every month. This model is created to be sustainable over many months, offering a supportive learning space with maximum emphasis on personal choice and changing needs. [Alison Lush](https://dnqsolutions.com/interview-series-hoarding-expert-alison-lush/), ICD® Master Trainer, CPO-CD®, CPO®, PPCC Certified Virtual Organizing Professional ### **In Conclusion:** These four different virtual clutter support groups are different in some ways and similar in other ways. They are all facilitated by certified professional organizers and offer a safe non-judgmental space for participants to gain control over their clutter. All these groups offer accountability which is hugely important. The differences are in the length and frequency of the session. If clutter in your home is preventing you from moving forward towards your goals and you’re considering joining a clutter support group you now have some good options. [Please contact me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) if you would like to learn more about how clutter support groups work. We can talk through the options and find a group that is a good fit for you. My blog next week will focus on the reasons people join a clutter support group. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter **Tags:** Clutter, Clutter support group, Organizing Strategies --- ### [A Review of Projects Conquered through Virtual Clutter Support Groups](https://dnqsolutions.com/a-review-of-projects-conquered-through-virtual-clutter-support-groups/) **Published:** December 31, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** During the past several weeks I reviewed [how virtual clutter support groups operate](https://dnqsolutions.com/beyond-the-chaos-navigating-clutter-through-the-virtual-support-group/) and some of the [reasons people](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-compelling-reasons-to-join-a-virtual-clutter-support-group/) have for joining a virtual clutter support group. To round out this series of blogs, I want to share with you a review of projects conquered by participants in the [Clear Space for You virtual clutter support group.](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) It’s likely that these are projects that are also conquered in other virtual clutter support groups. If you are thinking about participating in a virtual clutter support group, you may be wondering if the project you want to work on is appropriate to discuss in such a group. Honestly, the possibilities are endless. Just as each one of us is unique, every project (even if it resembles a project someone else is working on) is unique. How can that be? The reason that projects can be unique and identical at the same time is that the people working on the projects are different. They will each have their own individual way of approaching the project. Probably they will have slightly different visions for the way in which their project will impact their lives. And, because each person is unique, they will have their own concept of what done looks like. ### **A review of some of the projects conquered in the Clear Space for You virtual clutter support group** Please note that I am not sharing any personal information related to the participants in the Clear [Space for You virtual clutter support group](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-steps-to-control-clothes-clutter-in-a-small-space/). Everyone signs a privacy statement when they join the group. It is adhered to strictly. #### **Paper projects:** [Paper is something that becomes cluttered quickly](https://dnqsolutions.com/control-paper-clutter-in-your-home-feel-more-energized/). I often compare paper to bunnies. You know the expression about bunnies multiplying. When you put a piece of paper down, more paper seems to gravitate to it and becomes a pile almost overnight. Paper projects include sorting and organizing papers as well as creating a filing system. [People worry about documents. ](https://dnqsolutions.com/paper-decluttering-tips-for-people-with-mounds-of-paper-mail-documents/)People wonder if they need to keep it and if so, how to label it. Plus, sometimes people worry about documents. They become fearful and worry they may need the document one day and would not be able to find the information online. This sometimes leads to another project, scanning some documents and creating a good digital filing system. #### **Digital Organizing and Decluttering:** Just because we can’t see the piles of digital [documents doesn’t mean they don’t also need organizing.](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-to-organize-documents-on-file/) There are emails to file or delete, online accounts to manage, subscriptions, and digital files. It’s helpful to have your digital files closely mirror your paper files. Setting up naming conventions for both paper and digital files is another great project. The list of projects conquered also includes reviewing digital downloads. This is a file that is often overlooked and easy to tackle. #### **Digital or Paper Calendar** Since we’re talking about going digital, another project conquered in the Clear Space for You virtual clutter support group is setting up a digital calendar and creating reminders to help move other projects along. There is often a discussion about whether it’s best to use a digital [calendar or a paper one](https://dnqsolutions.com/paper-calendar-two-of-the-best-reasons-to-use-one/). I believe the best calendar to use is the one you will commit to using. Try them both and determine which one works best for you. Then stick with it. #### **Closet Organizing:** There are so many options out there for organizing clothes. It all depends on the individual and how they want to find their various articles of clothes. This project can involve determining what type of clothes go where, how much of that type of clothes will fit in the space, and then what will be kept. Schedule time to either donate or sell clothes which are not being kept for one reason or another. #### **Decluttering Zones** If you think about your home in terms of zones, then decluttering those individual zones one by one is a great project to work on in a clutter support group. You can decide if it’s possible to declutter and organize a zone in a week or in a month. #### **Storage Solutions** This is a popular project in the clutter support group. So often things are placed in storage never to be removed. Whether the storage is a closet, attic, basement, garage, or shed it’s important to review what is in storage, how long it has been there, and if it’s necessary to keep. #### **Daily Maintenance Routines** Daily [maintenance routines are the key to maintaining an organized home](https://dnqsolutions.com/use-life-hacks-to-begin-creating-better-home-maintenance-routines/). It’s always necessary to do heavy cleaning from time to time but creating [daily maintenance routines](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-your-daily-routine-changes-when-you-move/) that work for you can improve your day-to-day living immeasurably. #### **Daily list or Reminders** Making a daily list and/or setting reminders in your phone or calendar also helps to keep your day running as smoothly as possible. Creating a system that works for you is another project conquered in the Clear Space for You virtual clutter support group. #### **Books** I love books and understand the reluctance to part with favorites. Learning how to separate the favorites and the necessary to keep from the books that just happen to be there is important. This skill will keep the collection of books from overwhelming your home. #### **Kitchen and Pantry Organizing** This is another popular project. Kitchens and pantries are areas in most homes that are accessed several times a day. It’s easy for these areas or zones to become disorganized and cluttered. A desire to conquer this project and discover how to maintain these areas is a popular project. #### **Clearing Clutter** Finally, clearing clutter throughout the home is a project that is often brought to the support group. This is tackled one pile at a time. As you can see there is a wide variety of projects people bring to work on in a virtual clutter support group. The Clear Space for You virtual clutter support group starts a new series at the beginning of each month. Sometimes participants conquer their project in one month. Sometimes they stay for two months or longer because the weekly meetings accompanied by gentle accountability keep them motivated to do more organizing. It’s important to note that there is no competition in the clutter support group. Every win, no matter how small, is reviewed and celebrated. Becoming organized is a personal journey and not a race. Click the link for more information about the [Clear Space for You virtual clutter support group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) run by Diane Quintana and [Jonda Beattie](https://www.timespaceorg.com). *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://www.dnqsolutions.com) *and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC*](https://www.releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Clutter support group --- ### [How to Declutter After the Holidays](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-declutter-after-the-holidays/) **Published:** January 7, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I love everything about holidays starting with Thanksgiving. They bring me so much joy. It seems to me as though there’s a constant flurry of activity for about 6 weeks and then it stops. There’s the cooking and baking of holiday treats and yummy meals. Putting up decorations, inside and out. Shopping for gifts to give and receiving some, too. Visiting with friends and family. Now the holidays are over and it’s time to get back to business. First, though, it’s important to undo all the [holiday decorating](https://dnqsolutions.com/10-tips-for-stress-free-holiday-decorating/), put things away, and declutter after the holidays. Before you start to declutter after the holidays, take a moment to review your reasons for undertaking this task. It’s always easier to stick with a project when you know why you’re doing it. Next get out all your [holiday decoration](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-put-away-our-holiday-decorations/) storage boxes and bring them to a staging spot, probably somewhere in the living room or family room. ## **Where to start decluttering after the holidays?** #### **Outside lights and other decorations** Removing the outside lights and other decorations is easier to do with help. If you have a spouse, partner, or children ask them to get involved with this process. If you don’t have something to wrap the lights around, consider using a stiff wire hanger. This will also make it easier to install the lights when the [holidays roll around ](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-stop-procrastinating-around-the-holidays/)next winter. Store the lights in a labeled container. If you also decorate the outside with blow up figures, deflate them, carefully fold them, and store them in a clear plastic tub with a lid. Be sure to label the tub with a description of the figure. #### **Wreaths** Take down indoor holiday themed wreaths. Put them in clear garbage bags and store them in your garage, attic, or basement. It’s also time to remove any wreaths you have outside. If they are not artificial they can probably be recycled along with your real tree. Just remove any ribbon or fake berries. #### **Cards** I noticed this year that more and more people are sending out email greeting cards. [Holiday cards](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-declutter-your-christmas-decorations-without-getting-lost-in-sentiment-or-guilt/), particularly the ones with photos, are sometimes difficult to part with. I used to put the pictures people sent me in a photo album when the cards had a photograph you could easily remove from the card. Now that the photo is part of the card, I don’t keep them anymore. My recommendation is to recycle the cards after you have enjoyed looking at them. #### **Mantle and Tabletop Decorations** Remove the [holiday decorations.](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-steps-to-purge-decorations-you-no-longer-use-for-the-holidays-any-holiday/) Dust the table (take a minute to do this since there’s nothing on the surface). Then find the decorations that belong on the mantle and the tabletops that you stored when you decorated for the holidays. Carefully store the holiday decorations from the mantle and the tabletops in the decoration storage box. #### **Christmas Ornaments** Take the ornaments off the tree and store them in the ornament’s storage box or boxes. I use 2 different kinds of storage boxes for my ornaments. One has three-layers of storage with each storage layer having about 18 square sections meant specifically to hold ornaments. This is perfect for most ornaments, particularly round ones. The other storage box I use is simply a large, clear, plastic container. I put over-sized ornaments in this box between layers of tissue paper. I always try to get every ornament off the tree before I take the tree down but inevitably, I miss one or two ornaments. This year I missed two. #### **Tree** I use an artificial tree which gets put away in a box and then stored in my garage. My tree came with lights on it. If you have an artificial tree that you put lights on or a real tree, take the lights off first. Follow the same procedure as with taking down the outside lights. Label them so you know these are for the indoor tree. Then take the tree down. Some areas pick up the trees and then chip them. Other areas recycle them. Still other areas have a central collection place for real Christmas trees. Clean the floor where you had placed your tree before putting any furniture back. #### **Gifts** Sometimes gifts and/or games are part of the decluttering after the holidays. Look around and notice if there are any gifts left to put away or find homes for. Maybe there is no natural home for the gift that is left out. Do you need to declutter a drawer, closet, or cupboard to make room for the gift you received? Do you need to [write thank you notes or emails](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1586649283/holiday-gifts-tracker-keep-track-of-who?click_key=45f891f87bca7709ec604a01a27bfab39cb6c8ec%3A1586649283&click_sum=02dcf80c&ref=shop_home_active_12) to the people who sent you gifts? ### **Decluttering after the holidays is a project** This is not a [project to conquer](https://dnqsolutions.com/a-review-of-projects-conquered-through-virtual-clutter-support-groups/) in a day. [Schedule time](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-art-of-planning-and-scheduling-carving-out-time-for-yourself/) to tackle one or two of these areas a day and you’ll be done before you know it without getting overwhelmed. Remember to clearly label storage containers so you know what’s in them when it comes time to decorate for the holidays again. [Reach out to me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) if you’d like help tackling this or any other project in your home. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com/) *and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter **Tags:** Clutter, Organizing Strategies --- ### [The Simplest Way to Declutter Your Home](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-simplest-way-to-declutter-your-home/) **Published:** January 14, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Yes. You read that right. There is a simple way to declutter any and every room/area/ closet/ cupboard – truly any area in your home you can think of. When I share it with you, I think you will say to yourself “Of course! I get it!”. Are you wondering why, if it is so simple, that people like me have jobs as professional organizers? The truth is that even when things are simple, we over-complicate them. Let’s review the simplest [way to declutter ](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-way-to-declutter-holiday-photo-cards/)specific items and a couple of common areas. [Clutter accumulates when we delay doing the things](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-for-organizing-the-things-in-your-life-to-reduce-stress-clutter-and-mess/) we know we should do. ## Declutter Clothes For instance, let’s pretend you received a new navy-blue sweater as a gift. You have a somewhat worn navy blue sweater in your chest of drawers. You might rationalize discarding or donating the older sweater because you say to yourself that you’ll wear the older sweater when you’re at home doing chores and not going anywhere. Now instead of removing the old sweater to make room for the new one you keep both sweaters. You delay following the one thing in and one thing out rule and now have two navy-blue sweaters. Ah, but you say to me. They are not the same. One is worn and one is new. You can keep the old sweater but if you always keep the new clothes without donating, recycling, or repurposing the older [clothes you will have an over-full closet ](https://dnqsolutions.com/ideas-for-organizing-clothes-without-a-closet/)and chest of drawers. The simplest way to declutter clothes is to determine how many of each type of clothes you can easily keep in the space you have. Once you have that number, it’s up to you to stick to it or the [clothes become clutter.](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-steps-to-control-clothes-clutter-in-a-small-space/) ## Declutter Books [Books also create clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-books-without-a-bookshelf/). When you build a stack of books beside your bed because you intend to read them, they become clutter. Books tend to gravitate to horizontal surfaces. Unless you make an effort to put them back on the bookshelf, they can land on the floor or on a tabletop. I am an admitted book lover. It’s rare that I open a book and don’t find something to appreciate about what the author is saying. I understand how hard it is to remove books from your home. I now read many books on a Kindle because the electronic version only takes up space digitally. Decluttering books is difficult unless you create some rules for yourself. My personal rules for books are as follows: I keep the book if it is a timeless classic. If I am positive I will refer to the book, it earns a place on my bookshelf. The final rule is that if I know I will reread the book, I keep it. Now, these are my rules because I struggle with releasing books. The simplest way to [declutter books is to create your own set of rules](https://dnqsolutions.com/9-tips-on-decluttering-that-set-you-up-for-the-greatest-success/). Once you have rules to follow, it’s easier to reduce the number you keep. ## Declutter Paper [Paper is another thing that can quickly become clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/control-paper-clutter-in-your-home-feel-more-energized/). Just like when you put a book down on a horizontal surface, when you put paper down more paper stacks on top. Sometimes I print things I see on my computer. If it is something I know I will never need again it gets recycled or shredded. There are other times when that piece of paper joins others in a folder or a file in the filing cabinet. The simplest way to declutter paper is to make decisions regarding your next step. Is it something to keep – file it. Do you need to read, review, or get more information before deciding? If so, create a temporary file, basket, or box for these papers. And make a note on the paper that indicates what you need. You can write your question or make a note of who to talk to so you don’t waste time rereading the document. ## Declutter the Kitchen Clutter accumulates in the kitchen when we allow the counters to become landing places for things that don’t belong in the kitchen and when we have gadgets and accessories we don’t use. The simplest way to declutter the kitchen is to look at the things in the kitchen and ask yourself if they belong there. Did someone else in the family deposit their belongings on the counter? Consider having a basket for other people’s things that don’t belong in the kitchen. Do you use the gadget or accessory? If the answer is ‘No’ give it to someone who will, donate it, or sell it. Sometimes emotions (or guilt) get in the way. Maybe you spent money on this thing or someone gave it to you. Ask yourself if the loss of counter or cupboard space is worth it. Clutter also accumulates in the kitchen when tasks are left undone. Consider this. You’ve had a lovely meal which means there are pots, pans, and dishes to do. When you let these things linger on the kitchen counter, by the sink, in the sink, or on the stove top until the next day or longer they become clutter. Do the dishes after each meal to avoid creating clutter in the kitchen. ## Declutter Your Family Room As I said before, clutter accumulates when we delay doing the things we know we should. Picture this. You’re streaming a movie on your television, drinking a soda, glass of water or favorite beverage, and eating a snack. The movie ends and you get up to go to your computer in another room leaving the empty bag of popcorn, the plate, some paper towels, and a glass on the table beside the couch. All that stuff is clutter. It’s an eyesore. When you walk in the room a few minutes later you see it but think to yourself you’ll take care of it later. You know what to do to declutter the family room but don’t because you don’t want to in the moment. The simplest and best way to take care of things like this is right away. If you think you don’t have time, you’re mistaken. It takes less than a minute or two to toss the bag of popcorn and put the plate and glass in the dishwasher. **In Conclusion** These are just a few examples of the simplest way to declutter some common areas in the home. The truth is that you can apply these examples to almost every area of the home. Professional organizers, such as I, can help create routines for you so that it becomes easier to identify clutter and to remove it. One of the best things to keep in mind is to have the things in your home that support you and the way you want to live your life. Keep it simple. [Reach out to me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) if you’d like to schedule a free phone consultation. You can also sign up for my monthly newsletter to get more tips like these. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Clutter, Organizing Strategies --- ### [The Secret To Making Good Habits Stick](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-secret-to-making-good-habits-stick/) **Published:** January 21, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** We all want to have good habits, right? When we exercise good habits regular, routine things happen automatically. One of the habits that my mother insisted I cultivate was to put things back where they belong. I can still hear her inside my mind saying ‘did you put it back’ when I leave something out. I immediately put whatever it is back. There are many, many good [habits to cultivate](https://dnqsolutions.com/transforming-spaces-transforming-lives-the-power-of-professional-organizers-in-cultivating-healthy-habits-and-routines/). The secret to making good habits stick is not so secret. It is to be consistent. Think about small things like brushing your teeth, hanging up a bath towel, or putting dirty clothes in a laundry basket. Then there are other habits like saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. These are small things that many people grow up practicing, but they are habits. Bigger habits, the ones that help you manage and maintain the [organization in your home](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/home-organization/) require more thought and consistent, intentional practice. ### **The problem is how do we cultivate the willpower to be consistent?** The first thing to determine is your [reason for creating ](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-reason-to-create-an-evening-routine/)the habit. Once you know why you are working (and it is work) to make the habit stick, it is easier to practice. #### **Make the habit small** [Small changes](https://dnqsolutions.com/small-steps-toward-change/) are the easiest to incorporate. You can add to it when you feel really good about the smallest step. #### **Do not skip practicing two days in a row** [Life happens](https://dnqsolutions.com/prepare-for-change-so-youre-not-caught-off-guard-when-life-happens/). You may forget to practice the habit. Be kind to yourself. Acknowledge that you slipped. Forgetting one day is ok. But it is harder to get back on track if you let yourself slide two days in a row. #### **Work on one habit at a time** Another thing to understand is that if you want to create more than one new habit, only work on creating one habit at a time. You may find that a couple of habits work well together and may even hinge upon one another. When that happens, you have hit the jackpot. Because you’ll notice right away if you slip up. ### **The secret to making good habits stick is practice** We can probably all agree that this is the truth. I’m sure you’re familiar with the saying ‘practice makes perfect’. What this means to me is that the more I practice doing something the better at it I become and the easier it is. You can apply that to absolutely everything. **Let’s see how this applies to tidying your bedroom** If you want to leave your bedroom tidy every morning before you go about your day, you will make your bed, put away any clothes, shoes, or jewelry laying around, and toss any trash. The first time you do this you may think to yourself this is work. If you do it again tomorrow, you may find there is less to put away because you did it the day before. Keep reminding yourself this is something you want to do. Before you know it, you go about tidying your room without intentionally walking through the steps. Once you do that you know that you have created a good habit. You are no longer asking yourself; did I make the bed? Did I put my clothes away? Is there any trash on the floor? Do any glasses or plates need to go back to the kitchen? ### **Here is a less obvious secret to making good habits stick.** It is that you like the way it feels, looks, or the [way it works](https://dnqsolutions.com/habits-help-to-ground-us-in-times-of-stress/). Here’s an example. You’ve had a very long busy day and are tired when you get home. The first thing you do is drop everything and kick off your shoes. You change into comfy clothes and go into the kitchen to get a snack. Then you notice the mess of stuff you’ve left by the front door and think you don’t like the way that looks. Because you’re tired you think about leaving everything as it is until tomorrow, but you decide to take 10 minutes and put your things away. Why? The reason is that your good new habit is to put things where they belong. None of the stuff you dropped when you walked into your home belongs by the door. You like the new habit of putting things away because you know where to find them. And you like the way the entry to your home looks when it is tidy. Yes. It is work to make good habits stick. The more often you actively practice them the better they stick. If you are interested in creating a new habit, [reach out to me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/). We can work together to determine how to make a new habit fit with your lifestyle. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com/) *and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Clutter, Organizing Strategies --- ### [How To Stop Enabling A Hoarder (Even When It’s Hard)](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-stop-enabling-a-hoarder-even-when-its-hard/) **Published:** February 4, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** [Living with a person ](https://dnqsolutions.com/my-husband-is-hoarding-what-can-i-do/)who over-collects or hoards is challenging. There is no doubt about that. You may find there is little, or no space left for you. The over-abundance of things may have started as a fun collection and morphed into collecting and saving everything. In fact, it may have changed from a sweet collection to a hoard so gradually that it was hard for you to notice until it wasn’t. The question before us now is how to [stop enabling a hoarder](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-stop-enabling-a-hoarder-without-losing-your-cool/). Before I talk about strategies to help the person who is hoarding and to remediate the environment, I want to review the definition of a hoarding disorder. What defines hoarding disorder? Hoarding, [according to the DSM-5](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519704/table/ch3.t29/) (The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Illnesses – Fifth Edition), is difficulty parting with objects – regardless of their use and value, cluttering of rooms so they can not be used as intended, and that discarding of objects causes distress. Understanding that hoarding is a mental illness and not merely a lifestyle choice can go a long way toward building your patience as you seek to help the one with whom you live. ### **What does enabling a hoarder mean?** It means that you may be unintentionally enabling a hoarder when you turn a blind eye to the amount of stuff in the home. Another way people enable hoarding is when they avoid talking about the distress the accumulation of clutter is causing them. ## **Here are some things you can do to stop enabling a hoarder** #### **Educate yourself** There are some terrific books which can teach you more about hoarding disorder. These books can also give you strategies to help your loved one. I am listing them here so you can investigate them on your own and decide which to read first. *Buried in Treasures* By David F. Tolin, Randy O. Frost, and Gail Steketee *Compulsive Hoarding and the Meaning of Things* by Randy O. Frost and Gail Steketee *Digging Out: Helping Your Loved One Manage Clutter, Hoarding, & Compulsive Acquiring* by Michael A. Tompkins, Ph.D. and Tamara L. Hartl, Ph.D. And there is also the book I co-authored with my friend and colleague, Jonda Beattie. *Filled-Up and Overflowing: what to do when life events, [chronic disorganization](https://dnqsolutions.com/struggling-with-chronic-disorganization-these-3-tips-will-help-get-you-motivated/), or hoarding go overboard* by Diane N. Quintana, CPO-CD and Jonda S. Beattie Our book has [strategies and stories](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-strategies-notice-the-problem-and-change-the-story/) to illustrate that it is possible to clear out a hoard, but it takes time, patience, understanding, and a willingness to be completely non-judgmental. #### **Create a support system** If the person is willing to work on reducing the hoard, one of the best things you can do is create a support system. Find a therapist who specializes in treating people with hoarding disorder. I find the best possible scenario is for the person who hoards to work with a therapist and a trained professional organizer. The therapist will work on the mental aspect of hoarding and the trained professional [organizer will work on reducing the physical accumulation of stuff ](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-way-to-conscientiously-organize-your-stuff/)in the home. #### **Take pictures** Ask the person who is hoarding to decide where they would like to begin to reduce the hoard. Take a picture of that one spot. Understand that because it did not get that way overnight, it will take time to improve the way it functions and looks. Work for short amounts of time in that one spot. It may feel like nothing is getting done or improving but every little thing that leaves the space is reason to celebrate. Take another picture after 2 or 3 work sessions. Believe me. You will see a difference. What you don’t notice with the naked eye the camera will pick up. Celebrate the difference. #### **Offer practical help** If the person is open to letting you help, offer to work with them. Make the work sessions short and sweet. Before you start working together create some rules. Determine together what you may remove. Write the rules down and post them in the area in which you are working. Having the rules posted lets you remove things that have been agreed upon. #### **Avoid cleaning without consent** Always work with the person who has created the hoard. Never, ever work without them. If you do, they will wonder if you removed things they wanted to keep. Then, if they can’t find something they may rightly or wrongly accuse you of discarding it. Now you’ve lost their trust and you may not be invited to help again. #### **Use the LEAP strategy** Dr. Xavier Amador developed the [LEAP strategy](https://leapinstitute.org/about/). It is a very powerful tool and one which can be used to stop enabling a hoarder. LEAP stands for Listen, Empathize, Agree, Partner I believe this is an important strategy to use in multiple situations. **Listen** When you work with someone who hoards they tend to want to talk about their collections of things. You can ask questions about the collections. Find out where they came from, if there is a plan to use them, and what they want to do next. Remember to ask from a place of genuine curiosity and leave judgment out of it. **Empathize** Be understanding. It’s hard (extremely hard) for someone who has spent years (in some cases most of their life) collecting to agree to release their collections. **Agree** Find things you can agree on. This is where those rules come in handy. Can the person agree that magazines that are more than 1 year old can be recycled? If you come across something that is broken and cannot be repaired, can it be recycled or tossed? **Partner** Focus on the fact that you are there to support and help them create a healthier environment for the two of you. Let them understand that this is a collaborative effort, and they will be involved in the decision-making process. ### **Celebrate** There are many things to celebrate. Just the fact the person is working with you to reduce the hoard is reason to celebrate. Acknowledge and sincerely celebrate every time a bag of things leaves the area in which you are working. The bag doesn’t need to be a full garbage bag, it may be a small grocery store bag or a paper sack. Encourage the person to reward themselves with non-physical things like a mani/pedi, a dinner out, or an afternoon at the movies. It’s important for them to do something for themselves that makes them happy and that doesn’t involve [bringing more things into the home.](https://dnqsolutions.com/bring-harmony-into-your-home-get-organized/) ### **Conclusion** Breaking the cycle of enabling a hoarder requires patience, understanding, and a collaborative approach. By educating yourself, setting boundaries, encouraging professional help, and providing emotional support, you can contribute to a healthier and more supportive environment for both the person who hoards and yourself. Remember that lasting change takes time, and consistent efforts can make a significant difference in the journey toward recovery. [Reach out to me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact) to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation if you are living with a person who hoards and want help from a trained professional organizer such as myself. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com/) *and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADHD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Understanding Hoarding **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Clutter, Organizing Strategies --- ### [How to Organize & Declutter When You Feel Overwhelmed by a Task](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-when-you-feel-overwhelmed-by-a-task/) **Published:** February 11, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Everyone, and I do mean everyone, feels overwhelmed from time to time when they think about how to organize and complete certain tasks. Personally, when I am feeling overwhelmed, I avoid doing the task. It’s normal to avoid the things we think are difficult to complete. You know without my having to tell you that everyone does this. But the more we avoid doing the task the more overwhelmed and anxious about getting it done we feel. ### **Avoidance doesn’t complete the task** Of course, I rationalize my avoidance by working on and completing everything except for the one thing I’m supposed to be doing. I tell myself I have been super productive (which I have been) BUT that one task remains undone. I am also good at focusing my thoughts. The task that’s creating this overwhelming feeling gets put on my back burner. It stays on my mind, but it doesn’t haunt me until the end of the day when I admit to myself that this task is outstanding. Recognizing this gives me a stomachache. I put the dreaded task on the top of my to-do list for the next day, say my prayers and hope for the best. That never works. The more I avoid the task the more onerous it becomes. [Thinking about how to organize](https://dnqsolutions.com/thinking-of-organizing-that-file-drawer-2/) when I feel overwhelmed is almost self-defeating. My thoughts become [cluttered with dire predictions of things ](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-for-organizing-the-things-in-your-life-to-reduce-stress-clutter-and-mess/)that may (or may not) happen. The task grows more and more complicated in my mind until I become exhausted just contemplating it. ### **Cluttered thoughts It turns out, the task that was making me feel overwhelmed was much more straightforward and easy to complete than I had anticipated. My cluttered thoughts had truly created a monster out of this task. Once I decided I was going to do it, I did some investigating online and realized that with a few clicks on my computer I could put this task on the completed list. It took only 10 minutes. Imagine that! I spent [days feeling](https://dnqsolutions.com/feeling-out-of-sorts-organize-your-day/) overwhelmed at the thought of doing this task. What a waste of time and energy. Instead of letting feeling [overwhelmed derail you from getting organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-when-you-are-overwhelmed/) and completing a task try following these simple steps. They worked for me and maybe they will for you, too. ## **Simple steps for how to organize yourself when you feel overwhelmed by a task** 1. Take a deep breath and acknowledge to yourself that you are feeling overwhelmed. 2. Write down on a piece of paper the task or project that is creating this feeling. 3. Do you have a deadline by which time this task must be completed? If so, write that down. 4. Do you need to do research to learn how to do this task? If so, assign a day and time to do the research. 5. Based on your research, how much time do you think you need to dedicate to this task? In my experience, it could take much less time than you anticipate. 6. When will you start this task? Write the day and time down and be accountable to yourself. ### **How to start organizing and decluttering when you’re overwhelmed** The only [way for me to start decluttering ](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-way-to-declutter-holiday-photo-cards/)when I feel overwhelmed is to begin with the very smallest step. I look at the pile of things and ask myself which things in this pile I want to keep. Those, I set aside. I believe this process works with any project. Think about the tiniest step you can take to move the project forward. When that step is done, ask what the next step is, and, if there is time, do it. Time is another thing that can make me, and maybe you, avoid doing a task. We often think we don’t have enough time to complete the task. Instead of thinking about finishing the task in a certain amount of time, set your timer for 15 or 20 minutes. Work on the project until the timer goes off. Wherever you are in the project stop. If the project isn’t finished and If you have time available and want to continue working go ahead and set the timer for another 15 or 20 minutes. You’ll be amazed by what you can do in that amount of time. ### **How to organize and declutter large spaces** Do you want to declutter an entire room or a whole house? Acknowledge that it is too much to conquer in a day. If you want to declutter a room, approach it one wall at a time. This breaks the project down into manageable sections. Consider spending a couple of hours spread over several days on each wall. Break the house down into sections. Declutter one room at a time. Approach it as I outlined above, one wall at a time. Give yourself a timeline. Decide when you want to have each portion of your project completed. You can avoid[ feeling overwhelmed when you start decluttering ](https://dnqsolutions.com/feeling-sad-after-decluttering-youre-not-alone/)this way. ### **How to organize and declutter sensitive spaces** Give yourself grace when you begin to declutter a sensitive space. Whatever the space contains, if you decide you want to start decluttering it, then it is up to you what stays and what goes. Set a timer and only work for short periods of time. Be firm with the decisions you make. Challenge yourself not to overthink the process and just go with your gut. If something is too hard, put it aside for another short decluttering session. Remember to [schedule time](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-art-of-planning-and-scheduling-carving-out-time-for-yourself/) to remove the things you are donating, recycling, or tossing. ### **My Personal Experience** I can tell you from personal experience that feeling overwhelmed because you are having difficulty motivating yourself to get organized and complete a task is debilitating. It doesn’t look debilitating to others because, in my case, I am always doing something and[ being productive](https://dnqsolutions.com/be-more-productive-and-less-busy/). Maybe this is true for you, too. The lack of progress in one particular area or another can lead to delaying other projects. Don’t let feeling overwhelmed prevent you from getting organized and completing the task. [Try using the steps I’ve outlined for you to follow. ](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-reason-to-declutter-and-organize-your-home/) ## **FAQs** **on how to get started with organizing and decluttering tasks** #### **How to declutter/organize your home quickly?** Set a timer, put on some good music, and look for things you don’t use. If you don’t use it, why do you have it – unless you love it. If that is the case, figure out how to display it. #### **How to organize or declutter someone else’s stuff?** Don’t touch someone else’s stuff unless they are there with you. If you are working with someone to declutter or organize their things, always ask them (without judgment) the reason they have these things. Ask if they need, use, or love it. If the answer is no, they can probably let it go. #### **How to organize/declutter when company is coming over?** Avoid sweeping everything that is in the way into a box and stuffing the box into a closet. You know you’ll never go through that box. The four prime areas to declutter when company is coming over are the entry, the kitchen, the dining table, and the family room. Tackle the kitchen while you are cooking. Put [things away](https://dnqsolutions.com/understanding-disposaphobia-aka-the-fear-of-throwing-things-away/) as you go. Enlist family members to remove things that don’t belong from the entry and the family room and take them to where they belong in. If the dining table is [cluttered with papers](https://dnqsolutions.com/control-paper-clutter-in-your-home-feel-more-energized/) and school projects, take the papers to your desk, and have the children remove their school projects. ### **Books that may help Here are a couple of books that may help you work through feeling overwhelmed and anxious as you approach completing a difficult task. In[ Kate Varness’ book](https://www.greenlightorganizing.com/books-courses/): *Who Am I Now? Realign Your Home and Life* she talks about answering some questions. She asks her readers to think about the problem at hand and to think about pain points. In Ms. Varness’ book, she reviews case studies, the problem facing the person, the pain of remaining the same, the pain of changing behaviors, and the benefits experienced from a change. The sections continue with visualizing success and action plans. Visualizing success helped me because in my case, the task I needed to do recently could not be avoided forever. There is terrific advice in[ Dr. Alicia Clark’s book](https://aliciaclarkpsyd.com/books/hack-your-anxiety/): *Hack Your Anxiety*. Her advice is to make the thing that is creating your anxious thoughts work for you. Put your nervous energy to work. Dr. Clark advocates [paying attention ](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-3-best-reasons-to-pay-attention-to-your-bed/)to whatever the task or thought is that is creating the anxiety and dealing with it. I put my nervous energy to work figuring out how to get myself organized to complete the task. If you are feeling overwhelmed and avoiding some tasks, [reach out to me](https://dnqsolutions.com/) for a free 30-minute phone call. We can talk it through and come up with some solutions specifically for you. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, ICD® Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/), and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize, LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Clutter, Procrastination --- ### [Unlocking Success: The Power of Planning, Scheduling, Plus Two Other Elements](https://dnqsolutions.com/unlocking-success-the-power-of-planning-scheduling-plus-two-other-elements/) **Published:** February 18, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Isn’t it true that we all want success. We want to accomplish our goals – no matter how big or small. [Everyone, even children, wants to be successful. ](https://dnqsolutions.com/set-yourself-up-for-success-accomplish-your-goals/) It’s a good feeling to know that at the end of the day, week, month, or year that the thing or things you have set out to do are done. The simplest way to do this is to embrace planning and scheduling. But these are not the only things you need to do. Read on to learn about two other elements which are critical for unlocking success. ### **What do planning and scheduling do for you?** #### **Planning and scheduling provide structure** Planning and scheduling provide the structure for your time. You may be planning things you want to do over the course of a day, weekend, week, month, quarter, or year. Thinking about factoring these things into your time gives you a framework or a structure within to which to work. Scheduling assigns a specific day and time to the task. Of course, you probably know the expression ‘man plans and God laughs’. We can make all sorts of plans and there is nothing that says these plans will happen, until they do. #### **Planning gives you flexibility and adaptability** While planning provides structure, it also gives you the gift of flexibility. You can adjust and adapt plans as needed in response to changing circumstances or priorities. There is every reason to expect that life will sometimes present you with bumps in the road. Without a structure or a schedule, you may flounder, doing the next thing that occurs to you, instead of mindfully reorganizing tasks to maximize your available time. Speaking of time. #### **Planning and scheduling lead to improved time management skills** Taking time to plan lets you think through the tasks which are important to accomplish. When you do this daily, you focus on what matters most, which helps you avoid wasting time on less important activities. You improve your time management skills whenever you set aside time to think through your priorities and use your time wisely. Here’s a little side note, and I hope you take this to heart. Using your time wisely also means that you invest time in yourself and schedule time for self-care. Now you know about the ways in which planning and scheduling are involved in unlocking success it’s time to talk about the remaining two critical elements. They are motivation and activation. You can plan all day long. In fact, some people get so involved in the planning and scheduling of their tasks they forget to determine why they are making these plans. When they don’t know their reason, it is hard (sometimes impossible) to bring themselves to follow through. ### **Motivation** Ask yourself why you want to get these tasks done? Are they important? Will there be a consequence if they are not done? Is there something in it for you if they are done and done well? What does success look like to you? Do you have a vision of how you want the day, project, paper, PowerPoint, room, or part of a room to look when you are finished? ### **Unlocking success requires motivation and action** As you go about your planning and scheduling factor in time to think about and determine your motivation. When you know what motivates you, it is easier to push yourself into gear and act. Planning and scheduling are passive processes. They are important and necessary to unlock success. But you can plan the steps of a project, schedule the steps into your calendar, and then ignore your plans if you don’t have a clear sense of why you are doing these things. Planning and scheduling are brain work. Pushing yourself to get the necessary information or physical tools to complete each step of a project is a different kind of work. It can be scary. But with an understanding of your motivation, you can push yourself into action. Use positive self-talk and remind yourself why these actions are important for you to take. ### **Action** Consider this. Every forward step you take is a little bit of success inching you toward your goal. The more success you have, the more motivated you become. Use these four powerful keys: planning, scheduling, motivation, and action to unlock success. [Schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation](https://dnqsolutions.com/) with me to find out more about how using these tools can help you be more organized, efficient, and productive. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize,](https://releaserepurpose.com/) LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in working with people affected by ADHD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Planning & Schedule Management **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Organizing Strategies, time management --- ### [3 Small Space Organizing Hacks (From A Professional Organizer)](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-small-space-organizing-hacks-from-a-professional-organizer/) **Published:** February 25, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** As a professional organizer I can honestly tell you that organizing any space is challenging when you don’t have places to put things. It is even more challenging when the space is small. Here are some small space organizing hacks for you. ## **3 Small space organizing hacks** ### 1. **Use vertical storage solutions** #### **Peg Boards** Be creative when you think about vertical storage. If you like to cook and the kitchen is small, look for a blank wall on which to affix a peg board. You can hang pots, cooking tools and accessories. You can also use a peg board near a table used as a desk or in a garage above a workbench. I’ve even seen them used in a bedroom to hang necklaces or baseball caps. There are countless uses when you think creatively. #### **Floating Shelves** Maybe there is a short blank space near the stove top that could hold some floating shelves for things like frequently used oils and spices. Floating shelves are also great to use in the bathroom if you are short on storage there. Place them on the blank wall beside the washer and/or dryer. There is often a shelf or two on the back wall above the washer and dryer that is hard to reach. Keep supplies that you don’t need to access often there. Install easy to reach floating shelves on the walls beside the washer and dryer for things you need to reach often. Like soap pods, stain sticks, or dryer sheets. #### **Space Inside Doors** If there is a small closet in the bathroom, take advantage of the vertical space on the inside of the door. Install an [over the door shelving unit from The Container Store](https://www.containerstore.com/s/home-decor/decorative-shelving/elfa-white-utility-mesh-closet-over-the-door-rack/12d?productId=11004726). This gives you instant extra storage for all your everyday bathroom supplies. Remember to label the shelves so that each shelf has a purpose, and it does not turn into a random collection of supplies. Use the [inside of kitchen cupboard doors](https://www.containerstore.com/s/kitchen/cabinet-organizers/wall-door-lid-rack/12d?productId=10000704) to hold things like pot lids. Inside of [bathroom vanity cupboard doors](https://www.containerstore.com/s/featured/the-home-edit-collection/the-home-edit-hanging-hair-tool-organizer/12d?productId=11013313) can hold hair dryers and other supplies. #### **Under Sinks** Don’t forget about the cavern of space under both the kitchen sink and the bathroom sink. Use [stackable pullout shelves or drawers](https://www.containerstore.com/s/elfa/best-selling-solutions/kitchen-pantry/bathroom-under-sink-starter-kit/123d?productId=11009933) to hold the necessary supplies. This will keep things contained and organized. Large bins or baskets are great for holding collections of shoes, baseball caps, or dog toys. #### **Hooks** Large hooks are great to use near the entry for backpacks, handbags, and tote bags. Of course, they are also great for coats, jackets, and sweaters. Smaller hooks are terrific for keys, leashes, and caps. Use hooks anywhere you see a need to get things up and off the floor. Bathroom towels for instance can hang off a hook. Hang clothes you want to wear again on a hook instead of putting them back in a drawer or in the closet. ### 2. **Multi-purpose furniture** When you live in a small space always look for multi-purpose furniture. There are beds that have drawers built into the bed frame. This helps save space that may otherwise be taken up by a chest of drawers. If the office also serves as a guest room, consider having a Murphy bed. This means the bed would only be seen when it was released from the wall. In doing some research I found 3 companies that specialize in furniture that converts into multiple uses. I am amazed by the creativity and by how easy it looks in the videos to change the use of the item. Here are the websites: [www.murphydoor.com](http://www.murphydoor.com); [www.transformertable.com](http://www.transformertable.com); <https://expandfurniture.com/smart-space-saving-ideas-for-your-home/> These sites have everything from the usual murphy bed to tables that convert from dining tables that seat 12 to side tables. If you’re looking for small space organizing options check them out. ### 3. **Declutter and Tidy Often** The best small space organizing hack is to declutter and tidy often. Keep the mantra ‘*a place for* *everything and everything in its place*’ in mind. When all your belongings have a place to go, the space remains tidy. Living in a [small home](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-a-small-house-with-no-storage/) means that space is at a premium. Sticking to the one thing in/one thing out rule helps to maintain order. Create daily and weekly routines for yourself to help you remember to declutter. As you go about your daily routine if you happen to see something out of place carry it with you and put it where it belongs. One of the things I do every morning is look around my family room for things that I forgot to put away the night before. I tend to leave my half-full glass of water on the table in the family room along with anything I am currently reading. So, I carry the glass to the kitchen sink in the morning and I put the book or magazine where it belongs. Regularly assessing what you use and removing things you no longer want keeps clutter at bay. This is true whether you have ample space or not. If you are living in or moving to a small space reach out to me for a free 30-minute conversation for small space organizing tips created specifically for your situation. You can email me at: dnqsolutions@gmail.com. [*Diane N. Quintana*](https://www.dnqsolutions.com) *is an ICD® Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Certified Professional Organizer®, owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com) and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://www.releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people challenged by ADHD, hoarding and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Clearing the Clutter: How to Use Your Inner Voice for Effective Decluttering](https://dnqsolutions.com/clearing-the-clutter-how-to-use-your-inner-voice-for-effective-decluttering/) **Published:** March 3, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I don’t know about you, but I have two inner voices that talk to me from time to time. One is kind, encouraging, and will always let me know when I’ve done a good job. I call her Delores. If you go to my website, you’ll see Delores. She’s the one with the helpful [organizing tips](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-get-organized-in-a-small-apartment/). My other inner voice is mean to me. It criticizes, judges me negatively, and makes me feel like I can’t do anything right. I call her Cruella DeVille. Recently, I attended a virtual conference sponsored by the [Institute for Challenging Disorganization](https://challengingdisorganization.org). There were 3 fabulous presentations on ADHD. [Dr. Sharon Saline](https://drsharonsaline.com/) gave the second presentation. Part of her discussion focused on how to use your positive inner voice to help you [accomplish your goals](https://dnqsolutions.com/set-yourself-up-for-success-accomplish-your-goals/). Let’s take that concept and apply it to using your positive inner voice to help as you are clearing the clutter. ## **How does your inner voice impact clearing the clutter?** As we go about doing our daily chores or simply living our lives in our homes we must regularly deal with our belongings. We get them out, put them down, we [put them away](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-put-away-our-holiday-decorations/), or we step away from them to attend to them later. Uh, oh. There’s that word ‘later’. When we let ourselves put off dealing with something until a later unspecified time there’s a likelihood that ‘thing’ will become clutter. It will sit there on a tabletop or on a chair waiting for us to notice and attend to it. Maybe other out of place belongings will join it, maybe our positive inner voice will tell us to get to work. When Delores talks to me about decluttering, she encourages me. She says it won’t take very long and I’ll [feel good about taking this decluttering task ](https://dnqsolutions.com/feeling-sad-after-decluttering-youre-not-alone/)off my to-do list. If Cruella DeVille steps in, she may tell me to walk away from the pile because it will take too long to attend to. Plus, she’ll tell me that I don’t know what to do with it so why bother trying. To be honest, I listen to Delores more often than not. ### **Recognizing how different inner voices contribute to clutter** I have a client whose inner voice is very mean. It [tells her all the time that she is a bad ](https://dnqsolutions.com/not-all-stories-you-tell-yourself-are-bad/)person for letting clutter accumulate. This mean, inner voice impacts my client’s ability to declutter by telling her that no matter what she does, it won’t be enough because there is so much to declutter. My client hasn’t found her inner, positive voice yet. All she currently hears is the negative chatter coming from this mean inner voice. ### **Harnessing Your Inner Voice for Clearing the Clutter** I am working with this client to set SMART decluttering goals. SMART stand for: Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, and Time bound. We are doing this, setting SMART goals for each area of her home. Being realistic in her expectations allows this client to take positive steps forward and to activate a kind and generous way of speaking to herself. This in turn helps to [quiet that negative inner voice.](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-get-organized-without-losing-it/) ### **Techniques for Engaging Your Inner Voice in Decluttering** Here are 3 techniques to engage your inner voice in decluttering: Mindfulness: [pay attention](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-3-best-reasons-to-pay-attention-to-your-bed/) to the words you use when talking to yourself about clearing the clutter. Journaling: Take time to journal about the physical and mental [clutter in your life.](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-for-organizing-the-things-in-your-life-to-reduce-stress-clutter-and-mess/) Kim Tremblay has a [journal with prompts](https://www.amazon.com/Decluttering-Journal-Prompts-help-organize/dp/B0CT7L7SKF) to help you start writing about clearing the clutter. Visualization: Think about how you want the space to look and feel when you have finished decluttering. Hold this vision in your mind when you are working to clear the clutter. ### **Listening to Your Inner Voice in Decision-Making During Decluttering** Dealing with your belongings requires you to make lots of decisions. Your inner voice can help you. Trust your initial reactions to something. If, when you look at the object, you think ‘what am I going to do with **that**!’ it’s time to let it go. Perhaps you’re saying to yourself that you don’t know where to put it so that you remember to use it. Then, it may be time to do a little reorganizing of the space (letting something else go to make room for this thing). If you’re unsure how to do that, get help from a professional organizer like me. Maybe you have a negative voice talking to you (like my client does) and this voice is telling you that the easiest thing to do is nothing. This is true. Doing nothing is an easy way to deal with clutter in the short term. The problem is that clutter accumulates. My client refers to the SMART goals she created for clearing clutter in all the spaces in her home. When she gets stuck, she remembers the goal. This helps her to make decisions about her things. ### **Strengthening Your Inner Voice for Continued Decluttering Success** The more you listen to the positive self-talk chatter in your head the stronger it gets. Dr. Saline told the audience that she talks to the negative voice she hears. She tells it, it’s OK. She’s got this. The negative thoughts can just go sit in the corner and be quiet. Every time you finish clearing the clutter from a space (no matter how small) celebrate! Reward yourself with a small treat. Consistent decluttering efforts will yield [positive results](https://dnqsolutions.com/have-unexpected-positive-results-with-an-open-mind/). The more positive results you get, the easier it is to continue. ### **Conclusion** Use the positive inner voice you hear to boost your confidence as you go about clearing the clutter. This inner voice will give you grace to backslide and let clutter accumulate from time to time. Remember to use SMART goals for each area of your home. Employ mindfulness, journaling, and visualization techniques to help you. We all have a negative voice. Give it a name and let it know you don’t like the way it speaks to you. Clearing the clutter in our homes is an on-going journey. If this is one of your goals, I would be honored to work with you to create personalized SMART decluttering goals. [*Diane N. Quintana*](https://dnqsolutions.com/) *is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of* [*Release●Repurpose●Reorganize*](https://releaserepurpose.com/)*, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADHD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization.* ### **Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)** **What role does our inner voice play in the decluttering process?** Our inner voice influences our mindset, motivation, and decision-making during decluttering. It can either support or hinder our efforts by shaping our attitudes towards possessions and clutter. **How can I distinguish between helpful and unhelpful inner dialogue when decluttering?** 1. Helpful inner dialogue is supportive, encouraging, and aligned with your decluttering goals. Unhelpful inner dialogue often involves self-doubt, procrastination, or negative self-talk. Learning to recognize and challenge unhelpful thoughts is key. **What strategies can I use to quiet negative self-talk during decluttering?** 2. Techniques such as mindfulness and positive affirmations can help quiet negative self-talk and replace it with more positive and constructive inner dialogue. **I often feel overwhelmed when decluttering. How can I use my inner voice to cope with this?** 3. Using your inner voice to break down tasks into smaller, manageable steps, practicing kindness, giving yourself grace, and focusing on progress rather than perfection can help alleviate feelings of overwhelm during decluttering. **I’m not sure where to start with decluttering. How can I use my inner voice to guide me?** 5. Your positive inner voice can help you set decluttering intentions, prioritize areas to tackle, and make decisions about what to keep or let go of. Trusting your intuition and staying connected to your goals can provide valuable guidance. Reach out to me for help creating personalized strategies for decluttering your home. You can email me at: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation. 6. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [Organizing Strategies: Notice The Problem And Change The Story](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-strategies-notice-the-problem-and-change-the-story/) **Published:** March 10, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Have you ever noticed that, all of a sudden, the waist of your pants is too tight? What am I thinking? Of course you have! How about that parched feeling – the feeling that you could drink a gallon of water and still be thirsty? These are both indicators that we’ve [waited too long to do the thing](https://dnqsolutions.com/productive-things-to-do-while-you-wait/) we know we should. In the first example, we should be sticking to a healthier way of eating to maintain our ideal weight. The second example highlights the crux of this post: by the time you realize it’s a problem, it’s too late. By the time you notice that you’re thirsty, you are already dehydrated. What can we do to notice the problem and [change the story](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-ways-to-change-the-story-we-tell-ourselves/) for ourselves? [Dr. Ari Tuckman](https://tuckmanpsych.com/) was talking about sleep and being sleep deprived when he made that remark during the [2024 ICD Half-Day Virtual Conference Shining a Spotlight on ADHD.](https://www.challengingdisorganization.org/2024-half-day-virtual-conference) I’ve been mulling over this concept for the past couple of weeks and thinking about some of the w[ays it applies to life and specifically to organizing](https://dnqsolutions.com/are-you-finally-in-the-mood-to-organize-heres-an-easy-way-to-get-it-done/). Plus, I’ve been thinking about strategies to change the story. ### **Planning** When we take the time to plan our day, week, or month we know what we want to happen. This is not to say that it will but if we have a plan in place, we have flexibility. When the unexpected happens, and you know it will, we know what we can juggle. If we do not have a plan in place, we are constantly reacting to what life tosses our way. Without a plan we are like a boat without a rudder. We drift aimlessly through our day, getting to things when we get to them – or not. *By the time you realize you should have:* Planned to save money for a vacation Made your car, plane, hotel reservations in advance Planned to visit friends and family Decided to get work done in advance Been eating healthy meals Planned to get to sleep early enough (and you can add more, I’m sure)… *it’s too late*. The opportunity has passed. Can we do better? Of course we can. Everyday offers a new opportunity to change the story. ### **Scheduling** Some people think that [planning and scheduling](https://dnqsolutions.com/unlocking-success-the-power-of-planning-scheduling-plus-two-other-elements/) create a tendency to be rigid. I continue to believe that [planning and scheduling ](https://dnqsolutions.com/legacy-of-organization-lessons-learned-from-mom-on-planning-scheduling-and-delegating/)give the gift of flexibility. As I already said, when you know what the plan is, you know what you can juggle. If you schedule chores during the week, you can be confident that by the end of the week all your chores will be done. Because you know what chores you have scheduled on which day you can opt not to do your chores on a specific day and double up on the next day. Let’s say you have a huge project you want to do and that it’s too much to tackle at once. When you schedule the steps of the project, you have better control over when the project will be completed. Plus, you reduce your stress because you’re not overwhelmed just thinking about getting this project done. If you do not plan to get chores done or schedule the steps of a project by the time you realize you should have done so, it’s too late. ### **Clutter** What about clutter? My friend, business partner, and fellow professional organizer, Jonda Beattie just posted a [blog about clutter blindness](https://releaserepurpose.com/clutter-blindness/). Clutter doesn’t come into our homes as clutter. It arrives innocently. It may be a gift we didn’t want that sits around on a table, on a shelf, or in a closet taking up valuable real estate because we don’t know what to do with it. Maybe it’s something we bought that we thought we wanted and would use but we don’t. Clutter may be an accumulation of mail that we haven’t dealt with. Maybe it’s clothes that are too big, too small, out of style or that we just don’t like anymore. By the time we notice clutter, it’s too late. We already have a problem. The problem isn’t the clutter, it’s us. We must take off our blinders, realize clutter has taken up residence in our home, and [do something about it](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-know-when-to-call-a-professional-organizer/). ### **Change your behavior to change the story** The solution, as Dr. Tuckman said in his presentation, is to do something about the problem. If getting enough sleep is the problem, figure out what part of your schedule you need to change so you can be in bed and ready to sleep to get the correct number of hours of shut-eye. #### Plan healthy meals If the problem is that the waist of your pants is too tight, start planning healthy meals. The weight that slowly appeared over weeks or months of not eating properly is not going to disappear overnight, but it will leave as it came, slowly. Who knows, you may like healthy meals better. #### Drink more water Maybe you will also start carrying a water bottle around and pay closer attention to the amount of water you drink during the day. Consider setting alarms to remind you to drink a glass of water. Small changes will bring you big results – over time. #### Schedule chores If you forget to plan or [schedule household chores](https://etsy.me/3TkMuJg), consider creating a weekly routine to get the chores done during the week. You will get your weekend back and not feel like you’re punishing yourself by spending the weekend cleaning. Use a weekly and monthly planner to schedule appointments, plan trips, and projects. Check the planner daily. Let it become your best friend. If you use it consistently, it will show you when you have available time so you can be flexible when life throws you a curve ball. #### Clear the clutter Is dealing with clutter a problem? Pay attention to the things in your home. Notice what you use and what is collecting dust. My best advice is to do this one room or area at a time. Make decisions about the things in that space. Schedule time to take things that don’t belong to a different room or to a donation site. I love this concept because it asks us to notice the ways in which things are happening in our lives because if we don’t, it’s too late. We will suffer the consequences. The good news is that once we notice what we don’t want to happen, we can change our behavior and change the story. ### **FAQs** **How long does it take to change a behavior?** Lasting change happens slowly. Always start with the smallest aspect. Once you have that down, add another layer of change until you are satisfied with the amount of change you have created. **Do you have to practice the new behavior every day?** The more consistent you can be, the faster you will create change. **Is there support for changing behavior?** Yes. There are support groups (in-person and virtual) for practically everything. I run a virtual empowerment group with Jonda Beattie called [Clear Space for You](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/). We offer gentle accountability and provide organizing strategies to our participants. Reach out to me to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation for more information about help creating organizational strategies. Email me at: dnqsolutions@gmail.com *Diane N. Quintana is an ICD® Master Trainer, a Certified Professional Organizer® in Chronic Disorganization, a Certified Professional Organizer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people affected by ADHD, Hoarding, and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Planning & Schedule Management --- ### [5 Ways To Sprinkle Chores With Fun](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-ways-to-sprinkle-chores-with-fun/) **Published:** March 17, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Most of us have heard (probably more often than we want) about breaking projects down into small steps. We know that if we start small, do what we can, that we will be successful. The task or job will get done a little bit at a time. But do you know how to make the chores even easier to tackle? When we sprinkle chores with fun, they become less onerous. Yes! It’s true. Are you familiar with the movie Mary Poppins? There are several versions of the movie one most recently produced by Lin-Manuel Miranda. Both movies have a scene in which the children are being taught by Mary Poppins that chores simply must be done. There is no escaping them. But the chores do not have to be as dull as dishwater. You can turn them into a game. Mary Poppins sings the song “Spoonful of Sugar”. In case you don’t know the song, here is the first verse: “In every job that must be done There is an element of fun You find the fun and snap! The job’s a game And every task you undertake Becomes a piece of cake A lark! A spree! It’s very clear to see that A Spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down” While I do not know how to make chores as fun as Mary Poppins does, I do know how to sprinkle them with fun. ### **Check your attitude at the door** One of the most important things to remember is that you can make any job, chore, or task worse by dreading it. Our mind is very powerful. When we talk ourselves into believing that this (job, task, or chore) is one that will take a long time and be difficult to do then it will. Why? Simply because we will drag our feet. We will probably procrastinate and do everything other than the one thing we don’t want to do. Then when we do the dreaded task, grumbling all the while, we will probably not do it as well as we could have. Let’s [switch things ](https://dnqsolutions.com/sick-of-doing-household-chores-heres-how-to-get-more-done-with-less-resistance/)around and check our attitudes at the door. ### **“In every job that must be done..”** We can acknowledge this chore is not something we want to do. It’s also important to recognize that doing the chore is not negotiable. [Alison Lush](https://alisonlush.ca/?v=7516fd43adaa), a friend and professional organizer, posted a fabulous video recently in which she said (I am paraphrasing) there are always things to do around the house that we must do to keep the home clean and tidy. We may not want to do them, but these chores are the responsibility of those who live in the home. The chores do not do themselves. ### **Time your chores** The next thing to do is know how long the chore takes to do. The best way to do that is to time the chores. Make a [list of the chores](https://etsy.me/48iSlDO) and the next time you do the chores, set the timer on your phone, and note how long the chore took to complete. ### **“..find the fun..”** [Dr. Melanie Sobocinski](https://www.dixonlifecoaching.com/coaches/melanie-sobocinski) ,in her talk about the ADHD Trifecta during the [ICD 2024 Virtual Conference Spotlight on ADHD](https://www.challengingdisorganization.org/2024-half-day-virtual-conference), suggested that we sprinkle chores with fun to make them more interesting. Mary Poppins says to find the fun. Dr. Sobocinski suggests consciously sprinkling chores with fun. ### **5 ways to sprinkle chores with fun** I was scrolling through Instagram yesterday and came upon [Cass Aarssen’s reel](https://www.instagram.com/clutterbug_me/reel/C4luXfYhhTH/). She was talking about doing chores. She said (again, I am paraphrasing) that she listens to audiobooks and podcasts while she does chores she doesn’t like to do. Her mind is busy listening, and her body just goes along and completes the task. How great is that! In case you’re interested, Cass also hosts a podcast. Maybe you want to tune in for fun. Here are the 5 [ways to sprinkle chores with fun](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-fun-ways-to-make-organizing-enjoyable/). Listen to a podcast or audiobook Talk to a friend Do the chore with a friend (virtually) Watch a movie or show Play your favorite tunes (and sing along) ### **Give yourself a reward** I am a huge believer in rewards. They do not have to be expensive or time-consuming. Just do a little something for yourself to acknowledge that you have done the chores. Here are some suggestions. Get your favorite coffee Take a bubble bath Read a book or magazine Buy flowers for fun Light a beautifully scented candle ### **In Conclusion** It’s important to recognize that regularly doing chores around our home puts us in the driver’s seat. It keeps our [home more organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/create-your-home-organizing-sweet-spot/), cleaner, and tidier. When we add in distractions (like listening to music, audiobooks, or podcasts) we can make the time we spend doing the chores less onerous and more enjoyable. You may even look forward to doing certain chores if you link them to the reward of listening to another chapter in a good book. Sprinkle chores with fun and see what happens. If you’re looking for an added layer of accountability you have a couple of choices. You can [work with me](https://www.dnqsolutions.com/) one-on-one either virtually or (if you are in the Atlanta area) in-person. You can also register for a virtual organizing group I run with [Jonda Beattie](https://www.timespaceorg.com/) called [Clear Space for You.](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) *[Diane N. Quintana](https://www.dnqsolutions.com/) is an ICD® Master Trainer, a Certified Professional Organizer® in Chronic Disorganization,a Certified Professional Organizer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://www.dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC ](https://www.releaserepurpose.com)based in Atlanta, Georgia* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [Why Organized Clutter Is A Step In The Right Direction](https://dnqsolutions.com/why-organized-clutter-is-a-step-in-the-right-direction/) **Published:** March 20, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Most professional organizers probably agree that clutter is the result of postponed decision making. So, this thought begs two questions in my mind and, I bet, also in your mind regarding the title of this post. The first question is, what is organized clutter? The second question is, why would a professional organizer think that organized clutter is a step in the right direction? ### **Let’s define organized clutter** I did a little research on the term ”organized clutter” and found [this article](https://www.shoplet.com/blog/work-better/matt-baier-on-is-there-such-a-thing-as-organized-clutter/#:~:text=It's%20about%20sorting%20out%20your,it%20out%20can%20be%20organized.) in which professional organizer, Matt Baier, answers the question “*Is there such a thing as organized clutter?”* One of the things I learned when I read the article is that our word clutter derives from the Middle English word meaning to clot. That makes sense to me because clutter usually causes things to clog the flow. Much as a blood clot impedes the flow of blood through your veins. Matt explains that clutter is tough to get rid of because it is the excess of stuff. ## What Does Organized Clutter Look Like Across Your House Or Office? ### Organized Clutter in the Kitchen Almost everyone has a drawer in the kitchen that has a mixture of odds and ends as well as multiple spoons, spatulas, and long forks. If you want to, you can sort through and remove the things you don’t use or need. People often refer to it as the ‘junk drawer’ because it has a little of everything. ### Organized Clutter in the Bedroom [Organized clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-for-organizing-the-things-in-your-life-to-reduce-stress-clutter-and-mess/) in the bedroom may be a dish on the top of your chest of drawers holding rings, earrings, and necklaces all mixed up together. It can also be a stack of books on your bedside table or on the floor beside the bed. Maybe it is a stack of neatly folded T-shirts on the chair in the bedroom. These are all things that contribute to clutter in the [bedroom and are all somewhat organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-a-small-bedroom-to-make-the-most-of-your-space/). ### Organized Clutter in the Laundry Room We define clutter as anything that doesn’t belong. A basket of orphan [socks in the laundry room is organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-socks/) clutter. There may also be a collection of coins or other random things that were removed from pockets before being washed. You never know what you may find in someone’s pants or jacket pocket. ### Organized Clutter in your Front Hall Closet, Entry, or Foyer The front hall closet, entry, or foyer in your home may have a basket full of hats, scarves, and gloves. It may look disorganized to a casual observer. You know there are ways to organize these accessories better and maybe you will do so one day but for now, this system is working for you. ## How Organized Clutter Shows Up At My House ### **My Office** I relate to the expression organized clutter when I look at my office and my desk. I have a lot of stuff in my office. Some may say I have too much. I love it and work well in my office. If you look at the picture of my desk and the table beside it, you’ll see two very full hanging file organizers. One holds files related to DNQ Solutions and the other holds files related to the business I co-own with Jonda Beattie, Release Repurpose Reorganize. There is also a magazine holder on the table. It has partially used notebooks and some manila files. These are related to a few projects on which I am currently working. The clutter in my office is [organized in the way](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-way-to-conscientiously-organize-your-stuff/) that works for me. ### **Ballroom Dance Closet** Another example of organized clutter in my house is my closet which holds my ballroom dance costumes, shoes, and accessories. It’s been a few years since I competed in a ballroom dance competition. My last competition was before the Covid Pandemic. I continue to practice regularly with my dance instructor and partner, so I have several pairs of practice dance shoes as well as several pairs of performance dance shoes. By definition, these things are clutter because they are clogging (or taking up space) the closet, but they are organized. ## **Taking** **A Step in the Right Direction** #### My Office Let’s take the example of my office first. When I work with clients, I ask them what is not working regarding the organization in their home. While I firmly believe things can always be better why would I want to fix something that is not broken? We always start with the place in which they want to create more order and more space. The organization in my office is working for me. The thought of a completely [clear surface ](https://dnqsolutions.com/clutter-tolerance/)on my desk gives me the shivers. Things that, in my mind, go together are together. Could the top of my desk and the table beside it be better organized? Absolutely! But it is a step in the right direction. Every now and then I get the urge to have my desk area better organized and go through the notebooks, files, and folders and purge the excess. ### **How about my ballroom dance closet?** Yes. This space has a bit of organized clutter. I admit I have lots of accessories and dance shoes. Some of the dance shoes have holes near the toes and others have soles that are practically worn through. I can fix the soles but can’t fix the holes near the toes. Those shoes are clutter and I need to toss them. The problem is that dance shoes aren’t comfortable to begin with, so I want to keep the broken in pairs of shoes for practice until I can’t wear them anymore. As a professional organizer I ask my clients to trust that I will organize the space to suit them. What ever that means. If having a few piles of excess things here and there works for my client and, if they can find what they need when they want it then organized clutter is absolutely a step in the right direction. If you are interested in organizing a space in your home to suit you, [contact Diane](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) for a complimentary 30-minute phone consultation. We can work together in-person if you are in the Atlanta, Georgia area or virtually no matter where you live. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* Updated March 20, 2024 ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Clutter, professional organizer --- ### [Why Organized Clutter Is A Step In The Right Direction](https://dnqsolutions.com/why-organized-clutter-is-a-step-in-the-right-direction-2/) **Published:** March 20, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Most professional organizers probably agree that clutter is the result of postponed decision making. So, this thought begs two questions in my mind and, I bet, also in your mind regarding the title of this post. The first question is, what is organized clutter? The second question is, why would a professional organizer think that organized clutter is a step in the right direction? ### **Let’s define organized clutter** I did a little research on the term ”organized clutter” and found [this article](https://www.shoplet.com/blog/work-better/matt-baier-on-is-there-such-a-thing-as-organized-clutter/#:~:text=It's%20about%20sorting%20out%20your,it%20out%20can%20be%20organized.) in which professional organizer, Matt Baier, answers the question “*Is there such a thing as organized clutter?”* One of the things I learned when I read the article is that our word clutter derives from the Middle English word meaning to clot. That makes sense to me because clutter usually causes things to clog the flow. Much as a blood clot impedes the flow of blood through your veins. Matt explains that clutter is tough to get rid of because it is the excess of stuff. ## What Does Organized Clutter Look Like Across Your House Or Office? ### Organized Clutter in the Kitchen Almost everyone has a drawer in the kitchen that has a mixture of odds and ends as well as multiple spoons, spatulas, and long forks. If you want to, you can sort through and remove the things you don’t use or need. People often refer to it as the ‘junk drawer’ because it has a little of everything. ### Organized Clutter in the Bedroom Organized clutter in the bedroom may be a dish on the top of your chest of drawers holding rings, earrings, and necklaces all mixed up together. It can also be a stack of books on your bedside table or on the floor beside the bed. Maybe it is a stack of neatly folded T-shirts on the chair in the bedroom. These are all things that contribute to clutter in the bedroom and are all somewhat organized. ### Organized Clutter in the Laundry Room We define clutter as anything that doesn’t belong. A basket of orphan socks in the laundry room is organized clutter. There may also be a collection of coins or other random things that were removed from pockets before being washed. You never know what you may find in someone’s pants or jacket pocket. ### Organized Clutter in your Front Hall Closet, Entry, or Foyer The front hall closet, entry, or foyer in your home may have a basket full of hats, scarves, and gloves. It may look disorganized to a casual observer. You know there are ways to organize these accessories better and maybe you will do so one day but for now, this system is working for you. ## How Organized Clutter Shows Up At My House ### **My Office** I relate to the expression organized clutter when I look at my office and my desk. I have a lot of stuff in my office. Some may say I have too much. I love it and work well in my office. If you look at the picture of my desk and the table beside it, you’ll see two very full hanging file organizers. One holds files related to DNQ Solutions and the other holds files related to the business I co-own with Jonda Beattie, Release Repurpose Reorganize. There is also a magazine holder on the table. It has partially used notebooks and some manila files. These are related to a few projects on which I am currently working. The clutter in my office is organized in the way that works for me. ### **Ballroom Dance Closet** Another example of organized clutter in my house is my closet which holds my ballroom dance costumes, shoes, and accessories. It’s been a few years since I competed in a ballroom dance competition. My last competition was before the Covid Pandemic. I continue to practice regularly with my dance instructor and partner, so I have several pairs of practice dance shoes as well as several pairs of performance dance shoes. By definition, these things are clutter because they are clogging (or taking up space) the closet, but they are organized. ## **Taking** **A Step in the Right Direction** #### My Office Let’s take the example of my office first. When I work with clients, I ask them what is not working regarding the organization in their home. While I firmly believe things can always be better why would I want to fix something that is not broken? We always start with the place in which they want to create more order and more space. The organization in my office is working for me. The thought of a completely [clear surface ](https://dnqsolutions.com/clutter-tolerance/)on my desk gives me the shivers. Things that, in my mind, go together are together. Could the top of my desk and the table beside it be better organized? Absolutely! But it is a step in the right direction. Every now and then I get the urge to have my desk area better organized and go through the notebooks, files, and folders and purge the excess. ### **How about my ballroom dance closet?** Yes. This space has a bit of organized clutter. I admit I have lots of accessories and dance shoes. Some of the dance shoes have holes near the toes and others have soles that are practically worn through. I can fix the soles but can’t fix the holes near the toes. Those shoes are clutter and I need to toss them. The problem is that dance shoes aren’t comfortable to begin with, so I want to keep the broken in pairs of shoes for practice until I can’t wear them anymore. As a professional organizer I ask my clients to trust that I will organize the space to suit them. What ever that means. If having a few piles of excess things here and there works for my client and, if they can find what they need when they want it then organized clutter is absolutely a step in the right direction. If you are interested in organizing a space in your home to suit you, [contact Diane](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) for a complimentary 30-minute phone consultation. We can work together in-person if you are in the Atlanta, Georgia area or virtually no matter where you live. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/), LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia.* Updated March 20, 2024 ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Clutter, professional organizer --- ### [9 Tips On Decluttering That Set You Up For The Greatest Success](https://dnqsolutions.com/9-tips-on-decluttering-that-set-you-up-for-the-greatest-success/) **Published:** March 31, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Decluttering your space is not just about getting rid of physical items; it’s also about creating a sense of calmness so you can think clearly. A tidy and organized home can lead to increased productivity, reduced stress, and a happier life overall. In this guide, I’ll share some of the greatest tips on decluttering to help you achieve a more organized and peaceful living space. ## Below are the 9 tips on decluttering: ### 1. **Start Small** One of the biggest mistakes people make when decluttering is trying to tackle everything at once. This can quickly turn the project into one that’s overwhelming and lead to burnout. Instead, start small by focusing on one small area at a time. Whether it’s a drawer, a shelf, or a closet, [breaking the task down ](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-make-progress-towards-your-goals/)into manageable steps makes it easier to consider tackling. ### 2. **Short Periods of Time** Once you decide where you will begin decluttering and which step you are going to take, set your timer for [10 minutes](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools/). Working for short periods of time makes the thought of tackling the project easier to dive into. ### 3. **Declutter by Category** If you don’t know where to begin, consider decluttering by category. Instead of picking a room to declutter, select a category of things like clothes. Then, refine the broad category of clothes into something smaller – like shirts. The next step is to find all your shirts and bring them to one place to go through. This approach allows you to see exactly how much you have in each category and makes it easier to decide what to keep, donate, recycle, or discard. ### 4. **Use the “Five-Box Method”** The five-box method is a simple yet [effective strategy to help you make decisions when decluttering](https://dnqsolutions.com/clearing-the-clutter-how-to-use-your-inner-voice-for-effective-decluttering/). Label five boxes or bins as “Keep,” “Donate/Sell,” “Recycle/Trash,” “Pending”, and “Relocate.” As you review each item, place it in the appropriate box. This method helps to [keep the decluttering ](https://dnqsolutions.com/clutter-and-anxiety-5-hacks-to-keep-your-worries-in-check-as-you-declutter-your-home/)process moving forward. For example, if you are decluttering the bathroom cabinet under the sink as you remove each item from the space place it in the appropriate box. Wipe out the cabinet once it is empty and only put back the items in the “Keep” box. The “Pending” box is for things you are unable to decide about and need more time. ### 5. **Embrace the One-In-One-Out Rule** To prevent clutter from building up again, adopt the one-in-one-out rule. Before you [bring something new into your home](https://dnqsolutions.com/bring-harmony-into-your-home-get-organized/), whether it’s clothing, kitchen gadgets, or books, think about what the new item is replacing and where you will keep it. This is one of the hardest [tips on decluttering](https://dnqsolutions.com/paper-decluttering-tips-for-people-with-mounds-of-paper-mail-documents/) to follow. When you are out shopping do your best to think about what you already have before buying another item. If you decide to go ahead and purchase something new, remove the item it is replacing from the drawer, cupboard, or closet and schedule time to donate, trash, or recycle it when you get home. ### 6. **Be Mindful of Sentimental Items** It’s natural to attach sentimental value to certain possessions, making them challenging to part with. However, holding onto too many sentimental items contributes to clutter. Instead of keeping everything, select a few meaningful items to cherish and let go of the rest. Consider taking photos of sentimental objects to preserve memories without taking up physical space. You can also write down the story of the sentimental object in a journal and attach the photo. ### 7. **Create Functional Storage Solutions** Invest in storage solutions that are both functional and aesthetically pleasing. Use bins, baskets, shelves, and drawer organizers to keep items neatly organized and easily accessible. Designate specific areas for different categories of items to avoid clutter from spreading throughout your home. ### 8. **Establish Daily and Weekly Habits** Maintaining an [organized and relatively clutter-free](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-small-space-organizing-hacks-from-a-professional-organizer/) space requires consistent effort. Work to develop daily habits like making your bed, wiping down the kitchen counter after meals, and tidying the family room before bed. Assign heavier tasks like vacuuming, cleaning the bathroom, or changing your sheets to specific days of the week to avoid feeling overwhelmed by housework. There’s no need to do every household chore in just one day unless that’s the system that works best for you. Spread the chores out over a week, so you have more time for relaxation and fun on the weekends. ### 9. **Monitor Your Progress** Track your decluttering progress to stay motivated and focused. Take before and after photos of areas as you work to declutter a space. You will see the progress more clearly when looking at it in a photograph. Use a [checklist](https://etsy.me/3TkMuJg) to keep track of your daily and weekly chores. Remember to reward yourself with a small treat as you reach each milestone. ### **Conclusion** Decluttering is a transformative process that goes beyond creating a tidy space—it’s about reclaiming control, reducing stress, and enhancing your overall well-being. By implementing these top tips on decluttering, you can create a more organized, peaceful, and joyful home in which to thrive. Send me an email to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation. We’ll review ways in which you can begin to declutter your home and become more organized. My email is: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> Diane N. Quintana is an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer, owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people challenged by ADHD, Hoarding and chronic disorganization. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [Legacy of Organization: Lessons Learned From Mom on Planning, Scheduling, And Delegating](https://dnqsolutions.com/legacy-of-organization-lessons-learned-from-mom-on-planning-scheduling-and-delegating/) **Published:** May 12, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Happy Mother’s Day! It doesn’t matter if you have human children or are a mom to pets, this day is dedicated to celebrating you. If you, like me, are remembering your mom today then this day is bittersweet. I wish my mom was still with us in-person, but I am positive she is always around in spirit. If you have been following me then you already know my green thumbs are from my mother. What you may not know is that I also get my knack for [planning and scheduling](https://dnqsolutions.com/unlocking-success-the-power-of-planning-scheduling-plus-two-other-elements/) from her, too. My mother was a masterful planner, scheduler, and also very good at delegating all the tasks she didn’t want to do herself. ## Here are some planning, scheduling, and delegating tips I learned from my mother. ### **Use a calendar** Electronic calendars never entered my mother’s realm of understanding. She used [paper calendars](https://dnqsolutions.com/paper-calendar-two-of-the-best-reasons-to-use-one/) – many of them. There was one in the kitchen which mom used to note meals and the comings and goings of all of us. I am the oldest of five children. The kitchen calendar was on the wall and if one of us had a school performance or there was a meeting with one of our teachers we put that information there. Mom also had a calendar on her desk which she used to keep track of her meetings, tennis games, and other appointments. This calendar was small enough to fit into her handbag and she took it with her everywhere. ### **Always write in pencil** Mom told us all to use a pencil when writing something on the calendar because things change. She didn’t want to scratch through something written in pen. She thought it was confusing. When you write in pencil, you can erase the original note. Mom was right. Things did change from time to time. Meeting dates were rescheduled and sometimes performance days and times changed because of inclement weather. The gift my mom gave all of us was the understanding that being flexible is an important skill. The ability to recognize that life [happens](https://dnqsolutions.com/prepare-for-change-so-youre-not-caught-off-guard-when-life-happens/) and it’s ok to shift gears to accommodate a scheduling change. ### **Planning is important** As I said, I am one of five children. There are seven years between my youngest brother and my youngest sister and eleven years between me and my youngest sister. We were often going in many different directions at the same time. Planning how we got from place to place was a crucial skill. There was no such thing as Uber or Lyft back then. We could call a taxi but more often than not we were trading rides with friends and schoolmates. Since I was the oldest and the only one with a driver’s license, I was sometimes allowed to drive my sisters to school. In exchange, I was also given the list of errands to do after school. This sometimes meant waiting in line at the gas station to fill the car with gas because gas was rationed in the mid-1970’s. It’s important to plan. Planning your errands and appointments into a daily or weekly [schedule](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-art-of-planning-and-scheduling-carving-out-time-for-yourself/) lets you get everything done in a timely fashion. ### **Delegating tasks** My mother rarely did anything she didn’t want to do because if something came across her desk that she didn’t want to do (like waiting in the gas line) she found a way to delegate that task. Baking was something my mother had no patience with. So, my sisters and I would handle that. If mom needed to bring a baked treat to a meeting, she would enlist my sisters and me to do it so the treat would be edible. Consequently, the three of us are good bakers. ### **Make a list** I love my lists. I make one every day. My daily list includes my appointments, my household tasks, [work tasks](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-staying-on-task-when-working-from-home/), and the one or two things I hope to accomplish. Mom had lists posted all over the place. When I came home on vacation from college, she taped a list to the mirror in my bedroom – a place where I was sure to see it. The list included things she wanted me to do while I was home and appointments she had made for me. I never wondered about these things. There was also a list with all the names and phone numbers of service providers for our home taped to a wall in the kitchen. Over time, names and numbers changed and then the list grew to include our (all mom’s children’s) phone numbers once we had moved out. Posting these lists in prominent places was helpful to us and to her. Now, I teach my clients that using a paper list and posting it where you can easily see it provides a helpful visual reminder of things you want to do. ### **In summary** Even though I miss talking with my mother, she is with me in the good habits she helped me create. Planning my days, scheduling my tasks, and being willing to delegate tasks to others are all skills I know I learned from my wonderful mother. Plus, she taught me that being flexible, being able to shift gears, allows you to get what you want to done as well as addressing a [change in circumstance](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-leverage-your-good-habits-and-routines-amid-changing-circumstances/). If these are skills you want to learn, send me an email to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation. You can reach me at: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a [Chronic Disorganization](https://dnqsolutions.com/struggling-with-chronic-disorganization-these-3-tips-will-help-get-you-motivated/) Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Planning & Schedule Management --- ### [Understanding Disposaphobia (AKA The Fear Of Throwing Things Away)](https://dnqsolutions.com/understanding-disposaphobia-aka-the-fear-of-throwing-things-away/) **Published:** April 7, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Even if you spend only a few short minutes scrolling on Instagram or Facebook, you will see many images of professional organizers talking about decluttering. There are also gorgeous photos featuring views of minimally decorated homes. While decluttering and minimalism are often praised as the keys to a peaceful and organized life, there is also a lesser-known but significant challenge: disposaphobia. Disposaphobia is the fear of throwing things away, even items that may seem insignificant or useless to others. This phobia can have a profound impact on an individual’s daily life, relationships, and mental well-being. ## **The Nature of Disposaphobia** Disposaphobia, also known as disposophobia or [hoarding disorder](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-stop-enabling-a-hoarder-without-losing-your-cool/), goes beyond mere reluctance or sentimentality attached to possessions. It is an anxiety disorder characterized by an overwhelming fear of discarding items, leading to excessive accumulation and clutter. People with disposaphobia often experience distress at the thought of parting with their possessions, regardless of their practical value. Since I am a certified professional organizer in [chronic disorganization ](https://dnqsolutions.com/struggling-with-chronic-disorganization-these-3-tips-will-help-get-you-motivated/)and not a therapist, I work with people challenged by disposaphobia (or hoarding) as it relates to the things they keep. The person with this challenge and I work together to reduce the number of things they [keep and to create better functionality in their home.](https://dnqsolutions.com/clutter-and-anxiety-5-hacks-to-keep-your-worries-in-check-as-you-declutter-your-home/) #### **Causes and Triggers** Like many phobias, disposaphobia can stem from various factors. Below are some of the factors which may contribute to this challenging disorder. If I am contacted by a therapist to work with someone with disposophobia, they will (with their patient’s permission) share one or more of these underlying causes or triggers. #### **Traumatic Events** Past experiences such as loss, deprivation, or significant [life changes](https://dnqsolutions.com/prepare-for-change-so-youre-not-caught-off-guard-when-life-happens/) can trigger disposaphobia. For example, someone who grew up in poverty may develop a fear of discarding items due to a fear of scarcity. Like those who lived through the Great Depression. #### **Anxiety and Control** Disposaphobia may show up as a coping mechanism for anxiety or a need for control. The act of holding onto objects provides a sense of security and comfort for some individuals. #### **Perfectionism** Perfectionists may struggle with disposaphobia as they fear making the wrong decision about what to keep or discard. The fear of regretting a disposal decision can be paralyzing. The person can spend countless hours reviewing the pros and cons before arriving at a decision. Even then, they may not be willing to commit to it. #### **Attachment and Sentimentality** Emotional attachment to possessions, even those with little practical value, can contribute to disposaphobia. Each item may hold memories or emotional significance, making it challenging to let go. ### **Effects on Daily Life** Disposaphobia can significantly impact an individual’s daily life in several ways: #### **Clutter and Disorganization** Accumulated items can clutter [living spaces](https://dnqsolutions.com/transforming-spaces-transforming-lives-the-power-of-professional-organizers-in-cultivating-healthy-habits-and-routines/), making it difficult to navigate or find essential items. This [clutter can lead to stress](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-for-organizing-the-things-in-your-life-to-reduce-stress-clutter-and-mess/) and a sense of overwhelm. The person may have trouble getting places on time because they temporarily ‘lost’ something in one of the piles around their home. #### **Social and Interpersonal Challenges** Disposaphobia can strain relationships, as family members or roommates may struggle to understand or accommodate the excessive clutter. They are often fearful of letting people into their [homes because they are embarrassed](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-simplest-way-to-declutter-your-home/) by the way it looks. This fear may even extend to repairmen. #### **Financial Burden** Hoarding can lead to financial strain, as individuals may continue to acquire items they don’t need or use, leading to wasted money and space. People also waste money on buying things they know they already own but can’t find because of the disorganization. #### **Health and Safety Risks** Extreme cases of disposaphobia can pose health and safety risks, such as fire hazards, pest infestations, and unsanitary living conditions. Elderly people are prone to falls and may become trapped in an overfull home. ### **Coping Strategies and Treatment** Overcoming disposaphobia often requires professional intervention and a combination of therapeutic approaches. As a professional organizer, I do not provide therapy. I have, however, worked with therapists as they provide treatment for the person in their office, and I provide the organizational strategies in the home. #### **Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)** CBT helps individuals identify and challenge irrational beliefs and behaviors related to hoarding. It aims to [change thought patterns and develop healthier coping strategies.](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-strategies-notice-the-problem-and-change-the-story/) #### **Exposure Therapy** Gradual exposure to discarding items can help desensitize individuals to the anxiety associated with letting go. Therapists work with clients to practice decision-making and decluttering in a controlled environment. #### **Support Groups** Joining a [virtual organizing support group](https://releaserepurpose.com/benefits-of-joining-a-virtual-organizing-group/) and/or working with professional organizers who specialize in hoarding disorder (like me) can provide valuable support and guidance throughout the recovery process. #### **Conclusion** Disposaphobia is a complex and challenging anxiety disorder that requires understanding, patience, and specialized treatment. By addressing the underlying causes and learning healthy coping strategies, individuals with disposaphobia can regain control over their possessions and improve their quality of life. It’s essential to approach disposaphobia with compassion and empathy, recognizing that overcoming this fear is a journey that takes time and effort. If this is you, please contact me to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation. Send me an email to schedule this free call. <DNQSOLUTIONS@GMAIL.COM> *Diane N. Quintana is an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer, owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com/) *and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people challenged by ADHD, Hoarding and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Understanding Hoarding --- ### [The Art of Planning and Scheduling: Carving Out Time for Yourself](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-art-of-planning-and-scheduling-carving-out-time-for-yourself/) **Published:** April 14, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** In the hustle and bustle and general busyness of modern life, finding time for ourselves often feels like an elusive dream. We’re constantly bombarded with responsibilities, deadlines, and commitments, leaving little room for self-care and personal fulfillment. However, with effective planning and scheduling techniques, it’s possible to reclaim that precious time and prioritize our own well-being. In this post, I’ll show you how to use the art of planning and scheduling to carve out valuable moments for self-care and relaxation. ## **Understand Your Priorities** ### **Set Priorities** Before diving into the nitty-gritty of scheduling, it’s essential to clarify your priorities. What are the activities, hobbies, or experiences that bring you joy and fulfillment? Whether it’s spending time with loved ones, pursuing hobbies, or simply relaxing with a good book, identify what matters most to you. By understanding your priorities, you can allocate time accordingly and ensure that your schedule reflects your values. I recognize that you probably have priorities in several different areas of your life. Lots of different types of responsibilities may make demands on your time. Some may relate to your work, home and/or family (meaning spouse and children), and volunteer activities. Think through the categories of things to which you devote your time and energy. Make a list of things you do in each category, then prioritize each list. ## **Here are the essential elements involved in the art of planning and scheduling** #### **Create Routines** [Routines](https://etsy.me/3SYiLo2) provide structure and stability in our daily lives, making it easier to manage our time effectively. Establishing a consistent schedule for work, errands, and leisure activities can help streamline your days and prevent overwhelm. Remember to include dedicated time slots for self-care activities, such as exercise, meditation, or creative pursuits, and treat them as non-negotiable appointments with yourself. Keeping these appointments with yourself gives you time to rest, relax, and recharge your personal battery. Making you better able to care for the ones you love. #### **Use Time Blocking** Time blocking involves dividing your day into distinct blocks of time dedicated to specific tasks or activities. Rather than relying on a never-ending to-do list, allocate fixed periods for work, relaxation, and personal endeavors. Be realistic about the [time needed](https://etsy.me/48iSlDO) for each task, and don’t forget to schedule breaks to rest and recharge. Take a short walk in the park or look out a window at some green space and remember to hydrate. #### **Set Boundaries** Learning to say no is a crucial skill when it comes to protecting your time and energy. If you are a people-pleaser this may be hard for you to do. When someone asks you to do something and you have a feeling the task will encroach on time you have set aside for yourself give yourself permission to say no. If that is uncomfortable, try saying something like, ‘*let me check my schedule and get back to you’*. This gives you time to verify that you have set that time aside for something else. Don’t forget to follow up and give the person your answer. Be clear with yourself about your boundaries with others to safeguard your personal space and prevent overcommitment. Politely decline requests or invitations that don’t align with the priorities you set. Remember that self-care isn’t selfish—it’s a necessary investment in your physical, mental, and emotional health. #### **Embrace Flexibility** Creating structure to your days gives you the gift to remain flexible and adaptable in your approach to scheduling. Life is unpredictable, and [unexpected events](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-successfully-cope-with-unexpected-events-stay-organized/) or obligations may arise from time to time. When you know what you have planned to do in the coming days or weeks you also know which tasks can be easily shifted, postponed, delegated, or removed from your schedule entirely. Being flexible and adaptable lets you exercise your problem-solving muscle and adds a little variation to what may otherwise be a firm schedule. Don’t be too hard on yourself when things don’t go according to plan. Say, that’s life, congratulate yourself for being flexible, and move on. #### **Practice Mindfulness** In the midst of busy schedules and endless to-do lists, it’s easy to lose sight of the present moment. Incorporate mindfulness techniques into your daily routine to cultivate a sense of calm and awareness. Take regular breaks to check in with yourself, breathe deeply, and appreciate the simple pleasures of life. By staying grounded in the here and now, you’ll reduce stress and enhance your overall well-being. #### **Reflect and Reevaluate** Periodically review your schedule and assess how well it aligns with your goals and priorities. Are you dedicating enough time to activities that nourish your mind, body, and soul? Are there things you want to change to improve your overall quality of life? By regularly checking in with yourself, reviewing your schedule, and making necessary tweaks, you’ll ensure that you’re consistently prioritizing self-care and personal growth. **In conclusion**, planning and scheduling are powerful tools for creating balance and harmony in our lives. By taking a proactive approach to managing the demands made on our time and setting aside dedicated moments for ourselves, we can cultivate greater happiness, fulfillment, and resilience. Remember that self-care isn’t a luxury—it’s a fundamental necessity for thriving in today’s fast-paced world. So, go ahead—carve out that time for yourself. Reach out to me for help creating a better schedule so you can carve out time for yourself. We can work virtually or in-person if you live in the Atlanta area. Email me to set up a free 30-minute phone consultation: DNQsolutions@gmail.com *[Diane N. Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/) is an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing and in working with people challenged by ADHD, Hoarding and chronic disorganization.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Planning & Schedule Management --- ### [Strategies For Organizing the Things In Your Life To Reduce Stress, Clutter, And Mess](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-for-organizing-the-things-in-your-life-to-reduce-stress-clutter-and-mess/) **Published:** April 21, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** No matter what you do or how hard you try, stuff just naturally comes into our homes. This can easily lead to feelings of overwhelm. It’s what you do after it enters your home that makes the biggest difference. When you implement effective organizational strategies, you can reclaim control and cultivate a sense of calm. Here are some practical tips to help you as you go about organizing the things in your life so you can reduce stress, clutter, and minimize mess. ## **Strategies for organizing the things in your life** **Assess Your Environment** Take a step back and evaluate the areas of your life that feel chaotic or cluttered. This could be your home, digital devices, or even your schedule. Identifying problem areas is the first step towards creating a more organized and harmonious environment. People often talk about wanting more balance in their life, but the truth is that it’s almost impossible to achieve complete balance. One aspect of your life or another will always need more attention from time to time. Accepting this fact goes a long way to [reducing stress.](https://dnqsolutions.com/take-care-of-yourself-to-reduce-stress/) When you acknowledge that organizing the things in your life is about give and take it’s easier to give a little more space or time and attention to one area or another. For example, if you’re packing to go away on vacation you may be gathering clothes, toiletries, and a suitcase. That area will look messy temporarily. It will look messy again when you return home and unpack. Accept it but don’t look the other way. Give that area your time and attention to return it to the way you want it. **Prioritize and Simplify** Determine what is truly important to you and prioritize accordingly. Keep the possessions you need, use, and love and let go of the rest. This includes commitments, and distractions that are cluttering your life because they are no longer fulfilling. As hard as it is, sometimes it’s important to admit that a volunteer activity that you used to actively enjoy is no longer something you want to spend time doing. **Establish Routines** Develop daily routines and [habits that support organization](https://dnqsolutions.com/habits-help-to-ground-us-in-times-of-stress/) and productivity. Set aside dedicated time each day for tasks such as tidying up, responding to emails, and planning your schedule. Create a household maintenance plan with [tasks you do daily,](https://etsy.me/3TkMuJg) weekly, monthly, and annually. Knowing when tasks will be done eliminates that overwhelming feeling. Use a checklist to help you stay on track. Remember to put things away after you finish using them. This helps to minimize the mess. #### **Declutter Regularly** Make decluttering a regular part of your routine to prevent accumulation and reduce overwhelm. Take off the blinders and notice when something is out of place. Then put it away. When you discover you’re not using or wearing something anymore create the habit of putting those things in a donation box and then scheduling time to make the donation. It can be tempting to hold onto things that evoke beautiful memories or pull at your heartstrings. If this is the case, take a picture of the item and write down the reason this thing was important to you. This may help you let it go. #### **Create Functional Spaces** Ask yourself how you want each space in your home to function. Then evaluate the things in that space, area, or room. Do the things you are keeping there support the function of the space? Remove and rehome anything that doesn’t belong. Next, decide how best to keep the things in that area. Invest in storage solutions such as shelving, bins, and drawer organizers to keep belongings neatly stored and easily accessible. This makes it easy to put things back where they belong. #### **Digital Organization** Organizing the things in your life also includes organizing your digital files, emails, and apps. Make a point of going through your digital files, downloads, and emails regularly. Either move digital downloads to a file or delete them. Delete email messages that are no longer necessary. Even though we don’t see the digital clutter, it piles up if you do not declutter it. Unsubscribe from unnecessary email lists. #### **Shop Mindfully** When you’re out shopping and see something you want to buy ask yourself a few questions before you make the purchase. Here are the questions: - Will this add value to your life or will it only contribute to clutter? - Do you already have something similar? - Are you going to donate, recycle, or toss the thing your already have? If you don’t already have something like this, where will you keep this new purchase? - Will it be easy to put away? - Do you need to clear a shelf, clean out a basket, or reorganize to put it away? - When will you make room for this new purchase? Thinking this through may make you think twice before bringing something new into your home. Using these strategies, you can create a more organized and peaceful home that supports you in your quest to reduce stress, clutter, and mess. Remember that organization is not a one-time task but an ongoing process that requires maintenance. Accept that being organized does not mean that everything will look perfectly placed all the time. You live in your home and deserve a home in which you feel comfortable. When you use these strategies, you will have the satisfaction that comes from knowing that even though things can get messy from time to time you are confident you can restore order in a matter of minutes. If you would like help organizing the things in your life reach out to me. We can work together virtually or in-person if you are in the Atlanta, Georgia area. I offer a free 30-minute phone consultation. Email me to schedule a call. <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com/)*. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer, and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Transforming Spaces, Transforming Lives: The Power of Professional Organizers in Cultivating Healthy Habits and Routines](https://dnqsolutions.com/transforming-spaces-transforming-lives-the-power-of-professional-organizers-in-cultivating-healthy-habits-and-routines/) **Published:** May 5, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I am a professional organizer and have been in business for 18 years. As such, I can honestly say that most professional organizers do so much more than organize a space. We actively listen to our clients and guide them to discover ways in which they can have a more balanced and productive life. How do we do this? Each professional organizer will go about it differently. I start by learning more about my clients’ current[ habits and routines.](https://dnqsolutions.com/new-routines-and-habits/) Here’s a review of what I and the trained professional [organizers I know ](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-know-when-to-call-a-professional-organizer/)do as they work with their clients to transform their spaces and cultivate healthy habits and routines. ### **Cultivate healthy habits and routines** #### **Assessment and Goal Setting** It’s important to start by asking some leading questions to learn more about my clients’ current habits and routines. I want to know what their habits are and what is not working for them. We talk about the sticking points, the things they like to do, and the ways in which they would like to use the rooms in their home. Then I work with my clients to set specific, achievable goals for organizing their space and time effectively. #### **Decluttering and Organization** My clients and I work together to determine which spaces are most important to declutter and organize first. By [decluttering and organizing](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-reason-to-declutter-and-organize-your-home/) the physical environment, the organizer helps create a conducive space for developing new habits. A tidy space reduces distractions, makes it easier to find what you’re looking for, and makes it easier to focus on tasks. #### **Creating Systems** Professional organizers assist in developing systems tailored to the client’s needs and lifestyle. This includes setting up efficient storage solutions, labeling items, and establishing routines for maintaining organization. We can often use (or repurpose) things the clients already have when we create storage solutions. I always ask my clients to wait before buying organizing and storage solutions. It’s fun to go shopping for those accessories. However, it’s more practical and efficient to first identify what you need to store, the size of the product you need, and where you intend to keep it before shopping #### **Time Management** Organizers help clients manage their time better by creating schedules and routines. This involves prioritizing tasks, setting realistic deadlines, and allocating time for essential activities such as work, self-care, and leisure. Clients are amazed by how much flexibility they gain when they understand the demands that are made on their time and how to use their available time more effectively. **Establishing [Daily Routines](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-your-daily-routine-changes-when-you-move/)** They assist clients in creating consistent daily routines that support their goals and priorities. This may include morning rituals, evening wind-down routines, and regular breaks throughout the day. #### **Accountability and Support** Professional organizers provide ongoing support and accountability to help clients stay on track with their habits and routines. We do this with regular check-ins, progress assessments, and troubleshooting sessions. These are essential elements to achieve long-term success. It’s common to create a relationship with your professional organizer much as you have with your dentist or doctor. Regular check-ins ensure the organizational system continues to meet the needs of the client. #### **Customized Strategies** Every client is unique, so as a trained professional organizer I tailor the strategies I create for my clients to their individual preferences, habits, learning styles, and challenges. Some of my clients have an additional challenge of being diagnosed with ADHD. Since I am an ADHD Organizing Specialist, I am aware of strategies that can help them be more in control of their things and their environment. #### **Education and Skill-Building** A trained professional organizer empowers their clients with the knowledge and skills needed to maintain good habits and routines independently. This includes teaching organizational techniques, time management strategies, and stress reduction methods. Life sometimes throws us curve balls which can make even the most organized person feel overwhelmed. It’s important to be able to [rely on solid habits ](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-leverage-your-good-habits-and-routines-amid-changing-circumstances/)and routines which help the person feel more in control. #### **Lifestyle Integration** Lastly, trained professional organizers help clients integrate their new habits and routines into their overall lifestyle seamlessly. This involves aligning organizational efforts with personal values, interests, and long-term goals for sustained success. #### **Conclusion** By offering guidance, support, and practical solutions, professional organizers play a crucial role in helping clients create lasting positive changes in their habits and routines. If you’re interested in cultivating habits and routines, please send me an email to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC.](https://dnqsolutions.com) She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer, and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize ](https://releaserepurpose.com)LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [Memorial Day: Honoring Sacrifice and Celebrating the Start of Summer](https://dnqsolutions.com/memorial-day-honoring-sacrifice-and-celebrating-the-start-of-summer/) **Published:** May 26, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Memorial Day is traditionally on the last Monday of May. In case you didn’t know, it holds a significant place in American history as a day of remembrance for those who died in military service to the United States. I was curious about how this day of remembrance came to be because I believe it has changed since its inception. I am taking a little bit of time today to honor the fallen, to share the history of Memorial Day in terms of this nation’s history, and to talk about how it has changed. ### **History of Memorial Day** The origins of Memorial Day date back to the aftermath of the Civil War. This war claimed more lives than any other in American history and necessitated the creation of our country’s first national cemeteries. Memorial Day was first called Decoration Day. It was established as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the fallen servicemen with flowers. On May 5, 1868, General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, called for a nationwide day of remembrance later that month. The date, May 30, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any specific battle. The first large observance was held that year at Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington, D.C. People decorated graves with flowers and recited prayers. Currently, different service groups like the Boy Scouts decorate the graves with small flags. Memorial Day now honors all American military personnel who died in service, not just those from the Civil War. ### **Changes Over the Years** Memorial Day’s significance has become broader since we have been involved in so many wars: World War l, World War ll, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 1971, Memorial Day was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress. Its date was fixed as the last Monday in May, ensuring a three-day weekend for federal employees. This change created a convenient holiday period. It also contributed to the growing perception of Memorial Day as the unofficial start of summer. ### **Contemporary Observance** Memorial Day has changed from being a day which people devote to solemn remembrance. Many Americans still observe the day with ceremonies, visits to cemeteries and memorials, and moments of silence to honor fallen soldiers. It has also become a day marked by family gatherings, barbecues, parades, leisure activities and shopping. ### **Family and Friends Gatherings** Memorial Day weekend is often a time to gather with family and friends. The three-day weekend provides an opportunity for travel, relaxation, and enjoying outdoor activities. For many, it marks the beginning of the summer season. There are community events, sports activities, and the Indianapolis 500 auto race, which has been held on Memorial Day weekend since 1911. ### **Commercial Influence** Retailers have also embraced Memorial Day as a key sales event. Sales and promotions [around the holiday](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-stop-procrastinating-around-the-holidays/) weekend draw shoppers and add to the festive atmosphere which is fun but which, I believe, takes our attention away from the true purpose of the day. The core purpose of Memorial Day is to honor and remember the sacrifices of the nation’s military personnel. I’m happy that many communities continue to hold parades, and various organizations and individuals participate in the National Moment of Remembrance. This moment encourages us to pause for a minute at 3:00 PM local time to reflect on the ultimate sacrifices made by those who served in the armed forces. ### **Conclusion** Memorial Day has been transformed from a [day only of solemn remembrance to a broader celebration](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-celebrate-thanksgiving-day-solo/) and shopping event. It is also the unofficial the beginning of summer. While its roots are deeply embedded in honoring military sacrifice, the way we observe Memorial Day today is vastly different from that of the past. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, a*nd *Certified Professional Organizer.* *She is a co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Who’s In Control Of Your “Free” Time? You Or Your Clutter?](https://dnqsolutions.com/whos-in-control-of-your-free-time-you-or-your-clutter/) **Published:** June 2, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I think everyone wants to feel in control of how they spend their available or “free” time. We know that much of our time is used for things we need to do to take care of ourselves, our family, our home, and our job. What about time that isn’t already spoken for? You know, our “free” time. If you are spending time looking for things you need, then you are using valuable minutes you may want to spend doing something fun. The fact is that when things are hard to find because they are lost in the clutter, we waste time looking for them. When this happens, [clutter is controlling ](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/clutter-control/)your time. This is one of the best reasons to declutter your environment. Here are some strategies for you to try if you want to be in control of your “free” time. ### **Let’s Review the Time-Clutter Connection** Believe me when I say that there is a huge time-clutter connection. Picture this: you have allowed yourself 30 minutes to get ready before leaving the house. You’re ready right on time but the car keys are nowhere in sight. You spend the next 10 minutes looking for your car keys and find them but now you must rush to be at the train station on time. The result is that you are anxious and stressed. Here’s another scenario: Your friends are coming over after work tomorrow. There’s laundry piled on chairs in the living room and stuff on the counters in the kitchen. You don’t want your friends to see all this stuff cluttering up your home, so you spend a couple of hours putting [things away](https://dnqsolutions.com/understanding-disposaphobia-aka-the-fear-of-throwing-things-away/). You wanted to do something else, but the clutter took control of your time. Excessive clutter in your home steals your time and impacts the way you use your available time. So, the question is how do you put yourself back in the driver’s seat, in control of your “free” time? I’ll answer this question shortly. ### **The Hidden Costs of a Cluttered Environment** I’ve already demonstrated a few of the ways [clutter costs](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-clutter-cost-of-buying-in-bulk/) you by stealing your time. Clutter also may force you to buy things you know you have but can’t find because they are lost in the piles of things. A cluttered environment has an impact on your relationships, too. It may make you short-tempered with your family. Or they may play the blame game effectively blaming you for the way the home looks and the fact that they can’t find the things they’re looking for. Probably they are equally at fault. It’s hard to put things where they belong when the organizational systems are broken. It’s easier to simply put things down or to add to the pile which compounds the problem. Another hidden cost is that if the clutter causes you to misplace work documents or consistently be late for work (because you were looking for something you’d lost in the clutter) you may lose your job. ### **Strategies for Reclaiming Control of Your “Free” Time** It may be obvious, but I just have to say it, reduce the amount of clutter in your home. First remove things that you can recycle, toss, or donate. Then, identify how you want each room/area in your home to function. Ask yourself (and your family) what happens in this room or area? Keep things in that room that support the function (s) of the room. Nothing else belongs there. Of course, you may need to create a designated storage closet or space for things you want to keep but which don’t currently have a place to belong. Finally, review how you want to spend your “free” time. ### **Create Space in Your Schedule for Productivity and Relaxation** Before you begin, spend one or two weeks tracking your time. Write down everything you do from the time you get up to the time you go to bed. This activity can be a real eye-opener. It forces you to mindfully acknowledge how you are using your time. Now that you are aware of how you are using your time ask yourself if you are making the best possible use of your time. - Can you delegate some tasks? - Are you factoring in time to relax? - Are you allowing time for fun? As you [plan your schedule](https://dnqsolutions.com/unlocking-success-the-power-of-planning-scheduling-plus-two-other-elements/), pay attention to the time between meetings and other scheduled activities. - Are you planning travel time between appointments? - When do you do [household chores](https://dnqsolutions.com/8-hacks-to-make-household-chores-easier/)? - Do you spend the weekend cleaning? - Where are the open spaces in your calendar? - Can you plan to use those times for things you want to do? ### **Practices for Controlling Clutter** The single most important thing you can do to control clutter is to maintain each space in your home. This is not a difficult task if everything has a designated place to be. As I said above, decide how you will use each room/area in your home and then only keep the things there that belong in that room. Pay attention. If you see something out of place or in a room where it doesn’t belong, do something about it. Either put it away in that room or take it to where it belongs. Of course, this takes practice. If your goal is to take control of your “free” time, then picking up after yourself on a regular basis will put you back in the driver’s seat. It takes much less time to put one or two things away than it does to unpack a pile of clutter. Is clutter robbing you of your “free” time? Would you like to take back control, to create better organizational systems in your home? Send me an email to schedule a free 30 minute phone call to review your options for making this happen. You can reach me at: dnqsolutions@gmail.com. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com)*. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [Small Tasks, Big Rewards: The Benefits Of Doing Small Tasks Immediately](https://dnqsolutions.com/small-tasks-big-rewards-the-benefits-of-doing-small-tasks-immediately/) **Published:** June 9, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Every day there are countless small tasks to do. How do these small tasks become overwhelming? I’m so glad you asked! People (and I am including myself in this) often delay doing small tasks because they are just that – small. But when we consistently procrastinate and put these small tasks off for a later undetermined time they morph into [big chores](https://dnqsolutions.com/sick-of-doing-household-chores-heres-how-to-get-more-done-with-less-resistance/). This is stressful. There are several things going on here. No one likes to be faced with those big chores. They take too much time and are somewhat thankless. On the other hand, when we have a small task to do we often say something like ‘I don’t feel like doing this now. It’s just a small task. I can do it later.’ We neglect to remind ourselves that small tasks become big chores. Today I’m talking the ways in which tackling small tasks can help avoid feeling overwhelmed. ### **Procrastination is clutter’s best friend** Procrastination is clutter’s best friend. When we procrastinate, we put off deciding about the task or the item. This means that something is left for us to do. It may be that a task is not done or is incomplete. Perhaps items without homes are left on countertops or wherever they were, creating clutter. Remember clutter is not just the things you can see. We also have clutter in our minds when we are tasked with remembering to finish the things we have to do. Typically, people procrastinate when they are unsure of their next step, when they think they don’t have time to do the task, or when they want to have something done “perfectly”. When we procrastinate by delaying doing a task we don’t want to do we make up reasons for procrastinating to make ourselves feel better. We might say: - I’ll have more time to do it later (when?). - It’s easier to do this when the children are in bed. - There’s so little here. I’d rather wait until… If only we could reach into the future and talk to our future self. Our future self would probably tell us to go ahead and do it now. Get the task done so we don’t have to worry about it and so the task doesn’t morph into a huge, overwhelming chore. ### **Benefits of Doing Small Tasks Immediately** There are many benefits to doing small tasks as you see them instead of waiting for later. #### **Reduces Stress:** Doing a small task [reduces stress](https://dnqsolutions.com/take-care-of-yourself-to-reduce-stress/) levels. It takes the task off the list of things you must remember to do and tackling the task when it is small and manageable keeps it from becoming a large and overwhelming chore. #### **Saves Time:** Tackling small tasks saves time. It takes less time to do a small task than it does a large one. #### **Improves Efficiency**: Another benefit to tackling tasks when they are small is that it can improve your workflow. It keeps you moving down the list of things to do instead of delaying. #### **Boosts Motivation**: Seeing tasks crossed off my list of things to do is motivating for me and I believe for others also. Success breeds success. It feels great to [work through a list of tasks](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-tips-to-staying-on-task-when-working-from-home/). A person’s attitude plays a big role. When someone is happy because they are getting things done, they often feel more inclined to keep working. ### **3 Practical Tips for Handling Small Tasks** 1. **“If you see something, do something”** We are all familiar with the expression “If you see something, say something”. Let’s tweak that to; “If you see something, do something”. Meaning, if you see something out of place, put it away or take it to the room in which it belongs. Clutter often piles up because someone has walked right past it. The more it piles up, the longer it will take to deal with it. This happens because we sometimes don’t [pay attention](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-3-best-reasons-to-pay-attention-to-your-bed/) to the things around us. Take the blinders off and pay attention. 2\. **10-minute tasks** There are many things you can do around the house that don’t take much time and help you keep things in order. We often don’t think about doing them until that area is a problem. You can avoid these problem areas by using the deck of cards that I developed with Jonda Beattie. [Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time](https://releaserepurpose.com/organizingtools/) is a deck of 50 cards, each with one 10-minute task. If you’re not sure what you can do, pick a card, do the task, and you’re done. 3\. **Use checklists** Use checklists to create [daily routines](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-your-daily-routine-changes-when-you-move/) for yourself to follow in the morning and in the evening. These routines will include small tasks to maintain the organization in your home. Every time you do a small task you save yourself time because you are not giving it a chance to grow into something big and overwhelming. I have several checklists from which to choose in [this etsy shop](etsy.com/shop/organizingtips). ### **A Few Concrete Examples** #### **Laundry** Laundry is one of the things that people procrastinate over doing because it can be an overwhelming task and take a long time to do. It used to be that we wanted to wait until we had a full load of laundry for the washing machine to save water. That is no longer the case because our washing machines are smarter now and adjust the amount of water to the size of the load of laundry. When you do a small load of laundry, it takes less time to wash, dry, and put away. If you procrastinate and wait until you have multiple baskets of dirty clothes, you will end up spending a long-time doing laundry. Change it up and try doing a small load of laundry. Your future self will thank you for doing a small load. Another benefit is that the clean laundry will not take over the furniture in your family room. #### **Dirty dishes** A sink full of dirty dishes is another hotspot in many people’s homes. Try doing the dishes as they are used. Avoid the urge to procrastinate, waiting until there are more than one or two dishes to wash or put in the dishwasher. Your future self will thank you because it takes less time and is easier to prepare the next meal when you don’t have a sink full of dirty dishes to do first. ### **Conclusion** When you do small tasks as part of a regular daily routine or as you see them the overall organization in your home is easier to maintain. It’s hard to predict how big a chore will become when we procrastinate and do them ‘later’. One thing I know for sure is that doing a small task if you have just 5 or 10 minutes available is much easier and less stressful than waiting and watching the clutter accumulate. Try one of my tips for small tasks and let me know if they help you. If you’d like to talk through some strategies for getting small tasks done send me an email to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation. You can reach me at: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com>. I look forward to hearing from you. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [Supporting a Friend Who Hoards: Compassionate Strategies for Decluttering](https://dnqsolutions.com/supporting-a-friend-who-hoards-compassionate-strategies-for-decluttering/) **Published:** June 16, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** As a professional organizer I often find myself working with clients who have hoarding tendencies or a diagnosed hoarding disorder. In fact, I specialize in working with people challenged by chronic disorganization, ADHD, and hoarding. Since this is my chosen profession, I have spent countless hours taking classes and earning certificates in these fields. But what do you do if you don’t have special training and your friend has too much stuff? What strategies do you use if you are supporting a friend who hoards? I’m so glad to have these questions. Let me tell you that it’s not easy. It will take time, but it is possible to provide support when you use these compassionate strategies. ### **Understanding Hoarding: What It Is and How It Affects People** The Hoarding Disorder can only be diagnosed by a qualified doctor or mental health professional such as a psychiatrist or a psychologist. It is a medical disorder and is [listed in the DSMV](https://www.psychiatry.org/Patients-Families/Hoarding-Disorder) (the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fifth edition). The characteristics of the hoarding disorder include: - Difficulty throwing away or parting with possessions because you believe you need to save them - Feeling distress at the thought of getting rid of items - Keeping a huge number of items regardless of their value - Excessive clutter that interferes with using rooms as they are intended People with a true hoarding disorder often lack insight into how their keeping and gathering of things is impacting their loved ones and friends. This can lead to difficult conversations and hurt feelings for everyone involved. It is not uncommon for people who have a hoarding disorder to have conflicting feelings of wanting to keep their stuff and feeling shame and embarrassment because of the way their home looks. These people find the best success when they are receiving therapy while working with a trained professional organizer. ### **What About Hoarding Tendencies?** There are also people who have hoarding tendencies. These people may not have a Hoarding Diagnosis. Maybe they have piles of things and parts of their home are cluttered to the extent that the rooms or areas are unusable. I have found that there are times when a home may look like it is hoarded but when the person has gentle support, encouragement, and guidance they can reduce the accumulation. It may be more a situation where things got out of hand and the person simply didn’t know what to do. If you are supporting a friend who hoards or with hoarding tendencies you may find that the following strategies are helpful. ### **Be Sensitive and Gentle in Your Approach** If your friend has a problem with too much stuff in their home, they may not want to let you inside. In fact, they may try to hide the problem from you by suggesting you meet anywhere but at their home. That is a huge signal that they are embarrassed. If they trust you enough to let you inside, ask where they would like to begin. ### **Creating a Safe and Supportive Environment** Your goal as a friend is to encourage your friend to clear space in their home. You want them to be safe. One of the first things you can do is clear the entry ways. By that I mean create a wide enough pathway through the home from the front door to the backdoor so that Emergency Services can get through if necessary. ### **Practical Steps for Assisting in Decluttering** When you are supporting a friend who hoards remember the home didn’t become this way overnight. It is not going to be decluttered overnight. Be sensitive to the fact that you are supporting a friend. You are not decluttering your home. What may appear to be too much of something to you may be perfect for your friend. Follow their lead when determining how much is enough. Focus on one small area at a time. When that area is finished, celebrate the win! Be your friend’s biggest cheerleader before deciding where to declutter next. If you come across items that are broken, ask if you can recycle or toss those things. Gradually, you’ll be able to create some guidelines that your friend is comfortable with. For instance: - Recycle newspapers and magazine that are a year or more old - Recycle or toss things that are broken beyond repair - Donate things that are too big, too small, or that they don’t like or use any more ### **Professional Help: When and How to Seek It** As I said earlier, people who are challenged by hoarding find the best success when they work with a therapist in conjunction with a trained professional organizer. The National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals ([NAPO](https://www.napo.net/)), the Institute for Challenging Disorganization ([ICD](https://www.challengingdisorganization.org/)), and the International Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Foundation ([IOCDF](https://iocdf.org/)) publish lists of professional organizers who have training in this area. Find a local therapist first and then quite often the therapist will have an organizer to refer the person to. If they do not, visit the website of one or more of the organizations listed above to find a professional organizer. I always recommend having a lengthy conversation with the organizer. Find out how they work and get a feeling for them. It’s important to have a little connection with the organizer. If you are supporting a friend who hoards you can work alongside the organizer as they work with your friend. It’s always good to have an extra pair of hands. ### **Maintaining Progress and Preventing Backsliding** Progress will be slow. This is a given in the best of situations. It can chug along at a slow but steady pace when the person works to create some better routines and habits at the same time as they are decluttering. #### Habits to create are: - Creating homes for things and putting them away after using - Having a small set of daily chores to do regularly (dishes, laundry, make the bed) - Schedule appointments with yourself to do small tasks #### Preventing backsliding: Backsliding means that the person has defaulted to previous behavior. Remember, though, that they have been working on decluttering. If you are supporting a friend who hoards, try not to chastise or scold them. You will lose their trust and their willingness to have you help them. When a person backslides, they are aware of what they have done. If you meet them with forgiveness and understanding they will be more inclined to embrace their new behavior and get back on track. ### **Self-Care for the Supporter** Working in a hoarded home is difficult work but it is also very rewarding. Helping someone regain control of their space and be safe in their home is wonderful. It is not a quick fix so if you are supporting a friend who hoards, prepare yourself for a long haul. It is physically difficult because you are bending down, picking up, and moving things. You may also be doing some cleaning here and there along the way. It is emotionally difficult because it is not a quick fix. You will need a positive attitude and to be prepared for days when not too much changes. As much as you may want your friend to live in a home that is safe, neat, tidy, organized, and clean you can not care more than your friend does. It is not your home. Repeat that to yourself every time you find yourself pushing for a change your friend is not yet willing to make. Since I am a professional organizer and trained to work with people challenged by hoarding, I am here to help. If you would like to talk through some strategies to help a friend or to help yourself, please feel free to send me an email. You can reach me at <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Understanding Hoarding --- ### [Navigating Backsliding: Understanding and Overcoming Setbacks](https://dnqsolutions.com/navigating-backsliding-understanding-and-overcoming-setbacks/) **Published:** June 30, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** To say that changing habits or beginning new habits is difficult is an under-statement. It doesn’t come close to describing the effort people (and I’m including myself here) put into this task. Nor does it address the frustrations people feel when they discover they have unintentionally slid back to using the behavior they are trying to avoid. When that happens, we forget to be kind to ourselves. We scold ourselves and can think negatively about the choice to use the old behavior. If we truly want to replace an old habit with a new one, we need to understand backsliding and how to overcome setbacks. ## **What is backsliding?** I define backsliding as sliding back into a [habit or behavior that you are trying to change](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-leverage-your-good-habits-and-routines-amid-changing-circumstances/). You can also say backsliding is reverting to old and familiar habits. Why do we backslide? It is simple, really. We backslide because we use our old and familiar habits when we aren’t intentionally thinking about using a new habit. It takes mindful practice to turn a new habit into one which we use automatically. Here’s an example: Let’s say that your old habit is to put something you’re using down instead of putting it away. You want to create the habit of putting things away in the place you want to keep them so that they are easy to find. When you put something down instead of putting it away, you will probably forget where you left it, and it may become buried under something else. For instance: what happens when you need a pair of scissors to cut open a thick envelope? You know the scissors are in the desk drawer in the study. You go and get the scissors, bring them into the kitchen to open the envelope, use the scissors, and then leave the scissors on the kitchen counter instead of taking them back to the desk drawer and putting them back where they belong. ### **Common Triggers of Backsliding** When do people backslide? In my experience people (including myself) slip back into old and familiar behaviors: - when they are short on time - when they are tired - when they are interrupted in the middle of a task If we take the example of the scissors, maybe they stopped to take a picture of the item in the envelope to post it on Instagram. The task of opening the envelope and then putting the scissors back was interrupted. They probably were so happy with the contents of the envelope that putting the scissors away slipped their mind. It was easy to just leave the scissors on the kitchen counter. Plus, they were no longer mindfully practicing the new habit of putting things back in place. ### **Recognizing the Signs of a Setback** To recognize a setback, you must identify the habit you want to create and understand your motivation. Let’s say the habit you want to create is to put things back where they belong after using them. Your motivation for putting things back where they belong may be: - to make things easier to find - to [reduce stress](https://dnqsolutions.com/take-care-of-yourself-to-reduce-stress/) (it’s stressful to lose your belongings) - to save time (when you know where something is, you don’t waste time hunting for it) It’s ok to give yourself a pass every now and then. Recognize that today (or right now) you’re not going to put this thing away. Because you have something else important to do. Acknowledge you are giving yourself a pass. Then tell yourself it’s for this time only. If you continually avoid putting things back, then you know you are backsliding. #### **Here’s the good news** When you are in the process of [changing your behavior](https://dnqsolutions.com/transforming-spaces-transforming-lives-the-power-of-professional-organizers-in-cultivating-healthy-habits-and-routines/), you have already done lots of good work. - You know which behavior you want to cultivate - Your reasons for changing your behavior are clear to you - When you recognize that you are backsliding you can start again ### **Strategies to Prevent Backsliding** Reminder notes and mantras are helpful in remembering the behavior you want to create. Post reminder notes where they will be most helpful. Put a note on your bedroom door if you want to create the habit of making your bed every morning before you start work. It can be something simple like: Did you make the bed? Or Make the Bed! There are all sorts of helpful organizing mantras you can memorize. Here are a few of my favorites: - Don’t put it down, put it away - The floor is not an option - Close the loop (this means finish the task) - Later is not a time (if you’re not going to do something now, when are you going to do it?) Use mantras, these or ones you create for yourself, to keep you on track. If finishing the laundry by putting it away is a habit you want to create then using the mantra **Close the Loop** may help you. Laundry isn’t finished, you have not closed the loop, if you walk away with the laundry in the basket or on the couch waiting to be folded and put away. The same is true for dishes in the sink. Use the acronym: **CHAOS** (Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome) to remind yourself that you want to avoid this. If your family room is starting to look disorganized or cluttered, get some things put away or do a little decluttering and avoid this feeling of CHAOS. ### **Conclusion: Embracing Growth Despite Setbacks** Understand that backsliding is just part of life. Everyone experiences backsliding when they are trying to do something differently. It is difficult and frustrating when you embark on the journey of changing a habit of behavior. But it is not impossible. It can be done by intentionally working on that one behavior. Every time you experience a setback and start over you come to it with new information. You may have some insight into what caused the backsliding this time around. Keep an [open mind](https://dnqsolutions.com/have-unexpected-positive-results-with-an-open-mind/). Use this new information or insight to guide you as you start again. And – this is very important – forgive yourself. Above all, give yourself grace. Then (as the song goes) “… *[pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and start all over again](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGUsRGuZb6k)*”. Do this as many times as it is necessary until the habit becomes automatic. Please feel free to reach out to me for help if you have any questions about backsliding or any other organizing challenge. Send me an email: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com)*. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [Mastering Backsliding: How a Professional Organizer Can Help You Stay on Track](https://dnqsolutions.com/mastering-backsliding-how-a-professional-organizer-can-help-you-stay-on-track/) **Published:** July 7, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Backsliding is a problem which I reviewed in a recent post. I talked about some strategies to use to help navigate this frustrating issue. Unfortunately, there are times when a person is so overwhelmed by backsliding that they have a difficult time identifying their options. They may not be able to objectively evaluate where to start or what strategies to use. This is when a professional organizer can help. **The Role of a Professional Organizer** I want to first acknowledge that it takes courage to reach out to a professional organizer when you are overwhelmed. There is often a feeling of shame and embarrassment when backsliding occurs. Clients have told me they are ashamed and embarrassed because they believe they should be able to [organize the space ](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-small-space-organizing-hacks-from-a-professional-organizer/)without help. They don’t like that whatever they’ve been working on has become so messy and disorganized. The fact remains that they’re frustrated and overwhelmed by the way the space looks and functions. A trained professional organizer is there to help. They are not there to assign blame, criticize, or scold. Yes. They will see the disorganization and the mess. And, yes, the thought of letting someone else see this may give you the shivers or cause you to think twice about opening your door to a veritable stranger. Think about it this way. When you’re sick or injured you reach out to a trained professional (a doctor or therapist) for help. So why not reach out to a professional organizer when you’re feeling frustrated, stressed, and overwhelmed by the disorganization in your home. **Tailored Solutions: Personalized Organizational Strategies** If you are backsliding, you have probably tried all sorts of organizing solutions. There are many [organizing books ](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-books-without-a-bookshelf/)out there which are full of advice to try. The problem is the author doesn’t know you. They haven’t spent the time talking to you, asking how you want to store your belongings, or finding out about your organizing preferences. When you try to fit yourself into a generic organizing strategy it may not work. A professional organizer can help you by creating personalized organizing strategies. You will still need to mindfully practice it and the strategies may need to be tweaked from time to time because your circumstances or preferences may change. **Practical Tips for [Daily Maintenance and Routine](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-your-daily-routine-changes-when-you-move/)** Since backsliding is a problem, talk to the professional organizer about the things you want to change. Let them help you create a daily maintenance routine to keep backsliding at bay. The professional organizer can help you think through the steps to streamline your routine and make it easier to follow. This, in turn, makes it less likely that backsliding will be a problem. **The Benefits of Regular Check-ins and Accountability** One of the best ways a professional organizer can help you master backsliding is to be your accountability partner. Since the organizer is aware of the backsliding problem, they can check-in with you on a regular basis to find out how the strategies are working. By [sharing your wins](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) with your professional organizer, you receive encouragement and motivation to keep up the good work. You can also talk through roadblocks and identify ways in which you sabotage your progress through procrastination. **Finding the Right Professional Organizer for Your Needs** Since mastering backsliding is the goal here, you will want to find a qualified and trained professional organizer. The National Association of Productivity and Organizing Specialists [(NAPO](https://napo.net/)) and the Institute for Challenging Disorganization [(ICD](https://challengingdisorganization.org/)) have directories which list the qualifications, specializations, and areas of expertise of professional organizers on their list-serve. Find an organizer in your area or one with the training you seek and then call them. If the organizer offers virtual sessions the geographical location will not matter. See if you like the way the conversation goes and then try an appointment. You won’t know if they are the right organizer for you unless you schedule a consultation or a working session. **Conclusion** It is possible to master backsliding or at least get it under control when you use the right tools. Sometimes having the right tool means having a professional organizer you know, like, and trust in your back pocket. A professional organizer who can help you because they have spent time with you (either in-person and/or virtually) and who has a good understanding of the way you want things to work. If you are struggling with backsliding and want to talk about the ways in which I can help, please feel free to send me an email to schedule a phone consultation. You can email me at: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com>. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [The Benefits of Setting Limits on Your Belongings](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-benefits-of-setting-limits-on-your-belongings/) **Published:** July 14, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I know that the idea of setting limits may seem at first to be a negative approach, more of a punishment than a positive strategy. Challenge yourself to look at this idea from a different, more holistic, perspective. We regularly set limits on a multitude of things without thinking about it. I set limits for myself on the number of candies, chocolates, and cookies I eat during the day – don’t you? The benefits of setting limits on these things impact the amount of sugar and calories I intake during the day. It’s a form of self-care. I know if I over-indulge in these sweet treats, I’ll feel sick to my stomach, and I won’t get my work done. When I limit the number of treats I eat, I enjoy them, and I don’t get sick. The benefit is obvious. If we apply setting limits to the number of things we own in a particular category the benefits are endless. Read on to find out the many benefits of setting limits on your belongings. ## **3 Reasons Why Setting Limits Helps** 1. **Reduces Decision Fatigue** Making decisions is hard work. I regularly limit the number of hours in my work sessions because I want my clients to make good, thoughtful decisions. I know that we can get a lot done in a two-hour work session and that my client will not be over-tired. When people are over-tired, they tend to make hasty decisions. Applying limits to the number of things we keep reduces the overwhelm that comes with having too many options from which to select. It’s also easier and faster to make decisions because there’s less from which to choose. #### 2, **Simplifies Maintenance** Another benefit of setting limits to the number of things is that it’s easier to clean your home. There are fewer things to pick up and move, which means that cleaning an area takes less time. Whether you do your own cleaning or have a cleaning service, less time means it’s easier for you to do or it costs less. Plus, when you own less it’s easier to keep them organized. #### 3. **Encourages Mindful Consumption** When you know how many of each category of things you have, you become much more intentional when you’re out shopping. You can ask yourself these questions: - how many do I already have? - If I buy this, what am I going to remove? If you can’t easily answer the questions, consider leaving the item in the store until you’re ready to re-home something you already have. ### **How to Set Limits** #### **Assess Your Needs** Figure out what you honestly need to have in each category. How much or many is enough? If we’re talking about clothes, how many pairs of black pants do you wear in a week? Maybe you wear black pants to work everyday and do laundry once a week. If that is the case, is 5 a good number or perhaps 6 is better. If we’re talking about pots and pans, dishes, or storage containers how many do you use at one time? Think about all sorts of circumstances when you’re deciding on a number. The benefit of setting limits is that you can use it to guide you. When you have no set limit, you will continue to collect. #### **Define your categories** As you assess your needs and think about the benefits of setting limits to the number of things you keep, create specific categories. Within books, you may have books that are classics, references for your particular line of work, cookbooks, poetry, travel, and more. Group your belongings by broad categories first and then into narrower categories if appropriate. #### **Set a Number** As much as possible set a specific number when you’re setting limits. You may have many frying pans, for instance, but only one of each size. If you use all the different sized frying pans and you have the space to keep them, then that’s fine. But if you honestly only use one or two of the frying pans and you have six then consider donating the ones you don’t use. Think about the available space when you set a number. Avoid creating another space to store the overflow. Remember you are setting limits to the number of things you own. #### **Declutter Regularly** Once every three or four months, review and reassess your belongings. Think back to the limits you set for yourself. Are they holding? Do you want to rethink them? As you put your things away, periodically look at other things that are being stored in that space. Ask yourself, when was the last time you used that item? If you can’t remember, or if you think you will never use that item, it’s probably time to donate it. Let someone else have the benefit of owning it. ### **3 Tips for Success** 1. **One In, One Out Rule** Every time you bring something new into your home, remember to remove one thing 2, **Quality over Quantity** If possible, look for quality items that last longer which saves you money in the long run 3\. **Seek Professional Help** A professional organizer can provide guidance, support, and accountability ### **Conclusion**: The benefits of setting limits on the number of things you own ultimately frees you. You gain a better understanding of what you use and which things you need to support you in your home. With fewer decisions to make and less to clean, you’ll have more time to spend on things which bring you happiness and joy. I hope you’ll try some of the strategies outlined here. I’d love to hear from you if you have other strategies or ways to set limits on the things you own. If you get stuck, please feel free to reach out to me in an email for some additional advice. You can reach me at: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com>. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC.](https://dnqsolutions.com) She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Organizing as Self-Care: Transform Your Space, Improve Your Life](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-as-self-care-transform-your-space-improve-your-life/) **Published:** July 21, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I know you’ve all heard or read about work/life balance and the importance of self-care. I bet when you think about self-care, images of someone getting a massage, a mani-pedi, or taking a nap may run through your brain. Has it occurred to you that organizing is a form of self-care? Yes! It’s true! There are many ways that being organized improves your quality of life. Isn’t having that (quality of life) what self-care is all about? My goal in this post is to share with you the many ways of viewing organizing as self-care so that you think of organizing as less of a chore and more of something you do to improve your life. ### **Declutter Your Space, Declutter Your Mind** I am not ashamed to admit that when I am stressed, confused, or overwhelmed by something that I’m thinking about or that is happening in my[ life organizing](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-when-you-are-overwhelmed/) something helps me. Organizing things, tidying them, or reducing the bulk helps me to think through the thing that is bothering me. I sometimes arrive at steps I can take that aren’t as awful as I had first thought, and which will help me resolve the problem quickly. We know that visible clutter is often the reminder of something to do, or a decision to make. When I work with clients to declutter a space, they tell me how happy it makes them feel to have the space organized. The clutter that requires a decision is dealt with and the reminders either put on a to-do list (with a date to do them) or completed. ### **Save Time, Reduce Stress** It’s no secret that when we organize our home we put our belongings where we want to find them, so that putting our hands on the things we need is a quick and easy task. Being organized saves you time because you don’t waste time hunting for items, hidden in piles of other stuff. This in turn [reduces stress](https://dnqsolutions.com/take-care-of-yourself-to-reduce-stress/). Organizing as self-care is all about reducing stress. [Managing your time,](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/time-management-coaching/) being aware of how you’re spending your time, is simpler when you are not anxious or stressed. ### **Taking Control of Your Environment** When you view organizing as self-care you maintain the organizing you have put in place. You have invested time to create organizing strategies and solutions that work for your family. You are in control of your environment. This gives you the confidence to invite friends over in the spur of the moment without any hesitation. You’re not worried about being ashamed or embarrassed over the state of your family room. ### **Mindfulness: The Meditative Act of Organizing** When you are being mindful, you are paying attention to what you are doing in that moment. You don’t let your thoughts distract you from being totally present. If you apply this concept to the act of organizing, you pay attention to where you put your belongings. The old and familiar mantras of “don’t put it down, put it away” and “a place for everything, and everything in its place” become second nature. Paying attention to where you put things as you are dealing with them maintains the organization of the space and feels rewarding. You know you are helping your future self by avoiding clutter and disorganization. ### **Habits and Routines: Building a Better Lifestyle** Creating the habits and routines which support the overall organization of your home helps to build a better lifestyle. Why? Well, let’s talk it through. When your morning routine includes the habit of making your bed, hanging up your towel, and tidying your room before you go to work (even if your work is from home) then your bedroom [stays organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-it-is-hard-to-stay-organized/). If you remember to close the loop when you do tasks like laundry, dishes, or bill paying then those tasks are finished. There’s no laundry lingering on the couch waiting to be folded, no dishes in the sink, and the bills have been paid and recorded or filed. What about the regular day-to-day items that come into the house with us like tote bags, backpacks, mail, catalogues, and other stuff? That’s where the familiar mantras come in so handy. Create the habit of putting things away. If you can’t do it right away, then make an appointment with yourself to do it at a specific time. ### **Practical Tips: How to Start Organizing Today** Here are some practical tips so you can start viewing organizing as self-care. 1. Pick one room. It could be your family room, the kitchen, or your bedroom. 2. Set a timer for 20 – 30 minutes. 3. It’s important to do this work a little at a time so you make good decisions. 4. Evaluate all the things in the room to determine which things support the activities in that space. 5. If something doesn’t belong in that space, determine where it can go and label it with the place it will go. Resist the urge to take it there now. You are organizing in just one room. 6. You will probably come across things you forgot you had. You’ll also find things you may no longer want. If they are in good condition, make a date with yourself to donate or sell them. 7. Little by little you will transform your space. ### **Conclusion:** The more you become accustomed to organizing small spaces in your home, the more you will learn about yourself and the things you honestly need, use, and love. Fear not, you do not need to do this all by yourself. You can enlist the help of family members or friends or a trained professional organizer, like me. Organizing does not need to be a chore to avoid at all cost. It can (and does) transform spaces, brings a feeling of calm to a room, and can be very rewarding. Feel free to reach out to me to learn more about how being more organized may help you. You can email me at: dnqsolutions@gmail to schedule a free 30-minute consultation. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC.*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Organizing Pitfalls: Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-pitfalls-common-mistakes-and-how-to-avoid-them/) **Published:** July 28, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Are you in the mood to do a little organizing? Yes? I’m so happy to hear that. Today I’m going to review some common mistakes people make when they decide to do a little organizing. People will often just dive in and, as a result, go headfirst into some organizing pitfalls. Read this blog post first so you can avoid those common mistakes. ## **7 Organizing Pitfalls to Avoid** ### **1. Buying Organizing Supplies Prematurely** The Container Store, Target, Home Goods, Walmart and other stores all have very attractive displays of organizing supplies. These displays are truly enticing. I admit to being a huge fan of organizing products. My favorite place to shop is The Container Store. The displays at the store I frequent is so tempting that I rarely go into the store unless I have a specific shopping list. Why? I’m so glad you asked! Because I know I would be tempted to buy things I don’t need in my house – even though they look so terrific in the store. **The problem** here is that people will often go out and buy things that look awesome in the store without measuring the space they want to organize. AND without knowing what will go into the bin, box, basket, or container. **The solution** is to measure your space and assess your belongings first, then purchase supplies that fit your specific needs. ### **2. Not Decluttering First** **This organizing pitfall** is organizing things without taking the time to declutter them first. For example, organizing the clothes in a closet without first removing the clothes you no longer wear. **The solution** is to declutter any area you want to organize first. Remove things that are broken beyond repair and toss or recycle them. Put anything you no longer need or use in a donation bag. Then organize the things that remain. ### **3. Tackling Too Much at Once** I don’t want to dampen your enthusiasm to organize your home but let’s be realistic here. It didn’t become disorganized overnight. It will take more than a day to put organizing systems in place. **The problem** is thinking you can organize a whole house in a day. An entire room is many times too much to tackle in one sitting. Taking on too much is a prescription for overwhelm. It’s hard to stay motivated to make organizational changes when you’re overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. **The solution** is to break the task of organizing your home into small, manageable tasks. Start small. Decide which room to begin with and then decide which part of that room to tackle first. ### **4. Not Having a Clear Plan** When you don’t have a vision of what you want the end result to look and feel like you may be jumping from small task to small task. Yes. You’ll get lots of random things done but you may feel dissatisfied. **The problem** is beginning to organize without a vision in mind. **The solution** is to create a plan, outlining the vision you have for how you want each area of your home to function, look, and feel. ### **5. Keeping Items Out of Guilt or Obligation** A common organizing pitfall is keeping things even though you don’t want, use, need, or even like them because (here are a few of the reasons) - A friend or relative gave it to you - It belonged to a dear relative - It brings back the memory of … - You think the friend or relative will expect to see it - It served a purpose once, and may again – someday **The problem** is that these things even though they were gifts or have sentimental value are clogging the valuable real estate in our homes **The solution** is to be honest with yourself about what you really need, use, and love. Then release items that don’t serve a purpose in your current life. ### **6. Forgetting Labels** It’s important to label bins even if the bins are clear. At the time you’re putting things in the bin you think you’ll remember everything inside. The truth is that we all have so much to remember that those little details will be quickly forgotten. This is especially true of things we don’t access often. **The problem** is using bins and boxes but not labeling them, making it hard to find items. **The solution** is to label everything clearly to know what’s inside without opening every container. If you want to, you [can use QR labels on bins](https://www.qr-code-generator.com/blog/qr-code-labels/). This makes labeling containers even easier. Keep a list of what each bin contains and then all you need to do is scan the QR code to find out what is in the bin. Easy Peasy! ### **7. Ignoring Maintenance** Remember organizing is a way to be not a destination. The final mistake people make when organizing is that they forget that being organized requires regular maintenance. **The problem** is that people forget to build routine maintenance into their daily, weekly, and monthly plans. This leads to the buildup of clutter. **The solution** is to create a regular plan to maintain the organizational systems you have put in place. Do you recognize any of these 7 organizing pitfalls? If you do, I hope that reading this blog will help you avoid them in the future. If organizing is on your mind or something you would like to get a better understanding of for yourself or your family, send me an email to schedule a free 30-minute phone call. You can reach me at <dnqsolutions@gmail.com>. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [Clutter Control and Dieting: A Comparison](https://dnqsolutions.com/clutter-control-and-dieting-a-comparison/) **Published:** August 4, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Do you diet? If so, what kind of dieting do you do? There are all kinds of diets. My favorite kind is a diet that allows all foods in moderation. [Merriam-Webster](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/diet#:~:text=1-,a,special%20reason%20(as%20improving%20health)) offers this simple definition of diet: a.: the food and drink that a person, animal, or group usually takes. b.: the kind and amount of food selected for a person or animal for a special reason (as improving health) Now that we know what a diet is, let’s compare clutter control and dieting. I think that limiting the number of things you [bring into your home](https://dnqsolutions.com/bring-harmony-into-your-home-get-organized/) is like the limit you place on what you eat. It’s all about finding the balance that works for you and the way you want to [live your life.](https://dnqsolutions.com/5-concepts-to-rightsize-your-life-live-better/) ## **5** **Similarities between clutter control and dieting** ### 1. **Change your habits and mindset:** Once you have decided that you are going to change your eating habits, it’s a given that you must also change the way you think about food. The same is true for controlling clutter. If you decide that you don’t want clutter to accumulate on the kitchen counter, you must change your habit of piling things there. Changing your habits regarding clutter and/or food is not a quick or easy thing to do. Both require patience and practice. ### 2. **Planning and strategy:** To be successful in your endeavor to either change your eating habits or change the way you tackle clutter you need a plan. In both cases you can start by determining your vision. How do you want your home to look? Perhaps you want to keep the clothes in the closet and have the kitchen counters readily available for cooking. What results do you want to have by changing your eating habits? Maybe you want to be healthier, have more energy, or fit into a certain size clothes. Once you determine your goal, you need to devise a strategy involving specific steps to achieve your goal. ### 3. **Avoiding temptations:** If you know that clutter comes into your home because you stop in the Dollar Store (just to look) and end up leaving with lots of little things, avoid that temptation. - Do not go to stores, just to look. - Avoid shopping without a list and only buy the things on your list. Since we now have delivery services for groceries, you can do your grocery shopping online and have the food delivered. This will help you avoid temptations in the grocery aisles. If you like to go to the grocery store to select your produce and other ingredients, then follow these steps. - Plan your meals - Make a comprehensive grocery list (check your pantry) - Buy only the things on the list ### 4. **Portion control and boundaries:** When your diet is like mine (all foods in moderation) you are not limiting yourself to only eating certain foods. Instead, it’s more about portion control. Portion control also applies if you are limiting your caloric intake. You know a large portion or more than one portion at a meal will not help you reach your goal. If we stretch our minds a bit, we can apply the concept of portion control to clutter. We can decide to reduce the number of cute things on a tabletop to the ones which we think are the cutest. This controls the clutter. As you go about decluttering, set boundaries for the number of things you keep in any one category. Limit yourself to the things you need, use and truly love, everything else contributes to clutter. ### 5. **Consistency and Maintenance:** The biggest similarity between controlling clutter and dieting is the need to be consistent in your approach and schedule regular maintenance. That is, if you want to have lasting results. We all know what happens when someone goes on a strict diet. They lose weight, right? Then when the person declares they are finished with the diet, the weight comes back on. Why? Well, because they weren’t consistent with their effort and the diet was so strict it was impossible to maintain. Decluttering is similar because when you consistently pay attention to what you bring into your home and what you do with it, controlling clutter is not so difficult. But when you let down your guard and don’t pay attention to what you bring into your home and what you do with it, clutter accumulates quickly. A regular maintenance routine is very important if you want to control clutter in your home. ## **One main difference between controlling clutter and dieting** ### **Visible progress:** Decluttering has instant visible results. Think about your junk drawer. When you spend a few minutes emptying the drawer, discarding the things that are useless or broken, and then put the random things you need to keep the drawer instantly looks better. The same is not true for dieting. It’s possible to follow a diet to the letter for a week or even two and not see the needle move very far on the scale. Decluttering is so much easier than dieting for that very reason alone. ### **Practical Tips** Here are some practical tips for controlling clutter. - Start in one area - Take a picture before you start, and when you finish. You will be better able to see your progress this way - Work for short periods of time, taking breaks in between decluttering sessions - Decide how much is enough - Maintain each area once you have finished removing the clutter - Give yourself grace ### **Conclusion**: The similarities between dieting and controlling clutter are hard to ignore. Both require us to put temptation aside and focus on our goals. This can be hard to do. It’s hard to resist tempting aromas or the desire to have those cute things on our mantel. When we give in to temptation and buy that food or those cute things to put on our mantel, we must give ourselves grace. We can begin dieting again tomorrow and we can make space for new things by either putting away the things that are currently on the mantel or even better by donating them. Keep your vision of what you want your home to look like and how you want it to function in mind just as you will keep your vision of what healthy eating means to you and your body as you go about controlling clutter and dieting. If you are interested in more specific strategies for controlling clutter in your home send me an email to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation. You can email me at <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [More Than Just Meetings: The True Value of In-Person Conferences](https://dnqsolutions.com/more-than-just-meetings-the-true-value-of-in-person-conferences/) **Published:** August 18, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Do you go to conferences? Maybe your business or company pays for you to attend one or more either for education, networking, or both. Maybe you are a solo-entrepreneur like me and you carefully evaluate these educational and networking opportunities. Many conferences are held online and are recorded to provide the information to those who live in different time zones. I see the benefit to holding conferences online because they are so much more affordable for everyone involved. But, truthfully, you get so much more than excellent education out of [attending in-person conferences](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-to-attend-the-icd-conference/). ## **7 valuable reasons to attend in-person conferences** #### 1. **Networking Opportunities:** In-person conferences provide opportunities to meet industry leaders, potential clients, and collaborators. These face-to-face interactions can lead to meaningful professional relationships that are harder to establish online. As a professional organizer, I have an opportunity to meet other organizers from all over the world when I go to conferences. I love these face-to-face meetings. Sometimes we share case studies and the challenges that can occur. Other times, we catch up on more personal details. In my experience, these encounters don’t happen during an online or virtual conference. Even when you have virtual break-out rooms, I don’t find the intimacy you have when meeting in-person. #### 2. **Learning and Development:** Almost all conferences feature expert presenters, workshops, and panel discussions that can enhance your skills and knowledge. In-person conferences provide you with the ability to ask questions and engage directly with the presenters. If the presenters are invited to participate in the remaining conference sessions, there is often time to learn even more. #### 3. **Exposure to New Products and Ideas:** Beyond participating in the sessions there is an opportunity at an in-person conference to connect with vendors. There are often opportunities there to earn passive income by joining affiliate programs. You can sell products which you believe will appeal to your clients and earn a commission on each sale. #### 4. **Personal and Professional Growth:** When you attend a conference virtually you have access to the information but very little beyond that. Contrast that with attending an in-person conference where you step out of your usual environment and immerse yourself in the conference setting. Doing this can inspire personal and professional growth. It can also reignite your passion for your work in ways you may not have previously considered. #### 5. **Motivation and Inspiration:** The energy and enthusiasm of like-minded individuals can be incredibly motivating. Comparing notes, listening to other people’s successes and challenges may provide you with new perspectives and tools for your professional toolbox. #### 6. **Cultural and Social Experiences**: Conferences are often held in interesting locations, providing opportunities for cultural experiences. You meet people from other parts of the country or even the world if you belong to a global organization, like the [Institute for Challenging Disorganization](https://www.challengingdisorganization.org/2024-in-person-conference). It’s always interesting to hear how someone from another country and culture feels about what they are learning at an in-person conference. #### 7. **Engaging with Others:** Going to an in-person provides countless casual opportunities to have a cup of coffee or share a meal with other like-minded conference attendees. It is these quiet moments of shared experiences that nurture me as a professional. And it is these casual, unplanned, and unexpected opportunities to meet new people and reconnect with those I already know which keeps me coming back to in-person conferences. ### **Affordability Through Early Planning and Saving:** There is no doubt that attending an in-person conference is a financially expensive proposition. However, when you know all the benefits of attending an in-person conference the best way to afford it without breaking the bank is to plan ahead. If possible, take advantage of the early bird registration fee. Then look for travel deals, and plan to share accommodations to reduce costs even further. ### **In Conclusion:** There is no doubt that everyone benefits from attending in-person conferences. Yes. They are time consuming. It’s also true that they are expensive for the organization that puts the conference together as well as for those attending. The fact remains that everyone benefits. If the organizers provide excellent education, the organization they represent benefits. The attendees benefit in all the ways I have listed above. It takes lots of hard work to put together a well-organized and worthwhile conference. I know this from personal experience. But I love attending these conferences and the value of attending an in-person conference outweighs the cost. I hope that if you have an option to attend an in-person conference, you will take it. You won’t regret it. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Binge Organizing: Is It Right For You?](https://dnqsolutions.com/binge-organizing-is-it-right-for-you/) **Published:** August 25, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** A friend of mine recently admitted that she hates organizing but she loves it when her home is neat and tidy. Her strategy is to live with piles of things haphazardly around her home until she can’t take it anymore. Then, she told me, she spends the day or maybe the entire weekend working through her piles. My friend calls this binge organizing. Have you ever done this? I know I have done some binge organizing in my office from time to time. I’ll talk more about that in a minute. First, I’m going to talk about the appeal of binge organizing. ## **Understanding the Appeal of Binge Organizing** Binge Organizing turns what may be a huge mess into an organized space in a day or two. This method appeals to people who are motivated to turn their messy space into an organized haven. Binge organizing can work if: - the person is ready to make decisions quickly - the person does not have hoarding tendencies - the person can stay focused on the task for long periods of time ### **The Pros of Binge Organizing:** In my mind there are three clear pros to binge organizing: **Immediate results:** When you decide that you want to spend the day getting a space organized and follow through you achieve immediate results. **Makes you feel pride and joy in your accomplishment**: knowing that you walked into a messy room or zone and are now leaving it tidy and organized the way you want it to be can fill you with pride and joy. **Can provide motivation to organize another area:** this feeling of accomplishment can extend to other areas of your home, providing you with motivation to schedule another organizing session. ### **The Cons of Binge Organizing:** There are probably more than three cons to binge organizing. These are the three that are on the top of my mind and reasons why I don’t generally recommend this strategy. **The Danger of Overcommitting:** Attempting to organize a messy and disorganized space in just one or two all-day sessions can be exhausting. You run the risk of taking on too big a task and leaving it half-way completed. **Sustainability Concerns: Why Binge Organizing May Not Last:** All the professional organizers I know will tell you that organizing is not a once and done solution. You can spend hours getting a space organized and then watch it return to a disorganized mess unless you change your habits. **The Stress of Tackling Too Much at Once:** It can be overwhelming to even think about walking into a filled-up and overflowing room (even a small space) and creating order. The thought of deciding where to start can make a person press pause because that in and of itself is a difficult thing to do. ### **Situations When Binge Organizing Works Best**: Here are a couple of situations where I believe binge organizing works best. **When There is a Hard Deadline:** Let’s imagine the homeowner has been given a set number of days or weeks by a leasing agent or an inspector to make the home more organized so that they can safely live there. This is a reason to work on organizing until that result is achieved. I’m thinking of someone whose home may be hoarded, and they may be evicted if they don’t comply. Another situation is when a home is being sold and there are only a couple of weeks to empty the home before turning it over to the new owners. **Pairing Binge Organizing with Long-Term Strategies:** I referenced above that a person can derive benefits from binge organizing if they also plan to incorporate maintenance strategies. Nothing ever stays organized because we live in our homes and use our things. If a person works hard and gets a room or the entire home organized the only way it will remain organized is if they change their habits and create strategies to maintain the organization. ### **Conclusion:** **Finding Balance: How to Make Binge Organizing Work for You:** I said at the beginning of this piece that I sometimes engage in binge organizing in my office. My habit is to let project papers and files accumulate on a table beside my desk. This works for me until the piles become mixed together. When that happens, I will take a couple of hours and work on that table to create order. It’s true that I know how to prevent this from happening. However, my firm belief is that each person needs to be comfortable with the organizing strategies they use. This is why I work with my clients to create strategies specifically for them. **Is Binge Organizing Right for Your Lifestyle?** As a rule, I do not recommend binge organizing as a strategy. This topic came up because a friend was talking about how she consciously allows clutter and piles of things to accumulate until she can’t stand it anymore. Then she spends time (an entire weekend) putting things away, tossing things, and returning things to shops or to the library. Is this a good idea for you? I don’t know. I’m always happy to have a conversation about different organizing strategies and solutions. The best part of talking about this is that together we can create an organizing strategy specifically for you. Send me an email to schedule a time to talk. You can reach me at: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com>. I look forward to talking with you. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com)*. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [Understanding Hoarding: A Journey of Progress and Practical Solutions](https://dnqsolutions.com/understanding-hoarding-a-journey-of-progress-and-practical-solutions/) **Published:** September 8, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Do you know someone who hoards things? Maybe their home is cluttered to the point that makes you uncomfortable. Have you said something to this person? Maybe you haven’t said anything, but you wonder why they don’t deal with it? Perhaps you have even done some research or watched some of the hoarding shows on TV. Understanding hoarding takes educating yourself on the disorder; learning what it is, and what it is not. I am a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization and I also have a Hoarding Specialist Certificate from the [Institute for Challenging Disorganization](https://challengingdisorganization.org). As such I regularly work with people challenged by hoarding. What I can tell you from personal experience is that reducing the hoard is a lengthy journey, but it is possible when the person wants to make some changes. Read on if you’d like to have a better understanding of how a professional organizer can help with this disorder and to learn some practical solutions. ### **A Client Success Story** I am a former primary school teacher and used to love seeing the light bulb turn on in my students’ eyes when reading words all of a sudden made sense. I get the same rush of joy and happiness when one of my clients challenged by hoarding realizes that they can let something go and be content with their decision. This happened recently. Here’s the story. *Note: I’ve changed the circumstances to protect my client’s privacy.* I was on the phone with my client, doing a follow-up phone call – essentially checking -in with my client to encourage them to do a bit more work on their own. My client told me that he has decided that when he is working on reducing the hoard and sees something he doesn’t recognize, doesn’t have a need for, and doesn’t think he will use, he will let it go. This was an enormous light-bulb moment for my client. I was thrilled to hear him share this discovery with me. This will make reducing the piles of things easier. ### **Hoarding Challenges:** People with hoarding behaviors and/or tendencies bring things into the home with the best of intentions. They often see something in a store and buy it intending to either give it to someone or to use it ‘someday’. The problem is that there is no definite day, person, or event assigned to that object. It’s set aside and before you know it something else comes in and creates a pile. Then there are the things that are free and found. Like flyers at the doctor’s office and grocery store. Or things left by the side of the road, free for anyone to pick up and take home. Someone with hoarding tendencies may see something and think I can use that. Because they don’t have a specific use or place to keep that item, it also becomes part of the accumulation. My suggestion for people with these behaviors and tendencies is to pause and answer these questions: - Where will I put this thing - What purpose does it serve - If I don’t use it, will I be willing to give it to someone who will Another challenge people with hoarding behaviors face is a reluctance to release belongings even when they have many multiples of something or it is broken. When someone is working on understanding hoarding better, this is one of the hardest concepts to wrap your mind around. We want to rationalize and say if it is broken just let it go. Or, you have so many *xxx* just donate the extras. It is not that simple for someone who has spent years accumulating. ### **Practical Organizing Tips:** I like to start by sharing my organizing philosophy with my clients. Have only the things you need, use, and love in your home. If you don’t need it, use it, or love it then think about letting someone else having the benefit from it. We also talk about organizations that they like (or want) to support. Typically, something to benefit dogs and cats in shelters is appealing. Also, Veteran Associations, Habitat for Humanity, and organizations which help people dress for interviews. Knowing that the items they are letting go will benefit an organization they believe in helps make the process a little less painful. Something that has helped the client I referred to previously is rotating displays of things. This client has a huge collection of signs with inspirational sayings. He and I found them scattered and piled here and there in his home. There is a blank wall in his home that is perfect to display some of these signs. My client and I decided to hang some signs and to store the rest in his garage. Once a month (or maybe seasonally) he’ll switch the signs. He has also said that he may decide to donate some of the signs once he sees them up on the wall. We both think that once he sees the sign hanging he may realize it’s not something he wants to keep. This may be a good way to reduce the number of things in a collection. If you have too many to display, consider only putting out a few things and rotating them. This works well if there is easy access to a storage site or facility. ### **Emotional Aspects of Hoarding** I want to remind you that I am a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization and not a therapist. Many people with hoarding behaviors or tendencies are also more emotionally attached to their things than someone without these tendencies. I know (and so do you) that some things just pull at our heartstrings. Maybe the item reminds us of a happy event or of a person. Perhaps someone we love gave it to us. If we’re going to be honest with ourselves, we will admit that it’s difficult to let those things go even if they are old and tattered. When someone is challenged by hoarding, most things pull on their emotions – not just the extra special things. While I can suggest strategies and solutions to make releasing these things easier it’s important to recognize the benefits of concurrently working with a trained therapist. A therapist will address the emotional issues and make understanding hoarding behaviors and these tendencies easier for the person challenged by them. The International OCD Foundation ([IOCDF](https://hoarding.iocdf.org/)) has a list of therapists on their website as well as information on the Hoarding Disorder. Understanding this emotional aspect of hoarding is crucial if you are helping a friend reduce the bulk of their stuff. ### **Customized Solutions:** When you’re working with a friend or loved one to reduce the number of things in their home park your expectations outside their home. Recognize that it’s their home and you are there to assist. Ask what their overall vision is for their home and then break that down into their vision for each small space. Begin with one space or room. Continue working in that space until it is as organized as the person wants it to be. I recommend taking a picture before you start working in the designated space and a picture after each work session. It’s easier to see the changes when you are looking at before and after photographs. Progress will be slow but slow and steady always wins the race. ### **Conclusion:** Helping someone reclaim their home is difficult but rewarding work. You may feel like things aren’t moving as quickly out of the house as you would like. Here’s the thing, it didn’t become filled up in a short span of time. Progress will be slow. The most wonderful thing you can do for someone is to be there for them. Encourage them, be their accountability partner, and let them know that no matter how long it takes you are proud of them for embarking on this journey. Remember to celebrate every success, even the smallest. For more of my practical tips and suggestions, [sign up for my newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact-professional-organizer/). *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Understanding Hoarding --- ### [Overwhelmed? Here’s How to Move Forward When You Have Too Much to Do](https://dnqsolutions.com/overwhelmed-heres-how-to-move-forward-when-you-have-too-much-to-do/) **Published:** September 15, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Everyone has been overwhelmed from time to time. I was so overwhelmed by all that I had to do recently that I felt like I had a weight on my chest, making it hard to breathe. My thoughts were swirling. I could think of at least ten things that had to get done right away. Which one should I do first? How was I going to make it through the day? When was I going to do some of the little things I wanted to do for me? These questions and more were running around in my head making it hard to take any action. Does any of this sound familiar? Maybe you’re asking why a professional organizer would get overwhelmed. The simple answer is that I am human. Yes. I am a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization. Both of these are true statements. The fact is that there are times when even an experienced professional organizer becomes overwhelmed. ## How to reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed and to get moving forward ### **Prioritize Tasks** I set a timer because I didn’t want to allow myself to spend all day analyzing what would be best to do first. Then I wrote down everything I wanted to do. There were things on my list that clearly needed to be done right away. So, I took another piece of paper and made another list of things that were time sensitive. Things that had a due date. By the time my alarm went off I had made 4 lists. - Tasks that were time sensitive, - Tasks that were important to do but were not urgent – these could wait for another day - Tasks that were neither important nor urgent but that I wanted to do for myself - Tasks that I could postpone indefinitely because I didn’t want to do them, and they were not urgent or important. This helped me decide where to start. ### **Tackle the Most Critical Tasks First** Many of the tasks that were lingering on my to-do list were time sensitive. I tackled them first because they were the most critical. It was important to me to get these things done because not doing them would have an impact on other people. One thing to know about me is that I care about the people with whom I work and never want to let them down. ### **Take Breaks and Practice Self-Care** One of the hidden benefits of having a dog is that you get outside for walks from time to time during the day. Walking is one of my favorite ways to think through problems. [Research](https://hbr.org/2023/05/how-to-take-better-breaks-at-work-according-to-research) tells us that taking a break, getting outside, and even looking at something green helps to refresh our brain. That and having a glass of water and a snack are important to do. ### **Use Time Blocking** Once I had my prioritized list and knew what I was starting with I also decided to work in time blocks. I like to work in two-hours chunks of time. So I set my timer, worked straight for two hours, and then took Buddy (my dog) out for a 20 or 30-minute walk. I did this three times. If you decide to use time blocking figure out how long you want to work at a stretch. You may want to work in 60 or 90-minute blocks of time instead of the 2-hour block. Everyone is different. What works for me may not work for you. ### **Eliminate Distractions** Remember to turn off notifications on your phone when you have pressing deadlines or when you are overwhelmed. It’s so easy to let yourself get distracted by scrolling through Facebook or Instagram or watching YouTube videos. I know when I’m feeling overwhelmed one way I avoid getting down to work and figuring out how to get my tasks done is to open Instagram. I get pulled into some reels and before I know it an hour of valuable work time has slipped on by. #### Put your phone away If you want to reduce that overwhelmed feeling, put your phone down. Maybe even move it away from where you’re sitting so you aren’t tempted to take a short social media break. That will interrupt your workflow more than you think. I put my phone on silent and then put it in a drawer away from my desk so that I couldn’t hear it buzz. It’s a good safety measure to have it with me when I go on walks with Buddy. Plus I like to know how many steps a walk in a day. I took it out and checked it during my walk breaks with Buddy. ### **Conclusion** Feeling overwhelmed is awful. No one likes this. I believe that acknowledging that it happens to most (if not all) people from time to time is important. In my case, none of my tasks were difficult or could have been handed off to someone else. But when you get overwhelmed, reaching out and asking for help is one of the best ways to reduce that horrible feeling. Even if it’s just to have someone there to work alongside you. Having someone there to work through the tasks or to create a plan (with a schedule) to follow will serve to ease the burden. If you’re overwhelmed and would like help creating a plan so you can reduce this feeling, please send me an email to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation. My email is: dnqsolutions@gmail.com. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Planning & Schedule Management --- ### [Simplify Your Life: Create Boundaries by Scheduling Your Time Wisely](https://dnqsolutions.com/simplify-your-life-create-boundaries-by-scheduling-your-time-wisely/) **Published:** September 29, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** In today’s fast-paced world, juggling multiple tasks can be overwhelming. In fact, [research](https://www.verywellmind.com/multitasking-2795003) confirms that, instead of boosting productivity, multi-tasking wastes time. Often, we try to squeeze a little bit of everything into each day, leaving us feeling scattered and unproductive. We wonder what we’ve accomplished in the time we set aside to work. If we have lots going on (and who among us doesn’t?) we may be dismayed by our lack of measurable progress. What if, instead, we create boundaries by assigning specific tasks to designated days? This strategy not only helps boost focus but also allows us to fully immerse ourselves in one project at a time. Let me explain the way this strategy works for me. ## **The Power of Boundaries:** Boundaries aren’t just for relationships or physical space; they can also help structure your time. When you create clear boundaries in your schedule, it can reduce decision fatigue and free up mental space. You know exactly what each day is for, which helps you approach your tasks with clarity. I understand that it’s not always possible to dictate how to spend the available time you have each day. You may have appointments and, if you work for someone else, they probably have ideas about how you spend your time. If you have children, you will have time you allocate to doing things with them What is possible is for you to decide how to spend your flex time. This is where you can create boundaries and take control. If you are a solo entrepreneur, as I am, you are already in control of your schedule. But just because you are in [control doesn’t mean that you allocate your time wisely](https://dnqsolutions.com/whos-in-control-of-your-free-time-you-or-your-clutter/). Look at this sample weekly schedule. Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean that every waking hour is dedicated to the tasks listed below each day of the week. ### **A Sample Weekly Schedule**: Create boundaries by crafting a schedule tailored to your needs. This is the key to achieving balance. Here’s how you can break down your week. #### **Monday: Office and Administrative Work** Start your week by tackling the behind-the-scenes tasks that keep your business or life running smoothly. Focus on billing, invoicing, responding to emails, and writing social media copy. By devoting most of the day to these tasks, you’ll be able to work efficiently without interruption. If you take some client meetings, schedule them later in the day so these administrative tasks are completed first. #### **Tuesday: Client-Focused Work** Whether you work with clients virtually or in person, Tuesday can be dedicated to meetings, follow-ups, and project delivery. By setting aside a specific day for this, you can give your clients undivided attention and show up fully prepared. #### **Wednesday: Volunteer or Passion Projects** Wednesday is the perfect day to give back or dive into a personal passion. Dedicating one day a week to volunteer efforts or creative projects helps you feel more fulfilled and gives you a midweek boost of energy and purpose. #### **Thursday: Learning and Development** Stay ahead in your field by dedicating time on Thursdays to personal and professional growth. Whether it’s attending webinars, taking online courses, or reading industry-related books, this time is reserved for you to develop new skills. #### **Friday: Catch Up and Plan Ahead** Friday can be your day to review what you’ve accomplished during the week, tie up any loose ends, and plan for the week ahead. This reflection day helps ensure nothing slips through the cracks and s[ets you up for success](https://dnqsolutions.com/set-yourself-up-for-success-accomplish-your-goals/). As an added bonus, when you tie up the loose ends on Friday you get to spend the weekend resting, relaxing, and having fun. ### **Benefits of Structuring Your Week**: **Improved Focus:** By concentrating on one task or area of interest per day, you can dive deeper and produce better results. **Reduced Stress**: No more trying to do a little of everything every day; focusing on fewer things makes your workload feel lighter. **Clearer Priorities**: Scheduling your time means you know what’s most important, helping you achieve a better balance between work and personal life. ### Conclusion: By assigning specific days to different aspects of your life, you’ll find that you can get more done. This will help you feel less scattered. It’s not about cramming everything into every day, but about creating boundaries that allow you to be productive and more fulfilled. This is not to say that things won’t get in your way. Sometimes you may feel like switching topics or interests. But when you have a plan in place and know that on this day you will give time to XXX, you may be less inclined to flit between topics. If you’re interested in talking about how a plan like this may work for you send me an email to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation. You can find me at: dnqsolutions@gmail.com *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com)*. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing*. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Planning & Schedule Management --- ### [Practice Makes Progress: Change Your Mindset to Organize Your Home](https://dnqsolutions.com/practice-makes-progress-change-your-mindset-to-organize-your-home/) **Published:** October 6, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I’m sure you’ve been told many times that the more you do something, the better you will do. My mother used to tell me “Practice makes perfect”. She would say that to me when I was struggling to play a piano piece better or when something I baked didn’t turn out as I had wanted. I know I growled back in response to leave me alone. Have you ever experienced this? Maybe you are currently working on something. If it’s not going as well as you want it to, are you thinking of giving up? I hope you keep at it. The truth is that practice makes progress. Doing something over and over again is what makes it stick in our brain. This is the way in which we create new habits and routines. Practicing a skill makes it better. This is simple logic. The first time you do something you may do it well or you may flop. The only way to make progress is to do it again. You can apply this principle to almost anything, including organizing your home. ## **How to Apply Practice Makes Progress to Organizing Your Home** ### **The Science of Practice and Neural Pathways:** I’m reading a fascinating book titled [*Seven and a Half Lessons About the Brain*](https://www.amazon.com/Seven-Half-Lessons-About-Brain-ebook/dp/B081TT1V8M/ref=sr_1_1?crid=71O5S9N9YHAC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.8uGLzHkcIRLcf32fXuXR8LhzzCuTkKQQlq7tq1WoKLzGjHj071QN20LucGBJIEps.ydmoUneMOZnx6250ATdxT7Bj_VP7MCXnfW3GjC7bd1w&dib_tag=se&keywords=71%2F2+lessons+about+the+brain&qid=1728149745&sprefix=%2Caps%2C136&sr=8-1) by Lisa Feldman Barrett. In all honesty I love reading about the brain and how it works and do so frequently. I was aware of neural pathways and had a good working knowledge of the ways in which we, as humans, develop habits. This book has turned what I thought I knew and understood about the brain upside down. It’s a short book. I think you’ll be just as surprised by the new information as I was. Read the book to learn more. One of the things that Dr. Barrett explains is that repeatedly practicing something is the only way to change how you do something. Through practice you make progress and create a new neural pathway. The more you practice, the more automatic a behavior becomes. Let’s relate this theory to organizing the things in your home. If your goal is to control the clutter in your home, the more you practice decluttering the easier and less of a chore it will become. ### **Fixed vs. Growth Mindset in Home Organization:** Are you familiar with this quote from Henry Ford, “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right”. This illustrates the concept that if you’ve decided that something is impossible for you to do (like be more organized, get to appointments on time) then it’s going to be difficult for you to accomplish that task. This is a fixed mindset. A fixed mindset may encourage you to keep things that you know you’re not using. It tells you that you may need it one day so it’s best to keep it just in case. You hang on to things, instead of decluttering and removing the things you don’t need or use. But if you open your mind to the idea that change is possible then the possibilities are endless. ### **The Power of Consistent Practice in Organizing:** Here are some simple things you can do to make decluttering and organizing a little easier. - Practice identifying the things you know you need, use, and love. - Set aside 10 minutes each day - Focus on one room or area – even one drawer - Set aside anything that doesn’t fit one of those categories. - Remove them from your home by donating, selling, recycling, or tossing Another simple exercise is to walk around your house and identify the function of each space. For instance, is the dining room a place for eating or is it the craft and study zone? After you identify what you want to do in each space think about the things that support those activities. Next only keep things in the room which support the function of the space. It’s OK if some rooms have a dual purpose. Understand that as you are decluttering. Create a schedule for yourself which allows you to spend 10 minutes or so decluttering in each area of your home at least once a week. ### **Growth Mindset in Action:** One of my clients was in danger of falling and hurting themselves inside their home because they had too many things in piles scattered around. They wanted to reduce the piles and find homes for the things they had saved. The problem was there was very little space in the home to put things away. We decided to go through one pile at a time and sort it into keep, donate (or sell), recycle, or toss. As we went through the piles my client realized that they didn’t even know what some things were. Those were easy to donate. Other things were supposed to be gifts but the person for whom the gift was intended wouldn’t want it now, too much time had passed. Those things could also be donated. Some things were in a pile because they needed to be fixed. My client admitted they were not going to fix them. Those things we recycled. As time went on, we made faster and faster progress sorting the piles. Areas of their home are now easier to access and there are no tripping hazards. ### **Conclusion:** Organizing, like every other thing you do, can be done better with practice. You decide just how organized you want to be. Maybe you like a little clutter around, maybe you are more of a minimalist. That’s fine. If being better organized is something you want, then you will only make progress by intentionally practicing. Take it slowly. Don’t change everything at once. Pick a place to start and then make small incremental changes in that space or with that routine. If you’d like some help with organizing your home reach out to me to schedule a free 30-minute phone conversation. You can email me at: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> I offer both in-person and virtual organizing sessions. [*Diane N. Quintana*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *is the owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize --- ### [Keeping Order: How to Maintain Your Organized Spaces with Intentional Resets](https://dnqsolutions.com/keeping-order-how-to-maintain-your-organized-spaces-with-intentional-resets/) **Published:** October 13, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** One of my favorite things to organize in my house is my desk and the space surrounding it. I love keeping order here in my office. Filing my papers, making new folders for new projects, and putting things exactly where I want them brings me a special kind of joy. But it is also the one place in my home that is frequently messy. I know, I know – I’m a professional organizer and one would think I would be able to keep my office organized, especially because I like it best when it is tidy. The truth is, just like you, I’m busy and involved in numerous activities. Instead of beating myself up when it becomes a mess, I intentionally set aside time to reset this space. ### **The Power of the Reset** Give yourself grace and permission to reset the space when it becomes messy. Resetting means that you actively return the room, area, or small space to an organized state. My clients sometimes take a photo of an area after we have organized a room or space. Having that photograph as reference helps when they are ready to reset the space. In my experience most homes have “hot spots”. These are the areas that tend to get messy the fastest. Just like my office is a “hot spot” in my home. This is because these are the places that are most lived in. Keeping order requires regular space resets. This helps prevent clutter from building up to the point where it is overwhelming. ### **Recognizing the Signs of Clutter** Have you ever seen a horse wearing blinders on either side of his face? I’ve seen blinders on horses drawing carriages in Charleston and on horses on the racetrack in Saratoga Springs, New York. The horses wear blinders to keep them focused on what’s directly in front of them. Sometimes we wear blinders. We become so accustomed to seeing piles of clothes on a chair in a bedroom, laundry piled in a laundry basket, and stacks of papers on a desk or kitchen counter that we don’t pay attention to them. Help yourself by recognizing that piles do not diminish, instead they grow. It’s easy to add something else to a pile. Make notes about your hot spots and notice when they begin to attract clutter. ### **The 5-Minute Rule: Daily Mini-Resets** You can avoid hot spots all together if you embrace the idea of mini resets. Keeping order isn’t difficult or time consuming when you consistently put things away. It takes less than 5 minutes to hang up or put away a couple of clothing items. This prevents them from turning into a pile on your bedroom chair. If your bathroom vanity tends to collect clutter, take 5 minutes every morning to reset that space. Incorporating a few daily mini resets into your daily routine will help you maintain the organization in your home. ### **Handling Life’s Piles: They Don’t Have to Be Permanent** I know that piles happen. Sometimes we create them on purpose. Just yesterday I created several piles of books. Yes! I did this on purpose. Jonda Beattie and I will have a booth at a local holiday market: [The Elegant Elf](https://sandyspringssociety.org/the-elegant-elf/). November 1st is the load-in day, and I have many things to put together for our booth. These piles of books and decorations will stay in my office for a little while and then they will disappear. Maybe piles happen in your home because you put something down with the intention of coming back and attending to it later. “Later” is one of those words that is deceiving. When we tell ourselves “Later” often what we really mean is that we don’t want to do the task. If you don’t want to put something away now, try being more intentional by assigning a specific time frame for when you will do it. Maybe tell yourself “After lunch, I will …”. Another strategy is to build routine maintenance into your schedule. My strategy for dealing with the clutter that accumulates in my office is to have a monthly reset of the space. Once a month, I tackle every pile, do the filing, and create a beautiful space. This strategy works for me. ### **Adjust Your Organizational Strategies as Needed** Your maintenance routines must work for you. If keeping order in your home is your goal, acknowledge that sometimes you will need to adjust your organizational strategies, so they work for you. We know that life changes. Sometimes these changes are outside of our control. When that happens the best thing to do is step back and think about which routines to keep and which ones to adjust. ### **Conclusion** Keeping order in your home requires conscious effort. I know that sounds harsh and like a lot of work, but it doesn’t need to be. When you take the blinders off and pay attention to the little things that tend to accumulate in your home, you will consistently keep clutter at bay. The only homes that are permanently and perfectly organized are ones that are not lived in. Life is messy at times. It’s what you do when you notice the mess that matters. Reach out to me to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation if you want to create better organizing strategies for your home. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [Compassionate Approaches to Letting Go Of Stuff](https://dnqsolutions.com/compassionate-approaches-to-letting-go-of-stuff/) **Published:** October 20, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Do you wonder why people talk about letting go of stuff so much? I think if you wonder why it’s a topic of conversation, it’s probably easy for you to let go of things you no longer need or use. For others, though, the very thought of letting go may produce a whole range of emotions. People who struggle with letting things go may have hoarding behaviors or a hoarding disorder. Although I am not a therapist and do not diagnose hoarding disorders, I know the definition and am sharing it below. The primary characteristics of a hoarding disorder include: - Acquiring and keeping things that appear to be useless or of little value - Failure to discard possessions - [Cluttering up the home](https://dnqsolutions.com/control-paper-clutter-in-your-home-feel-more-energized/) to the point that spaces may not be used the way they were intended When someone is exhibiting hoarding behaviors it’s counter-productive to demand that they ‘just let it go’. If you want to help someone, a friend or family member, who has too much stuff to [declutter and organize their home](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-reason-to-declutter-and-organize-your-home/) it’s best to offer compassionate approaches. ## **Here are several compassionate strategies to help someone let go without forcing them.** ### **Strategy 1: Admitting the Need to Make Room** You may be familiar with the “one in/one out” organizing rule for letting go. It says that before you bring one thing in, you need to decide which one thing you will let go of to make room for the new item. It’s important for the person who is doing the collecting to admit that the space is limited. Before I begin asking someone to declutter a full home, I ask them to picture a box with a lid. We talk about how many things can fit inside the box before the top doesn’t fit correctly. Then I ask them to acknowledge that a room and even a house can hold only so much stuff before it becomes over full. When that happens there’s no room for you to do the things you want to do in that space. If you are helping a [friend declutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/supporting-a-friend-who-hoards-compassionate-strategies-for-decluttering/), the first thing to find out is how the person wants to use the space. Then everything that doesn’t support the function of the room must leave the room. That’s hard because then they face the decision of what to do with all the things they aren’t keeping in that space. ### **Strategy 2: Identifying Favorites** [Judith Kolberg](https://www.judithkolberg.com/) developed a fabulous strategy she calls “Friends, Acquaintances, and Strangers”. She suggests looking at a collection of things in terms of friends, acquaintances, and strangers. She defines the terms this way: A friend is someone you invite into your home. An acquaintance is someone you may have a conversation with on the sidewalk – in passing. A stranger is someone you may smile at or say ‘hello’ to and keep on walking. When you begin going through a collection of things try thinking of it in this way. The keepers are the friends. You know that every person you meet is not a friend. Friends are special. These are things that you use or that you love looking at. The things you sort of like or use from time to time are the things we can call acquaintances. Maybe you like where you found this thing. Consider taking a picture of it and writing down or dictating the story so you keep the memory. Then let it go. The items we call strangers are the things that may be broken or missing a part. These are probably only difficult to part with because you’ve held onto them for so long. Once you identify them as strangers, letting go of them may be easier. #### Another Decluttering Strategy When you are helping someone declutter their home, focus on one small space at a time. Begin with something as small as a single shelf or drawer. Instead of looking for things to remove, look for things to keep. The more often they [intentionally keep](https://dnqsolutions.com/keeping-order-how-to-maintain-your-organized-spaces-with-intentional-resets/) things they love and use the less clutter they will have and the better their home will function. Try using this strategy of Friends, Acquaintances, and Strangers. Challenge them to remove things that they don’t love or use. Here’s an important note. Celebrate every time something is recycled, donated, or tossed. This is hard work. Hard work must be rewarded. This way you can build on each success. ### **Strategy 3: Setting Space Goals** As I said before, the space in the home is finite. It does not expand like a balloon or yoga pants. Even they have been known to pop or split at the seam. Look at the situation from a positive perspective. Ask your friend or loved-one about the things they want to do in the room. Have them visualize the way they want it to look and function, and then ask them to write down their vision. Consider putting it on a poster board and attaching it to the wall. If they’re making space so they can work on scrapbooking or doing some other craft ask them to create a mantra like, “When I clear this table, I will be able to…” Maybe they’re clearing the kitchen counter because they love to bake and want to bake cookies to give to friends as holiday gifts. Have them hold that happy thought in their head. Remember letting go of the excess will allow them to use the space the way they want to. ### **Compassion is the Key to Success** The only thing that happens when you force someone to clear out an over-full home is that you lose their trust and it fills back up. Understanding that the home did not become this way overnight leads to understanding that asking for a quick clean-up is counterproductive. The thought of cleaning up the entire home is overwhelming. Plus, it probably makes the person feel even more ashamed and embarrassed that they let it get that way to begin with. Listening with an [open mind](https://dnqsolutions.com/have-unexpected-positive-results-with-an-open-mind/) and allowing your friend to work at their pace will make the project easier for both of you. Schedule short working times and always celebrate even the smallest step forward. ### **Conclusion** If you take on the task of helping a friend or loved one declutter their home by letting go of excess belongings remember you are there to help. Remind them that slow and steady wins the race. Show the person kindness and compassion. Tell them how proud you are that they are embarking on this journey to make their home a more functional and comfortable living space. Sign up for my newsletter for more tips like these. If you would like more personalized advice, feel free to email me to schedule a free 30-minute phone call. You can reach me at: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC.*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Understanding Hoarding --- ### [4 Reasons to Find Joy in Decluttering](https://dnqsolutions.com/4-reasons-to-find-joy-in-decluttering/) **Published:** November 10, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** You may be thinking that only a professional organizer can find happiness in the process of organizing a space. But that’s not true. I believe that anyone can find happiness when they declutter something. In this blog I’m going to share with you some of the many [reasons decluttering](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-reason-to-declutter-and-organize-your-home/) brings people joy. You are probably already aware of them, but I bet you have not fully embraced this notion. As I share with you the reasons there can be joy in decluttering, ask yourself if perhaps one or more resonates with you ### **Reclaiming Space**: Here’s a scenario I often come across. The dining table is a wonderful, large horizontal surface and can quickly accumulate lots of random piles of things. One family I worked with had a habit of moving things from the kitchen table to the larger dining room table so they could eat at the kitchen table. The problem was that the [things that were moved to the dining table didn’t leave](https://dnqsolutions.com/14-things-to-do-before-leaving-for-vacation/). In fact, other things found their way into the dining room. Things were piled on the chairs and on the floor adjacent to the table. The family decided that since they like to eat at the kitchen table, they didn’t need the dining room to be a place to eat. They wanted to declutter the room and use it as a hobby/craft space. A place where they could do scrapbooking, work on puzzles, and build models. As soon as they defined how they wanted to use the room they were happy to reclaim the space. It’s important to understand that you can use rooms differently. [Bedrooms and dining rooms are spaces](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-a-small-bedroom-to-make-the-most-of-your-space/) that can be used as exercise rooms, libraries, home offices, craft rooms, or something else I haven’t thought of. The only rooms that are truly fixed are bathrooms, laundry rooms, and kitchens. This family found joy in decluttering and changing the space into the way they wanted to use it. ### **Less is More Helps You to Focus**: Letting go allows people to focus on what truly matters to them. When space is decluttered, attention naturally shifts to the remaining, meaningful items. #### Here are a couple of examples: If your children’s playroom is over full of books, toys, games, and stuffed animals it may be difficult for them to find something to play with. Do you wonder why? The reason is that with a room full of so many distractions, it’s hard for a child to find something to play with and remain engaged with that toy. Spend a little time decluttering the toys, books, and games. Put a few games and toys in a closet or cupboard to reduce the number of choices available to your children. You’ll find that your [children spend more time](https://dnqsolutions.com/teach-your-children-time-management-using-these-tools/) actively engaging with their toys because there will be fewer distractions. How about the top of your desk? If your desk is cluttered, it’s hard to focus and get to work. Your eye is naturally drawn to the piles of things which makes you wonder if anything important is lurking in the piles. Ease your mind and give yourself a chance to get work done by decluttering the top of your desk. Find joy in decluttering a space so you can focus better. ### **Releasing Guilt**: I always ask my clients if they need, use, or love something when they are thinking about releasing it. Sometimes their response is that they don’t need, use, or love it but that someone (a friend or family member) gave it to them, and they feel like they must keep it. Has this ever happened to you? You don’t need to answer that because I am confident it has. It happens to everyone (me included). We sometimes feel guilty about giving a gift away. I like to focus on the fact that the person who gave the item to me chose it and gave it with love. I received the [gift and acknowledged the person’s](https://dnqsolutions.com/6-gifts-for-the-organized-person-in-your-life-that-they-will-truly-appreciate/) good intentions. Now it’s up to me. I can use or love the gift, or I can let someone else enjoy it. When I let something go that I don’t want in my home by donating it I know that I am allowing someone else to benefit of that item and it brings me happiness. Find joy in decluttering things you don’t want to own. ### **Simplifying Daily Routines:** Make your daily routines easier by reducing clutter on countertops, desktops, and vanities. Honestly, if you intentionally reduce the amount of stuff on every horizontal surface in your home you make life easier for yourself and you save money. When spaces are clearer, [cleaning and organizing](https://dnqsolutions.com/are-you-getting-organized-to-clean-your-home-spring-cleaning-style/) takes less time. If you have a cleaning service, it will take them less time to clean for you and will charge you less. Find joy in decluttering and either saving money or making life easier for yourself. ### **In Conclusion** When you turn decluttering into a positive action instead of thinking of it as a horrible chore you find joy. Look for the reason behind removing something you don’t need, use, or love. Are these possessions cramping your style? Does the clutter make it difficult for you to do the things you want to do? As in most things, when you embrace your reason, when you know your why, it’s easy to find joy in the task. Before you start decluttering, sit down and determine your why. Then be prepared to find joy. If you’d like to talk about places in your home, you’d like to declutter please reach out to schedule time with me. I offer a complimentary 30-minute phone consultation. You can reach me at <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> or 678-537-1160. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC.*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [From Uncomfortable to Unstoppable: How to Embrace Change and Build New Habits](https://dnqsolutions.com/from-uncomfortable-to-unstoppable-how-to-embrace-change-and-build-new-habits/) **Published:** November 17, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Let’s talk about what happens when a person decides to embrace change and alter the way they complete their habits or routines. A recurring theme in January is “New Year, New You”. This implies that you are changing something, doing things differently to create a new and improved version of yourself. The problem, and what I am talking about here, is that change is uncomfortable. It is much easier to continue doing things the way we’ve always done them. But it’s impossible to build new habits without changing something. So, while we talk about [changing habits](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-leverage-your-good-habits-and-routines-amid-changing-circumstances/), we rarely talk about the discomfort that goes hand in hand with this process. ## **How to embrace change and build new habits** ### **It’s OK to feel uncomfortable**: Trying new things, whether it’s new food, new style of dressing, a different sport, or a new routine is uncomfortable. Of course, because it is new to you. If it was easy you would have done it without any encouragement or a second thought. I sometimes automatically reject new ideas without giving them a chance. This happened recently when a graphic designer I had hired to create my new logo showed me his suggestion. I looked at it and wrote him right away telling him that it was completely wrong for me. Then I looked at it a second time and realized that he was onto something. Together we tweaked his original concept and came up with the logo I’m now using. Meaningful change often feels uncomfortable at first. ### **Take small steps**: If you are thinking about creating a new habit, start by taking [small steps](https://dnqsolutions.com/small-steps-toward-change/). When you change things incrementally over time the new habit doesn’t [feel forced or overwhelmingly](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-when-you-feel-overwhelmed-by-a-task/) different. It’s easier to be successful in practicing a new habit when you take small steps. Changing little parts of a habit makes it simpler to memorize. This in turn reinforces the idea that this is a good thing, and the discomfort is not overwhelming. ### **Give yourself grace:** Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day. If you honestly want to build new habits, give yourself grace when you make a mistake and revert to your old way of doing things. Whatever you do, don’t give up. ### **Pay attention and be mindful:** When you embrace change and build new habits you must pay attention to what you’re doing. This new way of doing things requires that you are absolutely 100% attentive to the process. Old [habits and routines](https://dnqsolutions.com/transforming-spaces-transforming-lives-the-power-of-professional-organizers-in-cultivating-healthy-habits-and-routines/) are comfortable and easy because we’ve followed them so many times that we can probably do them without conscious thought. Think back to when you were learning to read. You first learned the letters and their sounds. Then how to combine the letters to make words. Finally, how to put them together to form sentences. You now read without thinking about the process. Reading is a tool in your toolbox. Pay attention and be mindful of your goal as you build new habits. ### **Build in rewards** I am more willing to be uncomfortable with something new when I know that there is a reward waiting for me. It doesn’t need to be anything big or expensive. A reward can be taking a bubble bath, going for a walk, having 15 minutes of alone time to read a magazine. Do rewards help you, too. If creating a new habit is important to you then assign a reward for yourself when you show up regularly, deal with the discomfort, and practice the new way of doing things. The more you practice, the more comfortable you will feel with the new routine. Consistency counts. ### **In conclusion:** There is a feeling of discomfort or being uncomfortable associated with change. It is natural and inevitable. Once you learn how to embrace change and work through these feelings, making the [changes you desire in your habits and routines](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-your-daily-routine-changes-when-you-move/) becomes a little easier. Now is probably not a good time to embark on this journey. Holidays can be stressful and become even more so when you add creating new habits into the mix. If, as we approach the holidays, you begin thinking about changing some of your habits and routines, put these ideas on hold until the first week of January. Once the festivities are over, make a list of the changes you desire. Also note the reason for embracing change. Give yourself a timeframe. Then think of the steps to take to make this happen. Remember to build the foundation first and break the process down into the smallest steps to make it easy for yourself to be successful. Lastly, engage in mindful practice. Feel free to reach out to me if you would like guidance or an accountability partner. You can email me at: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [The Present is a Gift: The Gift of Now](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-present-is-a-gift-the-gift-of-now/) **Published:** November 24, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** When I talk about the concept of time, I often say that time is more valuable than money. Why is that? Well, because time just marches on. We can’t stop it, save it, or earn more of it. Each of us receives the same gift of twenty-four hours[ every day](https://dnqsolutions.com/show-love-for-yourself-on-valentines-day-every-day/). Often, we spend our time thinking about the past or worrying about the future instead of enjoying the present day. I know I am guilty of this. What will happen if we think about time differently? Can we think about it as a gift that each of us receives when we open our eyes? Here’s a quote attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt that puts this thought succinctly. *“Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift—that’s why it’s called the present.”* It is so true. The present is a gift. ## **Let’s consider the ways the present is a gift** ### **The Present Is Valuable** I often hear people say that it’s best to *“live in the moment”.* Have you ever heard this comment? It’s difficult for me to do sometimes because I am a planner and preparer. I have been known to pass up a fun event or gathering because I had planned to do something else during that time. This works for me. For me, knowing that I am making the best use of my available [time makes me feel as if I am in control.](https://dnqsolutions.com/whos-in-control-of-your-free-time-you-or-your-clutter/) Everyone defines the best use of time differently. For someone else, the best use of their available time may be to drop everything and engage in a fun event or gathering. #### **Let’s talk about a different scenario:** Picture yourself at a children’s play or concert. You are there to watch your child or grandchild participate. Their group comes up on the stage and you suddenly decide to record this event on your phone. You pull your phone out of your pocket and fumble around with the settings. Then you hear applause. Uh, oh. You have missed the performance you came to watch. The group is walking off the stage. Next time do this differently. Instead of trying to save the moment to enjoy again and again, just be present. Sit in the crowd and share the joy of watching someone you care about participate in an event. #### **Here is another scenario:** You’re having a conversation with a friend. They are sharing something with you. It could be something about the weather or a concern they have. You have two choices. You can pay attention, be present, and actively listen to your friend, or you can use the time they are talking to craft your response. What do you do? It is important to pay attention so that you pick up on the nuances in what they are sharing. When you are actively listening, you hear changes in the tone of voice, differences in the speed with which they are talking, and (if you are in-person or on a video call) you see changes in their facial expression. You may not notice all these things if you are busy inside your own mind. This quote from Eckhart Tolle emphasizes the value in the moment. “*Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have.”* ### **The Pitfalls of Dwelling on the Past or Future** One day years ago when my son, Alex, had recently received his driver’s license I found a fabulous greeting card. It is by the artist, Mary Engelbreit. I still have it posted on my bulletin board because it speaks to me even now. It says, “*Worrying does not empty tomorrow of its troubles, it empties today of its strength.”* I can’t even begin to count the number of hours I spent worrying about his driving. He is a safe driver, and I worried needlessly. If you are a worrier, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Spending your valuable time revisiting conversations or predicting disaster as you anticipate something in your future takes time away from what you want to be doing now. These are rabbit holes that when you travel down into them take tremendous amounts of energy and willpower to climb out of. For me, I will sometimes waste my time revisiting conversations. I think about the way I said something and wish I had phrased it differently or not made any comment at all. There is always a better way to say or do something but since none of us is perfect we make mistakes. Of course, when I realize I’ve said something I should not have, I apologize. I’m sure you do, too. #### **The worst thing that could happen** Here is an exercise you can do, if predicting horrible future outcomes is a rabbit hole you travel down. If you find yourself catastrophizing, predicting the worst possible outcome of something in the future, get out a piece of paper and write the outcome down. Then write down the consequence, and how realistic it is. This may help you climb out of the rabbit hole and let you focus your valuable time on something else. ### **Strategies for Being in the Present** In her book, **Life in Five Senses**, Gretchen Rubin devotes time to exploring the five senses. One by one, Ms. Rubin explores each of the senses. What she found is that when we pay attention to one sense our awareness of it is heightened. I believe that when we pay attention to the things in which we are engaged we value the experience more. #### **Here are 3 strategies to incorporate as you practice being in the now** **Mindfulness:** Practice mindfulness by tuning into your breathing. Take a couple of minutes every morning and evening to notice your breath. Notice the rise and fall of your chest. Pay attention to filling your lungs with air and then emptying them. This is a calming exercise and helps to focus your attention. **Practice Gratitude:** Do you keep a journal? If you do, try ending each day by writing down three positive things that happened to you and three positive things you did. It can be something as simple as holding a door for a stranger, letting someone have your parking space, or greeting a neighbor. If you don’t keep a journal now, consider starting one. **Avoid multi-tasking:** Focus your attention on one thing at a time. You will be more productive this way and you will do whatever it is you’re doing better. A final tip is to disconnect from electronic devices. Avoid screens during mealtimes. Focus your attention on the taste of the food. Also, separate yourself from electronics before bed. You’ll sleep better. ### **How to Make the Present a Gift to Yourself** [It’s important to schedule](https://www.perimeterhealthcare.com/news/posts/the-importance-of-self-care#:~:text=IS%20IT%20IMPORTANT%3F-,Why%20is%20it%20important%3F,selfish%2C%20it's%20far%20from%20that.) time for self-care into your plan. Just think about the oxygen mask on an airplane. The directions are always ‘put your mask on first and then help the person next to you.’ This will mean different things to all of us. For me, it may be taking a walk in the woods with my dog, doing some gardening, doing some needlework, or spending an hour reading a book. For someone else, self-care may be an interesting class. This gift of time doesn’t need to be lengthy, nor does it need to be something you do only for yourself. It may be something as simple as reading with your children. This benefits everyone since being actively present with them gives all of you an opportunity to share quality bonding time. Short conversations in the car can be equally meaningful. I remember sharing many good conversations with my sons when I drove them here and there around town. They learned about things I was doing or interested in, and I learned about their day. Deciding to focus on what’s happening now lets you release the thoughts of things you should be doing. This is not to say that an errand or chore you forgot to do won’t cross your mind but hopefully with practice you can put those thoughts aside and focus on engaging in what’s happening now. ### **Conclusion:** When we treat time as a gift, we may more fully engage in the present. As I said earlier on in this post, I am a planner and preparer. Having said that, I acknowledge that in the past I would worry about whether my plan was going to be good enough. I have [learned that taking time to plan](https://dnqsolutions.com/legacy-of-organization-lessons-learned-from-mom-on-planning-scheduling-and-delegating/) and prepare is fabulous and to let the event unfold knowing that I have done everything in my power to make it successful. This [way I participate in the event and enjoy](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-fun-ways-to-make-organizing-enjoyable/) it as it is happening. What can you do differently to more fully engage in the present? *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Planning & Schedule Management --- ### [Holiday Clutter Control: Simple Strategies to Reduce Stress this Season](https://dnqsolutions.com/holiday-clutter-control-simple-strategies-to-reduce-stress-this-season/) **Published:** December 8, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** It’s here! We (at my house and maybe also in yours) are in full holiday mode. My home is as decorated as I want it to be, my wrapping station looks like a disaster struck, and my calendar is jam-packed with things to do. Does this sound familiar? If it does then take solace in the fact that professional organizers have clutter, too. But I think this is what’s normal around the holidays. Holidays come with clutter this is true. Having said that I want you to know that I believe in something I call holiday clutter control. I love having my Christmas tree up and in its spot. Having a wrapping station makes it easier for me to wrap and tag gifts as I bring them home. I leave the scraps of wrapping paper nearby in case I have a small present to wrap. To an outsider it would look messy, but I don’t mind because I know it will all be cleaned up before Christmas Eve. Having strategies in place makes it easier to control holiday clutter and helps to reduce the amount of stress you feel during the holiday season. ### **Swap Regular Decor for Holiday Knick Knacks** If decorating is on your list of things to do, I suggest you clear the space where you want to put up some holiday decorations. There is one simple reason to do this. When you put away your regular décor you focus the attention on your lovely holiday decorations. The two types of decorations aren’t crowded and competing. Here are 3 examples of places I clear in my house before I put up holiday knick knacks. **The table in my entry.** Typically, I have an Indonesian Garuda and a few other ornaments on the top of this table. I put Santa there to welcome everyone in as well as a basket to hold Christmas cards and a couple of poinsettias. **The top of the chest in the Dining Room.** Ordinarily, I have a Batik Stamp, a framed photo, and a Thai Lacquerware bowl sitting on this table. For Christmas, I put a table runner and a small, sweet manger scene. **The mantle above the fireplace**. Usually, I have five framed photos on the mantle. Now, I have hung needlepoint stockings, a couple of small candles, a glass bowl filled with colorful ornaments, and some tiny poinsettias. What did I do with my regular décor? I packed it away in the boxes in which I keep my Christmas decorations. This makes the transition easy. When I’m ready to put away the Christmas décor I will take my regular tabletop decorations out of the box and put them back where they belong. ### **Wrap and Tag Gifts as You Buy Them** It may be a little late in the season for sharing this advice, so I’ll repeat it earlier next year. Wrap and tag gifts as you buy them to avoid being overwhelmed by the number of things you must wrap. I also like [to keep track](https://etsy.me/3SvJgm4) of who I have bought for, how much I have spent, and if the gift is wrapped. This helps me with my Christmas spending, and it lets me know I can stop thinking about buying a gift for that person. If possible, create a central wrapping place in your home. Have scissors, tape, wrapping paper, ribbon, and tags – and several pens in a caddy or a basket on the table. I keep these supplies in a large chest of drawers in my family room. I set a card table up in the corner and then wrap, tag, and hide the gifts until it’s time to put them under the tree. Doing this helps control holiday clutter. A bonus is that everyone in the family will know where to wrap their gifts. ### **Stock Up on Hostess Gifts** Plan ahead and purchase a few small hostess gifts in advance. Things like a scented candle, a bottle of wine, or a box of chocolates are easy to keep on hand in case you receive an unexpected invitation. I also recommend you have a few gift bags and tissue handy so you can quickly and easily package the gift. ### **Develop and Follow a Basic Maintenance Routine** One of the best things you can do for yourself is develop and follow a basic home maintenance routine. We all know that when the holidays arrive everyone is busier than ever. Decide for yourself what important things to stay on top in your home and create a routine for yourself and your family so these things are done and the holiday clutter stays under control. You may want to have a simple rotation of tasks to keep everyone in the family involved so that no one person shoulders the burden of maintaining the home. Things like clearing the kitchen counter, taking out the trash, emptying the dishwasher, and tidying the family room take very little time to do and make a big impact. ### **Let Go of Doing Everything** You may want to remind yourself about your intention for the holiday season. We can sometimes get caught up in the glitz and glitter of the promotions and forget to enjoy the moments. Schedule, attend, and enjoy the activities that are meaningful to you and your family. Try to avoid doing things just because everyone else is doing them. If it sounds like fun, you have the time, and the thought of adding one more thing to your day doesn’t give you the shivers then go ahead. But be aware that for everything you say ‘yes’ to, you are saying ‘no’ to something else. It’s ok and healthy to have unplanned, unstructured time in your day or, in this case, holiday. It allows you to enjoy the things you do more completely. ### **Conclusion: Simplify to Enjoy the Season** If you’ve been following me for a while, you know that I’m all about keeping things simple. I believe there’s no need to complicate anything. When you keep strategies simple, you help yourself to avoid stress. Let’s review the simple ways you can help yourself keep holiday clutter under control: Swap your regular décor to make room for your holiday décor. Have a wrapping station with all the essential supplies When you’re shopping, pick up a couple of hostess gifts Create a basic home maintenance routine to take care of essential tasks and keep holiday clutter under control Stick to doing the festive, holiday activities you love and that bring you joy and let go of the rest Taking these small steps and being intentional about how you spend your time can simplify the season. Essentially, bring you back to basics. If you would like some help or guidance putting any of these suggestions into use, please contact me for a free 30-minute phone call. Email me at: dnqsolutions@gmail to schedule the call. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://www.dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [Decluttering Holiday Cheer: Donating Decorations You No Longer Need](https://dnqsolutions.com/decluttering-holiday-cheer-donating-decorations-you-no-longer-need/) **Published:** December 15, 2024 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** It may seem a little odd to suggest decluttering holiday cheer now as we are in the middle of the holidays and many of us are still decorating. How many of us (I will say up front that I do this) look at some of our holiday décor and then decide not to use it? I am recommending that instead of holding onto these items ‘just in case’ we decide we want to use them next year we donate them straight away. Give yourself permission to intentionally declutter your décor. ### **Now is the Perfect Time to Donate** Do you ever wonder about the best time to donate certain things? Usually, I say the best time to donate something is when you’re ready for it to leave your home. But this is not true for decorations tied to specific holidays. The best time to donate [Christmas decorations ](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-declutter-your-christmas-decorations-without-getting-lost-in-sentiment-or-guilt/)is now, earlier in the season, and a week or two into January. After that time, it’s best to pack it up, put a note in your calendar to get it out to a local donation site in November. These are the times people are looking for holiday cheer. I know it’s easy for [holiday decorations](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-put-away-our-holiday-decorations/) to accumulate over the years. Children bring sweet ornaments home as school projects. As the years go on these sweet decorations tend to look a little long in the tooth. I can say this because I have many which were given to me by my children. And I admit that I have purchased decorations because they look so great in the display and not quite so cute when I got them home. These [decorations have never left my holiday décor](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-put-away-our-holiday-decorations/) boxes. Has that ever happened to you? My advice is to consider [decluttering holiday](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-way-to-declutter-holiday-photo-cards/) cheer as you finish your decorating because it will accomplish two things. It will bring joy to another family, and it will reduce your collection. ### **Why Are You Keeping These Decorations?** I have talked about this a little and this topic, understanding your [reason for holding onto things is important.](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-best-and-most-important-reason-to-update-documents/) Decorations are expensive. You may want to [keep](https://dnqsolutions.com/keeping-order-how-to-maintain-your-organized-spaces-with-intentional-resets/) some even if you don’t really love them because they fill space in the tree that people don’t see, and you want to have some (at least a few) ornaments on. Some decorations may bring back the memory of when your then five-year-old child brought it home. In my case, ornaments bring back thoughts of what was happening in my life at that time and where we lived. Maybe this is true for you, too. Perhaps you’ve avoided [decluttering holiday](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-declutter-after-the-holidays/) cheer because you think someday you may decide you want to use these decorations again. I’m here to tell you that if you’ve had this thought for more than two or three years, you will most likely never use these decorations again. Rip off the Band-Aid and put them in the donation box the next time you have that thought. It’s okay to let them go. They can have new life in someone else’s home and help another family make good memories. ### **How to Decide What to Keep** Now that you’ve decide to go ahead and invest some time in decluttering holiday cheer here are some practical questions to ask: **Have you used it in the last 3 years?** Do you look at this decoration and shake your head, thinking not this year? I have and, for the first time, I have put together a box of these decorations. **Does it fit your current style or space?** When I put the ornaments on my tree this year, I noticed that I avoided using some ornaments that I purchased for our first Christmas tree many years ago. I used one or two of them and put the rest back in the box. Recognizing this trend made me realize that it’s time to let these ornaments go. **Does it hold real sentimental value or just obligation?** If you’re holding onto some ornaments for their sentimental value but they are falling apart, take a picture and write the story, then toss or recycle it. ### **Best Practices for Donating Decorations** Here are some tips for donating practically anything: Look at the item carefully. If it is dirty, clean it. If it is broken or missing pieces either recycle or toss it. Package the items as you would want to receive them. If it is something to fold, fold it and place it as nicely as possible in a bag or box. If it is something that will fit in a box, package it neatly. #### **Where to donate:** Local thrift stores or shelters. Community centers or church groups. Online giveaway groups like NextDoor or Buy Nothing Project ### **Conclusion** Writing this blog post about decluttering holiday cheer was something of an encouraging talk to myself. I hope it will also give you the permission you may need to intentionally and honestly go through your decorations. If there are any ornaments or decorations that you hesitate to use this year (and perhaps haven’t used in the past few years) box them up and schedule a trip to a donation site of your choice. I have put my box in the back of my car and plan to take it to my church on Monday. We have a thrift store that will make sure these decorations go to people who are looking for them. Please reach out to me if you’d like more guidance or accountability as you declutter holiday decorations or any other part of your home. You can reach me at: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC.*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Aligning Your Actions with Your Intentions: Start the Year with Purpose](https://dnqsolutions.com/aligning-your-actions-with-your-intentions-start-the-year-with-purpose/) **Published:** January 5, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** This is the time of year when so many of us (myself included) take a look back at the year that has just ended. We think about the things we said we wanted to do last January and wonder where the time went. Some of the things may have been accomplished, some of the things may have been forgotten, and still other things may have been paused – for now. We often make a resolution, a goal, or set an intention for the year. Maybe we think to ourselves that this is the year I’m going to … (you can fill in the blank). I’m going to suggest that this is the year we change this up. Instead of just thinking about achieving a goal, what if we can align our actions with our intentions? Aligning your actions with your intentions means that you will do what you say you want to do. The question is how? Let’s [set ourselves up for success](https://dnqsolutions.com/set-yourself-up-for-success-accomplish-your-goals/) by creating a series of micro goals. If we make each micro-goal something that feels within our reach, it is easier to motivate ourselves into action. Each micro-goal can be a part, or a [step toward](https://dnqsolutions.com/set-yourself-up-for-success-accomplish-your-goals/) a larger goal. By taking [small steps,](https://dnqsolutions.com/small-steps-towards-change/) making small changes with our daily habits and routines we can purposefully turn our intentions into reality. ### **Understanding Intentions** According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary a synonym for intention is: **what one** [**intends**](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intends) **to do or bring about; a determination to act in a certain way :** [**resolve**](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/resolve) It may be a good idea to examine values before determining goals or intentions. If one of your values is to live in a clean, tidy, and organized home and enjoy your free time. Then a goal may be to create a schedule which allows you to do a little[ home organizing ](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-for-a-move-to-a-new-home/)maintenance daily rather than dedicating your entire weekend to cleaning. Maybe one of your goals is to take an extended vacation somewhere you’ve never been. Your values tell you that you don’t want to max out your credit card. To achieve your goal, your intention may be to create a savings plan to set aside money for this fabulous vacation. Your first action can be to track your spending. We can think, dream, and intend to do things for hours and hours. If our values align with our intentions, it’s easier to create those action steps. ### **Bridging the Gap: Aligning Your Actions with Your Intentions** Everyone feels the uncomfortable disconnect between intentions and actions. There is no escaping that feeling. It’s even more uncomfortable when the intentions are so far out of reach. How can we make it easier for ourselves to follow through? Here are a few practical strategies to try: Make sure the [goals are SMART](https://www.mindtools.com/a4wo118/smart-goals). SMART stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timebound. Micro-goals can help with this also. When you break the goals or intentions down into a miniature size, they become realistic and easier to achieve. [Create a schedule](https://dnqsolutions.com/simplify-your-life-create-boundaries-by-scheduling-your-time-wisely/) for yourself. Assign a day and time to each step you will take toward your goal. ### **Overcoming Common Obstacles** It’s important to identify the things that will get in your way. Naming your roadblocks will help you create solutions to avoid them. Are you someone who procrastinates until the last second before doing something? If this is the case, give yourself firm deadlines with consequences. In his book, [**Indistractable**](https://www.google.com/search?gs_ssp=eJzj4tVP1zc0zDBONi9Mz64yYPTiy8xLySwuKUpMLklMykkFAJqvCoM&q=indistractable&rlz=1C1VDKB_enUS1062US1062&oq=indistra&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUqCggBEC4YsQMYgAQyDQgAEAAY4wIYsQMYgAQyCggBEC4YsQMYgAQyBggCEEUYOTIHCAMQABiABDIHCAQQABiABDIHCAUQABiABDIHCAYQABiABDIHCAcQABiABDIJCAgQABgKGIAEMgcICRAAGIAE0gEJNTk1NWowajE1qAIIsAIB&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8)**,** Nir Eyal talks about making a pact with yourself to get things done and the reason creating meaningful consequences can help you stay on track. This book is full of great strategies and tips to overcome distractions and stay focused on your intentions. Maybe you find yourself avoiding a task because you don’t know where or how to start. This is a common obstacle and there are several very good ways to overcome it. The first is to make the steps clear and specific (thinking back to SMART goals). If this is difficult, hire someone to help you think through those steps. A professional organizer can help you with this. The other strategy is to be gentle with yourself. You’re challenging yourself to do something new and out of your comfort zone. You may not do it correctly or easily the first time. Give yourself credit and kudos for doing it anyway. ### **Celebrating Progress and Adjusting as Needed** If, as I said above, you’ve followed your [plan and taken the first step it’s time to celebrate](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-plan-celebrations-in-an-almost-post-covid-season/)! When your actions are bringing you closer to achieving your intentions it’s a reason to give yourself a reward. It can be something simple like reading a magazine, taking a bath, or going for a walk. Remember success builds upon success. Each step forward builds confidence and keeps the momentum going which in turn is motivating. Conversely, if the steps you’re taking aren’t working out the way you thought they would. Stop and re-evaluate your intention or goal. Sometimes what we think we want to achieve does not align with our values the way we thought it would. It’s ok to adjust your intentions and goals mid-stream. In fact, it’s better to do that than to continue following a plan that doesn’t align with your values. ### **Conclusion** What are [your intentions for 2025](https://etsy.me/40eUK0Y)? Do you have things you want to accomplish in multiple areas of your life? If so, think about setting a series of intentions or SMART goals. Get out your calendar and start by scheduling some action steps. If you’d like help aligning your actions with your intentions [register for a class](https://releaserepurpose.com/monthly-class/) I am teaching with Jonda Beattie: Set Your Intentions for the Year on Friday, January 10. You can also schedule a private 30-minute free phone consultation with me to talk about your options by emailing me: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com>. I look forward to hearing from you and helping you to achieve your intentions in 2025. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com/)*. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [Compassionate Solutions for Hoarding: Moving Past Overwhelm](https://dnqsolutions.com/compassionate-solutions-for-hoarding-moving-past-overwhelm/) **Published:** January 12, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** We’ve all seen pictures of hoarded homes. Whether it was on television or Instagram it was not a pretty picture. Almost all the pictures any of us see on our electronics are dark and unpleasant – so unpleasant they make us want to look away. Imagine how it feels both to the person doing the hoarding and to those who live with them. My goal in this post is to provide compassionate s[olutions for hoarding ](https://dnqsolutions.com/understanding-hoarding-a-journey-of-progress-and-practical-solutions/)and to help everyone involved move past overwhelm. ### **Introduction: Understanding the Challenge** Most people who hoard have never been officially diagnosed with a hoarding disorder. That’s why it’s difficult to know how many people are challenged by this disorder. The best guess is that between 2 and 5% of the population have this disorder. The official diagnosis in the [Diagnostic and Statistical Manual version 5 (DSM5](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519704/table/ch3.t29/)) is this in brief: 1. Difficulty discarding things that others may view as useless or of limited value 2. The clutter prevents or limits the use of living spaces as they were intended 3. The clutter or acquiring causes significant impairment or distress People who hoard are typically very embarrassed by the state of their home. They are generally reluctant to have anyone over which limits their social interactions to those which occur elsewhere. They may think about decluttering or tell family members they intend to do something about it and then have trouble putting those [good intentions into action](https://dnqsolutions.com/aligning-your-actions-with-your-intentions-start-the-year-with-purpose/). It’s overwhelming. That feeling of being overwhelmed and not knowing where to start can be paralyzing. The person may think to themselves that it’s too much and give up before they even start. ### **Why It Feels Overwhelming** Imagine for a minute, that your parents died – one and then the other. You had to empty their home. Some things were easy to donate or to give to other family members and the remainder you brought to your house. In the interest of time, you stashed things here and there without giving much thought to integrating these things into your home. All your life, your parents had impressed upon you the value of their good dishes and the antique furniture. You can picture your father sitting in that easy chair or your mother hand washing the dinner plates. When it comes time to parting with some of these things you decide you have other things you’d prefer to do. So, you don’t do anything. More time goes on, more things collect, and it’s even harder to let these things go. Your emotions get in the way first and then you can hear in the deep recesses of your memory that these things are valuable. You can’t just turn them over to GoodWill. It’s important to you that all these things are properly sold or at the very least given to someone who will use them. The result is that your home is [filled up and you don’t know what to do](https://www.amazon.com/Filled-Up-Overflowing-Disorganization-Overboard-ebook/dp/B08R96XDJX) about it. This is just one possible scenario. Knowing what to do with all the stuff is a huge part of what keeps a person stuck. ### **Empathy and Understanding: The First Steps to Helping** If you know someone who is hoarding, and you want to offer help it’s important to approach someone without judgment or pressure. The temptation for someone who isn’t challenged by these tendencies or behaviors is to say, ‘just get rid of it’. If you do that, you will be shown out of the house and will not be invited back. Keep your mouth closed, your quick-fix suggestions to yourself, and listen to the person’s concerns. You (and they) know that the home did not fill up overnight, and it will not be decluttered, cleaned, and organized quickly. To offer compassionate solutions for hoarding, you must come into this working relationship completely judgment free. #### **Practical Ways to Help** 1. **Start Small**: Begin with a small area. It may be the first three feet of floor inside the front door. Or maybe [clear the clutter from a tabletop.](https://dnqsolutions.com/clearing-the-clutter-how-to-use-your-inner-voice-for-effective-decluttering/) Be specific with the goal. 2. **Set Achievable Goals**: Work for an agreed upon amount of time. I suggest 20 – 30 minutes at first. Then take a break and assess the progress. Celebrate every small win to build momentum. 3. **Provide Emotional Support**: The person may be more comfortable working if you are there to provide company and encouragement during the process. This can be particularly helpful if they come across something that tugs at their heartstrings. You will be there to listen to the stories. Ask them to take a picture of the item and then if they want to either write down or record the story so they have it forever. 4. **Create a Maintenance Plan**: Once an area is decluttered, talk about ways to maintain the space. Help the person create a [daily routine ](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-your-daily-routine-changes-when-you-move/)which incorporates maintenance. Suggest they begin to build better habits to keep the progress [moving forward.](https://dnqsolutions.com/overwhelmed-heres-how-to-move-forward-when-you-have-too-much-to-do/) ### **When Professional Help is Needed** You may be doing all the “right things”, offering compassionate solutions for hoarding, being non-judgmental, providing companionship and hands-on help, and still not able to help the person reduce their hoard. This is frustrating and creates unpleasantness between friends, relatives, and life-partners. If this is the case, please suggest the person contact a therapist trained to address the Hoarding Disorder. Also, ask if the person will work with a trained professional organizer. The best results come from working with a therapist in addition to a trained professional organizer. The person receives therapeutic help in an office setting, hands-on help with a professional organizer, as well as suggestions of things they can do on their own. ### **Conclusion: A Journey of Patience and Support** Overcoming the overwhelm in a [hoarded home ](https://dnqsolutions.com/spring-forward-the-courage-to-declutter-a-hoarded-home-and-begin-again/)is a journey. It’s challenging and can be very rewarding. The rewards come when the person challenged by hoarding maintains the first clear space for a week and then adds to it. That is a celebratory moment. You, as someone offering compassionate solutions for hoarding, also receive a reward when the person you want to help lets you in. That is a huge gift of trust and one not to be taken lightly. Change is possible. It starts with one small space and can extend through an entire house – a little bit at a time. As a professional organizer with a Hoarding Specialist Certificate, I would be honored to talk with you if you would like to know more about helping someone overwhelmed by hoarding. You can schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation by sending an email to me: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com>. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* , ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Understanding Hoarding --- ### [Turn Intentions into Actions: Daily Routines for Clutter Control](https://dnqsolutions.com/turn-intentions-into-actions-daily-routines-for-clutter-control/) **Published:** January 19, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** In the beginning of January, I asked you to think about your intentions for this year. What, at the end of the year, do you want to have accomplished. Then, I talked about breaking those over-arching intentions down into micro-goals. Assigning one micro-goal to each month of the year. After that, I talked about how all the best intentions in the world will not accomplish anything without corresponding actions. If your over-arching intention is to have better clutter control in your home, I am talking today about the way in which [daily routines for clutter control ](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-power-of-routine-how-daily-habits-keep-clutter-under-control/)can turn intentions into actions. ### **What is Clutter Control?** Clutter control is a physical, ongoing process that requires consistent effort. I know it’s not physically possible, but it sometimes feels as if clutter breeds clutter. It’s so easy to add something to a stack, just for now, instead of tending to the task. This is true for clothes, papers, errands to do, and other things which create clutter. Thinking about, intending to do something about, the clutter does not control it. The only thing which controls clutter is action. Putting things away, returning them to their destination. ### **The Disconnect Between Intentions and Actions** I understand the disconnect between intentions and actions. It’s so easy for me to curl up on my couch with a magazine or a book by my side and think about doing something like fold the laundry, empty the dishwasher, or respond to email. I can think about something for lengthy periods of time and then run out of time to do it because I have an appointment. Does this ever happen to you? ### **The Power of Daily Routines** Sticking to daily routines is what works for me and maybe it will for you, too. I have crafted a daily routine that I follow every morning. It’s a very rare day that I don’t take care of everything I include in my daily routine. In fact, I have two daily routines. One that I follow in the morning and one that I follow in the evening. These routines provide a structure for my mornings and evenings and make sure that clutter doesn’t have time to collect and grow. Here are some daily routines for clutter control for you to consider: - Take 5 minutes at the end of the day to declutter the family room - Do dishes when you have finished a meal - Put things back where you found them when you’re finished using them - Wipe off kitchen counters after the evening meal and put things away - Make your bed every morning before you leave for the day ### **Aligning Intentions with Routines** You know that the best way to conquer a large project like controlling clutter throughout your home is to do it a little bit at a time. If your intention is to do a better job controlling clutter in your home, begin by creating a daily routine for a small specific area or room. You may decide to break that down further by decluttering a section of a room like a closet. Once you have the area the way you want it, think about the actions to take to keep it that way. From there you can craft a short daily routine for yourself. For instance, if your intention is to keep your closet tidy, a daily routine for [clutter control may be to put your clothes ](https://dnqsolutions.com/7-steps-to-control-clothes-clutter-in-a-small-space/)away neatly. One of the easiest things to do to help yourself is to pair a new routine with one you’re already using. Here are some examples: - emptying the dishwasher while you wait for your coffee to brew in the morning - folding laundry while dinner is cooking - talking to a friend while you tidy the family room Another tip is to post your [daily routine](https://etsy.me/3SYiLo2) somewhere you will see it. Maybe print it, glue it onto brightly colored paper, and then display it prominently. You can also set alarms on your phone to remind you its time to follow your routine. ### **Conclusion** Clutter control becomes easier when your intentions are linked to actionable daily routines. I say this all the time because it’s true in almost every situation. The clutter didn’t accumulate overnight so give yourself permission to tackle it in small bites. Maintain the area you declutter one small area at a time. Watch the decluttered spaces in your home grow. Be consistent with your decluttering efforts – even if it is just [10 minutes at a time](https://amzn.to/47uqmjF). You will be surprised at how much you can accomplish in 10 minutes. Finally, create daily routines for clutter control that work with the way you want to live in your home. Please reach out to me if you want help creating a daily routine for yourself. You can email me at <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com/)*. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [From Thinking to Doing: Simple Strategies to Turn Your Intentions into Actions](https://dnqsolutions.com/from-thinking-to-doing-simple-strategies-to-turn-your-intentions-into-actions/) **Published:** January 26, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** As I round out the month, let’s review this month’s topics. I have talked about the benefits of setting intentions. Then taking those intentions, turning them into a large over-arching goal for the year, and breaking that down into more manageable micro-goals – one for each month of the year. Recently, I talked about the importance of aligning your intentions with actions. All this talk is great but what is even better is to have simple strategies to turn your intentions into actions. My plan is to give you some simple strategies to help you move from thinking to doing. ## **5 Simple Strategies to Go from Thinking to Doing** ### **1. Start Small: A Short Amount of Time and A Small Task** The very thought of beginning a project or even working on a project that is already in progress can be overwhelming when you think about dedicating a long period of time to it. None of us has oodles and oodles of discretionary time to give to projects. We can, however, find 10 or 15 minutes here and there to do a little work on our projects. Set your timer for 10 or 15 minutes (your choice) and then start working. When the timer goes off, walk away. Even if you haven’t finished all of what you wanted to do, you will have done more than if you had just sat around thinking about all the work you have to do. You may decide to return to the project and pick up where you left off when you notice you have a little more time or if you decide you want to. Working for short spurts of time builds momentum and reduces that feeling of being overwhelmed. ### **2. Take Breaks to Recharge** As I said above, walk away when the timer goes off. It’s important to stop and take a break. Step away from the project. Do you have time for a short walk outside? Maybe do some stretching or take a minute or two for some deep breathing. Doing these things gives you the space to think through what you have done and assess if you’re on the right path or if you want to adjust your strategy. If your project involves organizing a space, when you return, you will notice the change you made in the area more easily than if you had stayed and continued working. Allowing yourself to take a break builds confidence, sustains productivity, and prevents burnout. ### **3. Stay Hydrated and Nourished** Did you know that [the brain is about 80% water](https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/health/how-food-you-eat-affects-your-brain)? Yes! It’s true. Another fact is that because the brain is primarily made up of water, it’s easier to think clearly and maintain focus when you’re properly hydrated. It’s also true that eating healthy foods can help with brain function. Do yourself a favor and don’t try to go from thinking to doing if you’re hungry and thirsty. Ask yourself when you last drank a tall glass of water and had a healthy snack. If it’s been a while, go get yourself some water and a snack. Try to avoid sugary snacks. Consider a handful of almonds or something else that has nutritional value and remember the glass of water. Staying hydrated and eating healthy snacks will make it easier for you to think clearly and to make progress and achieve your goals. ### **4. Celebrate Small Wins** One of the best things about creating [small steps](https://dnqsolutions.com/small-steps-toward-change/) in a project is that you reach measurable milestones often. Celebrate every time you accomplish one. The rewards you give yourself do not need to involve spending money. Share your accomplishment with an accountability partner. Let them be your cheering squad. That will make you feel great and spur you on to do more. Make yourself a cup of tea, coffee, or hot chocolate and enjoy a few relaxing moments while you sip your treat. Acknowledging your hard work and celebrating all the small wins builds confidence and motivation to keep going from thinking to doing. ### **5. Keep Your Intention in Mind** Remember to post your intention or goal somewhere you’ll see it regularly so that it stays top of mind. This will help you keep your [actions aligned with your intentions](https://dnqsolutions.com/aligning-your-actions-with-your-intentions-start-the-year-with-purpose/). Sometimes life events or other circumstances make it necessary to adjust your goals. Set aside some time to review your progress and possibly change your intentions. You may want to add a couple of [small steps or change ](https://dnqsolutions.com/small-steps-toward-change/)a micro-goal altogether. When you review your intentions on a regular basis, it’s easy to adjust and keep the momentum going. ### **Conclusion** Now that you have decided to take the leap and go from thinking to doing, be a tortoise. Remember the fable about the tortoise and the hare? The hare thought by going fast he would win the race, but it was the tortoise who won by going slowly. Going slowly and taking small, consistent steps toward a specific goal is the way to be successful. This is a journey and one that can be enjoyed when you take the time to appreciate and celebrate every achievement. I would be delighted to help you craft steps to take as you embark on this journey going from thinking to doing. Reach out to me to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation. Contact me at:dnqsolutions@gmail.com *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize --- ### [Organizing Your Life Through Boundaries](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-your-life-through-boundaries/) **Published:** February 9, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I wonder if you’ve ever thought about using boundaries to help with organizing your life. When I close my eyes and think about a boundary, I picture something physical – like a wall. However, most of my life I have used invisible boundaries to create limits. I used to tell my children they could run around and play on the beach up to the lifeguard chair. That was their invisible fence or boundary. I’ve used countless other invisible boundaries to place limits on some of things I do, and I bet you have also. When you organize your life using boundaries you will notice the ways in which the boundaries work for you. ### **Use Physical Boundaries to Organize Your Space** People tend to collect things. If we like books, we tend to have lots of them. If clothes or shoes are our thing, we may outgrow our closets. When this happens, our natural inclination is to look for other places to keep our collections. We invest in more bookshelves or pile the books on the floor near the places we like to sit and read. Maybe we add a garment rack to hang clothes or clear boxes in which to place our shoes so we can stack them. Before we know it, the physical boundary of our home is overwhelmed. Instead, use the physical boundary the space provides and let it inform you when it’s time to declutter. When the bookshelf is full and can’t hold another book, declutter the shelves to make room for the new books. If the closet is so full you can’t sneak another hanger in, it’s time to let go of clothes you no longer wear. The kitchen cupboards and drawers as well as the pantry are two other places that often fill up. If this happens to you, look for duplicates (or triplicates) keep the ones you use and rehome the remainder. Organizing your life through physical boundaries helps you [keep clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-power-of-routine-how-daily-habits-keep-clutter-under-control/) to a minimum. ### **Use Time Boundaries to Structure Your Day for Efficiency** Think about the hours in the day as invisible boundaries. Next make a list of the things that you do during the day. Some things may be non-negotiable. For example: the hours you must spend at the office, time spent taking and picking up your children from school, or a volunteer commitment. Other things may be optional. Create a schedule for yourself that lets you make the best use of your available time. This may change from day to day, week to week, or month to month. The important thing is to [pay attention ](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-3-best-reasons-to-pay-attention-to-your-bed/)and make those changes to your time boundaries. Organizing your life [through time boundaries ](https://dnqsolutions.com/simplify-your-life-create-boundaries-by-scheduling-your-time-wisely/)helps you be more flexible. ### **Use Boundaries to Prioritize Your Well-Being** You are probably familiar with the example “put your oxygen mask on before helping the person next to you”. It’s very important to set boundaries for your well-being so you care for yourself. When someone asks you to do something and you’re not sure about it or you know you don’t want to do it, but you also don’t want to offend the person protect your personal boundaries and have a mantra to use. You can say “I need to go home and check our family calendar” or “I need to see if that will work with my other obligations” or “No”. Believe it or not “No” or “Thank you for asking me, but my answer is No” are complete answers. You do not need to explain yourself to the person. Each one of us has the right to stick to our personal boundaries and prioritize ourselves without feeling guilty. Afterall, the best person to look out for you is you. ### **Use Digital Boundaries to Reduce Overload and Distraction** Do you lose track of time checking social media feeds or doing “research”? My guess is that you have. I know I have. [Current research](https://longevity.stanford.edu/lifestyle/2024/05/30/what-excessive-screen-time-does-to-the-adult-brain/#:~:text=We%20know%20children's%20brains%20are,day%20outside%20of%20work%20hours.) supports the theory that too much screen time is not good for anyone, young and old alike. You can control your screen time. It’s possible to set your phone aside (or lock it away) when you’re at work. Yes. I know your work probably involves a screen some of the time. However, when you are looking at a screen for work there is a purpose associated with it. The same is true if you are purposefully researching a product or service online or if you are shopping for things like groceries or another useful delivery. **Other reasons to use digital boundaries** Use digital boundaries to limit the length of time you keep documents in your downloads folder. What about boundaries for emails? Consider setting boundaries for the number of unread emails you hold onto. When you approach the limit, make an appointment with yourself to read and delete the ones that are no longer relevant. [Organizing your life through digital boundaries helps to reduce](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-for-organizing-the-things-in-your-life-to-reduce-stress-clutter-and-mess/) your screen time and to declutter your digital inboxes. ### **Maintaining Boundaries** All this talk about boundaries, setting them, and how useful they are is simply that – talk. There are no physical fences or barriers involved. You are the only person who will know if you aren’t sticking to the [boundaries you created.](https://dnqsolutions.com/planning-with-purpose-how-boundaries-create-a-balanced-schedule/) The question becomes how will you adhere to your boundaries? **Are there natural consequences?** Pay attention to the way things work and how you feel. Then, adjust your boundaries if that is what makes sense. Since you are the one creating your boundaries, you can also be flexible with them as the need arises. Remember that organizing your life through these different types of boundaries will help you achieve the goals and intentions you set for yourself. Reach out to me if you’d like to talk about specific strategies for you. Send me an email to set up a free 30-minute phone consultation. You can reach me at: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC.](https://dnqsolutions.com/) She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Planning with Purpose: How Boundaries Create a Balanced Schedule](https://dnqsolutions.com/planning-with-purpose-how-boundaries-create-a-balanced-schedule/) **Published:** February 16, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** The best reason to make a plan is to get things done. When you do, you can scratch the things off a never-ending list of errands, appointments, or steps toward achieving a goal. Do you get that little surge of happiness when you cross something off a list or put a check mark beside it? I do. This is why I stick to making a list on paper. I like seeing the things that I’ve done during the day scratched off my list. The key to making a list that works is to embrace the concept of planning with purpose. Believe it or not, boundaries can help you create a balanced schedule. ### **Why Boundaries Matter in Planning** Use your personal boundaries to help you create as balanced a schedule as is possible. We all know that true balance is not ever possible. It never quite works out to give equal time to all the various things you like, want, or need to do. What you can do is use your understanding of your values and priorities to guide you as you plan your schedule for the day, week, or month. ### **Setting Realistic Time Blocks** Think about all the things you do. As you begin to create your plan using time blocks, be realistic. Ask yourself: How much time you need to transition between activities? Which activities also involve traveling? Remember to allow for traffic, parking, and taking a minute for yourself before launching into the next event. Do you do some activities better in the morning, afternoon, or evening? Planning with purpose means that you are mindfully taking care of yourself as well as the things to which you devote your time and attention. ### **The Power of Saying No** Protect your schedule by setting firm boundaries. When someone pushes against your boundaries and threatens to upend your plan, you can say ‘No’. It is amazing that such a simple, small word is sometimes the most difficult to use. However, once you gather up the courage to protect your boundaries and say ‘No’ you will feel empowered. ### **Creating a Flexible but Structured Routine** I realize that this at first read may sound as if creating a schedule means that it is set in stone and rigid. This is far from the truth. Planning with purpose gives you the flexibility to know where you can switch things around. How does this work? When you have a plan and you know when you have things scheduled that are firm commitments and when the times are flexible, you can shift gears quickly without going into a tailspin or panicking. This gives you confidence and puts you in control. ### **Avoid Overcommitment and Burnout** Use planning with purpose to help yourself avoid overcommitment and burnout. Many of us (I include myself) are doers. We want to do things to be helpful and probably say ‘yes’ to some things we may be better off saying ‘no’ to. When you take planning seriously and hold yourself accountable to your stated boundaries you help yourself avoid agreeing to taking on more commitments than you can realistically fit into your schedule. None of us wants to become overtired and burned out. When that happens, we are of no good to anyone, least of all to ourselves. ### **Tools and Strategies for Staying on Track** Use the lists below to select tools and strategies to try. Read through the list and try a tool and/or strategy that appeals to you. Give it a solid effort for a week to ten days to see if it will work for you. If it doesn’t, try a different one from the list. You will probably want to use one tool and one or more strategies. No matter which ones you use, always celebrate your progress. Even if you try something that doesn’t quite work the way you need it to – celebrate. The effort you put into finding a strategy or tool is worth celebrating. You can take that method off your list and try something else. #### **Tools for Staying on Track** 1. **Digital Calendars & Reminders** – Use apps like Google Calendar or Apple Calendar to set appointments, deadlines, and reminders that align with your boundaries. 2. **Task Management Apps** – Apps like Todoist, Trello, or Notion can help [organize tasks while ensuring they don’t overwhelm your schedule.](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-when-you-feel-overwhelmed-by-a-task/) 3. **Time Blocking** – Allocate specific time slots for tasks to prevent over-scheduling and maintain balance. 4. **Accountability Partners** – Checking in with a friend, colleague, or coach can help you stay on track while respecting your limits. 5. **Paper Planners** – If you prefer analog methods, a planner or bullet journal can help you visualize your commitments and ensure they align with your priorities. 6. **Focus Tools** – Pomodoro timers or focus apps (like Forest or Focus@Will) can help maintain productivity while preventing burnout. #### **Strategies for Staying on Track** 1. **Set Clear Priorities** – Identify what truly matters and focus your time and energy on those tasks. 2. **Schedule Buffer Time** – Build in extra time between tasks to avoid back-to-back commitments that push your boundaries. 3. **Say No Confidently** – Practice declining tasks or invitations that don’t align with your priorities. 4. **Regularly Review Your Schedule** – Check in daily or weekly to assess if your schedule is as balanced as is possible and adjust as needed. 5. **Listen to Your Energy Levels** – Plan demanding tasks when you’re most productive and leave lighter tasks for when energy is lower. 6. **Use a ‘Maybe’ List** – If a task isn’t urgent, add it to a list to revisit later instead of overloading your schedule. 7. **Celebrate Progress** – Acknowledge accomplishments, even small ones, to stay motivated and reinforce your commitment to maintaining boundaries. ### **Review and Adjust Your Schedule** Planning with purpose works when you make a commitment to review and adjust your schedule frequently. Life isn’t static. It will throw us curve balls from time to time. You are more able to be flexible and adjust when you have tools to use and strategies to guide you. Reach out to me for a free 30-minute phone consultation if you would like help creating a plan or a schedule that works for you. Send me an email to set up a time to talk. <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com/)*. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Planning & Schedule Management --- ### [Breaking Free from Disposaphobia: How to Build the Habit of Letting Go](https://dnqsolutions.com/breaking-free-from-disposaphobia-how-to-build-the-habit-of-letting-go/) **Published:** March 9, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Don’t you just love the word, disposaphobia – the fear of disposing things? This word sounds fierce and scary. I suppose that’s the intent; to create a word that embodies the fear some people feel when they contemplate letting things go. Why is it that some people fear letting go of their things and how can we build the habit of letting go? These are the questions I am addressing in this post. How do you think we form the fear of letting go? Recently, I overheard an exchange between a child and their mother. It went something like this: *The mother and child were in the child’s room and the child tossed a toy in the trash.* *Mom: You can’t just [throw things away.](https://dnqsolutions.com/understanding-disposaphobia-aka-the-fear-of-throwing-things-away/)* *Child: I don’t want it anymore. I don’t like it, and I don’t want it in my room.* *The child left the room, and the mother retrieved the toy from the trash and put it back in the toy basket.* From my way of thinking, the mom may have said to the child that it’s ok to not want something and instead of throwing it away, they can donate it. Having that conversation builds the habit of letting go. Instead, this child is learning to keep things, even if they don’t want them. ### **Understanding Disposaphobia: Why Is It Hard to Let Go?** Much of what we do is learned behavior. We either copy people we respect and want to be like when we’re adults or we notice behaviors we don’t like and do our best not to exhibit them. Children watch, listen to, and copy their parents. That’s one of the reasons that adults whose parents lived through the Great Depression save so much. They learned not to let things go because they may need it – someday. Here are some common reasons people struggle to part with items: - **Emotional attachment**: the item reminds them of a special event or person and has sentimental value. Letting the item go makes the person think they are also letting go of the memory. - **Fear of waste**: This is belief that the item might be useful later. - **Anxiety** over making the wrong decision. Unfortunately, disposaphobia leads to over-saving which causes clutter to build up. This is stressful for you because things get lost in clutter. Hunting for things you need wastes time and energy. Let’s change the behavior and build the habit of letting go. ### **Shift Your Mindset and Reframe Letting Go as a Positive Act** Instead of thinking about decluttering and letting go of things as a chore and something to fear, shift your mindset and think about letting go of things as something positive. Find things that you want to remove from your home that you don’t need, use, or love that will benefit other people or animals. For instance, the towels that were a wedding gift, but which are now a little worn can be donated to an animal shelter. The animals will benefit. Envision a cute puppy or kitten snuggled up in one of your gently worn towels. The shoes you loved (you felt so marvelous wearing those high heels) but which now hurt your feet, (even when you are just looking at them) can be donated to a Dress for Success donation site. Another woman will be thrilled to have them when she gets dressed up to go on an interview. Shifting your mindset this way helps to reduce the fear of disposing of your belongings because you are now looking at letting go of things in a positive light. ### **3 Practical Strategies to Build the Habit of Letting Go** #### **1. Start Small and Stay Consistent** - Pick one day of the week to be a decluttering day. This does not mean you spend the entire day decluttering. This is the day you will take the blinders off and release things you randomly encounter during the day. - Decide to discard, donate, or recycle at least one item that day. Look for at least one thing that you know you don’t need, use or love. - Before you buy something, know what you will donate, discard, or recycle (that is also known as the one in, one out rule). It does not need to be a replacement. The idea behind the one in, one out rule is that we make space for something new by removing something already in the house that is not being used. #### **2. Set Up a Simple System for Letting Go** - Create a **donation box** and keep it in a visible place. I like to keep a donation box in my closet. If I don’t like an article of clothing, I can simply put it in the box. Then, I take it to the donation site. - Schedule time to take the things in the donation box to the charity of your choice at least once a month. - Develop a **recycling routine** for paper, electronics, and packaging. Find out where you can recycle electronics and other hard to dispose of items in your town. #### **3. Make It a Positive Experience** - **Use a timer**. Set your timer for 10 – 30 minutes. Pick one small specific place to begin. When the timer goes off, stop decluttering. You will be amazed by how much you get done in a short amount of time. - **Play music** or listen to a podcast or a book to make it enjoyable. - **Reward yourself** for progress. Always reward yourself for following through with the task. Even if you didn’t make as much progress as you wanted (or hoped), progress is progress. ### **Overcoming Common Roadblocks to Decluttering** Think about all the potential roadblocks that you can which may surface in your mind to derail you on your journey. Then, think about what you will do to [move past](https://dnqsolutions.com/compassionate-solutions-for-hoarding-moving-past-overwhelm/) each roadblock. Being prepared for these hurdles will help you to navigate over or around them. Below are some suggestions to help you. - **“But I Might Need It Someday”** → Put it in a box. Label the box with the date. Set a deadline. If unused in a year, it goes. - **Sentimental Attachments** → Take photos of special items before letting them go. Consider writing down the stories and then [creating a photo album](https://www.pixorium.com/) so you can visit the photos and share the stories with others. - **[Feeling Overwhelmed](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-when-you-feel-overwhelmed-by-a-task/)** → Start small in a spot that you know you can tackle. Be specific with your goal. It may be to clear the surface of a small table or to reduce the pile of books by your bed. Give yourself success to boost your motivation. - **Fear of Waste** → Find responsible ways to donate or recycle. ### **Embrace the Freedom of Less** Letting go isn’t just about reducing what you have, it’s also about bringing space into your home and your life. When you build the habit of letting go, you give yourself space to enjoy the things you love, freedom from worrying about what’s buried in the clutter, and a greater sense of peace. Remember to start small and be patient with yourself. Building a habit, like building muscle, takes time and regular practice. Email me to schedule a free 30-minute consultation to get specific tips on how you can work on building the habit of letting go. <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com/)*. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [How Strong Habits Help You Navigate Life's Unexpected Turns](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-strong-habits-help-you-navigate-lifes-unexpected-turns/) **Published:** March 16, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Are you familiar with the expression; We plan, and God laughs? In my way of thinking this expression helps to remind us that nothing in life is certain. We can plan how we want our day to go but you never know if something might get in the way of the plan. One of the many things I love about life is that it can take unexpected turns. Some of those turns are not so great, I admit that. Other turns have been fabulous and have brought me great joy. The things I rely on when life takes an unexpected turn are my strong habits. Strong habits help me structure my days and give me the flexibility to shift my plans without too much stress or anxiety. Before I moved to Atlanta, I spent many happy summer days on a boat sailing in Long Island Sound. Knowing how to navigate the small sailboat and trim the sails were important skills to stay safe. Strong habits and routines are important to create so they can serve as an anchor during turbulent times. ### **Why Habits and Routines Matter in Times of Uncertainty** When life goes topsy turvy and you are experiencing a life-changing event like moving to a new home or in with a partner, having a baby, marriage or divorce, or a death, habits and routines ground you by providing stability and predictability. You reduce decision fatigue because some decisions are automatic. Mental overload is also easier to bear because you have these routines to fall back on. Following routines that are familiar and continuing to engage in [good strong habits](https://www.brownhealth.org/be-well/why-habits-can-be-good-thing#:~:text=Consistency.,a%20vital%20role%20in%20improvement.) puts you back in control of yourself. That’s very important when external circumstances are unpredictable. ### **4 Key Areas Where Strong Habits Make a Difference** 1. **Morning and Evening Routines**: Even when all else is unfamiliar if you stick to your morning and evening routines you bring the familiar into your day. Get up at your regular time and follow your regular morning routine (as much as possible). Practice your usual end-the-day/evening routine also. Bringing a familiar start and end to your day provides structure and a semblance of balance – even when you may be navigating stressful or upsetting times. 2. **Daily Maintenance Habits**: If you haven’t already, develop strong daily maintenance habits. These small daily tasks typically only take a short 10 – 15 minutes to do but they have a huge impact on the overall maintenance of your home. Everyone’s daily tasks will be different. They typically include things like tidying up, doing laundry, making the bed, and doing dishes. When these little tasks are done regularly, they become strong habits. 3. **Time Blocking and Scheduling:** If you have a habit of planning your day time blocking will help you when your life changes. Switch from planning hours to using time blocks and figuring out what tasks may fit. Instead of assigning specific times to a task or project, tell yourself that you will [pay attention](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-3-best-reasons-to-pay-attention-to-your-bed/) to it after breakfast, in the late morning, right after lunch, or before you start your evening meal. Time blocking gives you an idea of when you will address the task without tying you down to the clock. This will ensure essential tasks and responsibilities are covered even when things feel chaotic. 4. **Self-Care and Wellness Practices:** Take good care of yourself so you are better able to take care of those you love. Self-care means that you give yourself downtime and do things for yourself that bring you happiness. An example may be to sit with your feet up for 15 minutes or so, reading a book or magazine. That can sometimes be enough to recharge a personal battery. Wellness practices include getting enough sleep (maintaining your evening routine) and eating nutritionally. Take time to plan your meals. Maintaining these habits helps you manage stress. ### **Real-Life Examples of Habits Providing Stability** Moving homes is one of the life events that can make everything feel uncertain and overwhelming. I remember when we moved to Singapore everything was unfamiliar. My children were starting a new school, and we were in a foreign country. Maintaining our typical morning and evening routines (as much as possible) helped our family feel more at ease and comfortable. Grief over losing a loved one is another life-event which throws our lives into chaos. My friend and colleague, Jonda Beattie, shared recently that one thing that helped her when her husband passed away was sticking to her regular [daily routine](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-reasons-your-daily-routine-changes-when-you-move/). This provided her with a sense of purpose and balance when everything else in her life was changing. These are just a few real-life examples to let you know just how beneficial strong habits can be when your life throws you a curve ball. ### **How to Make Your Routines Stick** Habits and routines do not become automatic and stick all by themselves. As much as we would like to tell ourselves that we will create these strong habits or follow these great routines they will not become part of what we do without intentional practice. Here are some tips which may help you make habits automatic: - Practice intentionally - Write down the sequence of the routine and keep it with you as a reminder - Reward yourself for working on this, even if you goof now and again Remember you are not discarding the routines that have worked for you in the past. You are adjusting them to accommodate your change in circumstances. Keep the parts that still work and adapt the others. Feel free to reach out to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation if you would like to get personalized help tweaking your routines so they work better for you. You can reach me at dnqsolutions@gmail.com. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com/)*. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com/) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [When Routines Slip, Clutter Creeps In: How Hoarding Behaviors Take Over](https://dnqsolutions.com/when-routines-slip-clutter-creeps-in-how-hoarding-behaviors-take-over/) **Published:** March 30, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Recently I’ve been talking about the ways in which habits and routines keep clutter under control. I firmly believe this and rely on my habits and routines to help me stay on track. Sadly, though, when routines slip for more than a day or two it’s all too easy to talk yourself into believing that habits and routines aren’t necessary. Why? Because the clutter is sneaky. At first, it doesn’t appear as if the clutter is accumulating beyond what you know you can tackle quickly. It’s easy to ignore. As time goes on and you don’t pick your routines back up something else happens. The clutter gets overwhelming and out of control. Let’s review how quickly clutter can accumulate which may lead to hoarding behaviors when routines are abandoned. ### **The Connection Between Habits and Clutter Control** [Daily and weekly routines keep clutter under control](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-power-of-routine-how-daily-habits-keep-clutter-under-control/) because every small action helps to keep big piles from accumulating. Here are a few examples: - When you intentionally do the dishes after each meal, the sink doesn’t fill up. - Putting the laundry away when the clothes are dry keeps you in clean clothes - If you [put things away](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-power-of-routine-how-daily-habits-keep-clutter-under-control/) shortly after you come home, they don’t accumulate in piles here and there. These are small habits to create which help you keep clutter under control. ### **Life Can Get in the Way: Common Reasons Routines Break Down** Life rarely goes as smoothly as we want it to. Unexpected and some expected life events can throw a monkey wrench into our plans and upset the balance we have come to expect. Things like illness, stress due to a job, moving, having a baby, divorce, and an accident are some external reasons that routines break down. Even happy events, like marriage or having a baby, can throw your routines off balance. But you and your partner can work together to create new routines to follow. Routines can also break down when we overcommit our time and become too busy. When that happens, we may avoid doing regular chores, abandoning our habits and routines. ### **Clutter is Sneaky** I’ve said before that clutter is sneaky. It can seem like a good idea to use the chair in your bedroom to hold a small stack of clothes until that small stack becomes a huge pile and topples over. The obvious result of deciding to allow clutter to accumulate is that it invades our physical space. When clutter occupies our physical space, it also takes hold in our mind and has an impact on our mental health. If clutter is everywhere in our homes, it is constantly in our line of sight. Creating a visual reminder that we have let our routines slip. We may worry about where to put some of the things or how to responsibly remove it. This worry causes stress. The longer we wait to attend to the clutter, the harder it becomes because – clutter is sneaky, and it multiplies. ### **Be Aware of the Signs of Hoarding Behavior** When [routines slip and clutter turns](https://dnqsolutions.com/turn-intentions-into-actions-daily-routines-for-clutter-control/) overwhelming piles around the home, it is hard to tackle. This makes it look like it is hoarding. Be aware of the signs of hoarding behaviors. A little knowledge and understanding can help you avoid these behaviors. Ask yourself these questions: - Do you have an emotional attachment to items? Why is that? Are these things a place holder and serve to remind you of a person or an event? - Are you holding onto some things because they were a gift, and you love the person who gave them to you? - Are you worried about letting things go? Maybe you want to keep them ‘just in case’ but have no concrete plan of when or how you might use them. - Is there a pile that you avoid touching or are reluctant to move? - Does the accumulation of clutter prevent you from using some spaces the way they were intended or that you want to use them? Answering these questions for yourself can help you change these behaviors. ### **Tips to Get Back on Track** It probably feels overwhelming to tackle the clutter. Admittedly, it will be difficult at first. Here are some tips to follow which will help you get past that overwhelming feeling. No. These tips are not going to make the clutter go away in one easy wave of a magic wand. It will take time and regular work. But take heart. It can be done. - Pick one small space to start. - Gather your decluttering supplies: boxes for recycling, donating, trash, and moving to another room. - Set a timer for a short amount of time. - Work for that length of time in that spot only. - If you don’t finish decluttering that space, decide when you will work again. - Re-establish your daily routines. Think back to your past routines. Do you need to change them? - Ask for help or accountability if needed. - Reward yourself for your hard work ### **Tips to Avoid Future Overwhelm** Once you get back on track you want to avoid this predicament in the future. You need to understand that everyone (including professional organizers like me) let their routines slip from time to time. One day here and there is fine. It’s when you let more than one or two days in a row go by without following your routine that clutter has a chance to get sneaky and accumulate. Here are some tips to avoid future overwhelm: - Schedule regular daily resets of high traffic rooms/areas in your home. - Make conscious decisions about what you bring into your home. - Create a habit of decluttering a little bit at a time. ### **Conclusion** Habits and routines work for you to help you maintain the organization in your home. If they are hard to follow or you are often letting the routines slip, think about what it is you don’t like about them. Then tweak the routines so they are easier for you to follow regularly. Give yourself grace and allow yourself the time to mindfully create habits and routines that work with the way you want to live in your home, so you are in control and clutter is pushed to the curb. Reach out to me to schedule a free 30-minute phone call if you would like to know more about creating routines that you can follow. You can email me at: dnqsolutions@gmail.com *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com)*. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Understanding Hoarding --- ### [Spring Cleaning for Your Digital Devices: Declutter and Organize](https://dnqsolutions.com/spring-cleaning-for-your-digital-devices-declutter-and-organize/) **Published:** April 13, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** At this time of the year many people throw open their windows and let the bright springtime sunshine into their homes. They notice the dust bunnies that have accumulated in dark corners of their home as well as that pale yellow coating of pollen on their car and outdoor furniture. They see and understand the need to do some extra cleaning in their homes. What we have not done (or ever talked about) is the importance of decluttering and cleaning our digital devices. I mentioned recently that clutter is sneaky. It’s true that clutter in our homes accumulates when we don’t [pay attention.](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-3-best-reasons-to-pay-attention-to-your-bed/) Gues what? Clutter also accumulates in our digital devices. We don’t notice the piles because we can’t see them. They are hidden in cyberspace. This clutter can be just as stressful as the clutter in our homes. ## **5 Steps to Take to Declutter, Spring Clean, and Organize Digital Devices** I have never paid very much attention to the clutter in my computer because my husband regularly removes the digital cookies and installs updates as necessary. But he does not delete old files or apps. He leaves that to me. I recently took a class sponsored by the [Institute for Challenging Disorganization](https://challengingdisorganization.org) on digital organizing taught by [Kate Hufnagel](https://thedigitalwrangler.com). Even though my blogs typically focus on organizing tangible items, I thought my readers may be interested in reducing the clutter in their digital devices. These 5 steps contain some of the information Kate shared during that class. ### **Step 1: Declutter Your Digital Files** My first question to you is: how do you manage your digital documents, files, and folders? There are documents that I create for a specific need. I often forget that I should delete them once that need is fulfilled. They are stored as a word document in the “Documents” section in my computer taking up valuable space. If this is you, too, take a few minutes to look for documents you don’t need and delete them. The same goes for files and folders you no longer need to reference. Once you have done that, [organize documents](https://dnqsolutions.com/strategies-to-organize-documents-on-file/) you want to keep by putting them into clearly labeled folders. It helps me to have these folders labeled the same way I label my paper files. Doing that may help you, too. Lastly, back up important data to the cloud or an external drive. If doing this sounds like an overwhelming task, pick one folder on which to focus. Set a timer for 15 minutes and do as much as you can until the timer goes off. You may decide to tackle a folder or two a day or a week. It’s up to you. ### **Step 2: Tidy Up Your Email Inbox** In my experience, personally and that of my clients, an overfull email box is something that causes stress. The first thing to do to reduce the email you receive is to unsubscribe from newsletters and promotional emails you no longer read. If you find you are missing it and wish you were receiving some of that information, you can always re-subscribe. Next, set up some rules and categories to make it easier to organize important emails. Create folders in which to place broad categories of messages. Of course, you know you’ll need to check the folders, read, archive and/or delete old messages. ### **Step 3: Declutter Your Desktop and Apps** If you store folders on your home screen it can be a challenge to find the one you need quickly. My advice is to save broadly labeled folders within broader categories like Documents, Pictures, or Downloads. If you love having folders on your home screen, be vigilant about removing unused shortcuts and folders. ### **Step 4: Organize Your Photos and Videos** Kate Hufnagel shared that many people take an average of 20 photos a day and that 1 billion photos are loaded onto Instagram daily. Wow! I don’t usually take that many photos, do you? Kate’s advice is to delete blurry or duplicate photos regularly. This is something you can do while you’re waiting at a doctor’s office, sitting in a carpool line, waiting in the checkout line at the grocery store, or waiting for the timer on the microwave to ding. Also, organize your photos by creating albums or folders so you can easily find the photo you want to share. I have folders for photos on my computer and in Dropbox that are beautifully organized. My problem is that I rarely upload photos to my computer anymore. I did this when I used a separate camera. My habit had been to connect my camera to my computer and upload photos. Now, I take photos with my phone and share them in emails or messages sent directly from my phone. My next project, thanks to Kate’s advice, is to create folders and albums for the photos in my phone. Of course, the final step is to back up this file often. ### **Step 5: Optimize Your Digital Devices for a Fresh Start** Clear the cache and cookies regularly because the cache can grow quite big and use a lot of disk space on your computer which can cause slow web browsing. If you don’t clear the cache the already loaded pages in your browser’s history can cause issues when viewing new versions of previously visited web pages. The problem with this is that clearing the cache and cookies also deletes website settings like usernames and passwords. But that’s only a problem if you haven’t created a Password folder and saved all that information. I turn my computer off if I know that I’m going to be away from my desk for several hours. This lets everything rest, which helps to extend the life of the machine. Create a schedule or a routine of emptying the trash in all your digital devices. I didn’t know that deleting a voicemail or text message does not delete it from my phone. It goes to a delete folder in my phone which then must be emptied. Understand that deleting is a two-step process. This is true for every place you delete. ### **Conclusion: Maintain Your Digital Devices** Just as I recommend you create a schedule for decluttering your home, I recommend you create a regular schedule for decluttering your digital devices. Decluttering your digital devices only takes a few extra minutes. We spend so much time using these devices it stands to reason that they will function better for us if we declutter them regularly. If you’d like help creating a decluttering routine for your digital devices, feel free to reach out to Diane to schedule a free 30-minute phone conversation. You can email Diane here: dnqsolutions@gmail.com *Diane N. Quintana is the owner [of DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [Spring Forward: The Courage to Declutter A Hoarded Home and Begin Again](https://dnqsolutions.com/spring-forward-the-courage-to-declutter-a-hoarded-home-and-begin-again/) **Published:** April 27, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I love Spring. Here in Atlanta, Spring is a beautiful but brief season. It can be lovely with soft breezes one day and smoldering heat the next. Maybe because we get such big shifts in the temperature here it seems like from one day to the next the trees are just beginning to put out their leaves and then they are out. I’m talking about this because for many, Spring is a growing season. It can signify new beginnings, healing, and a fresh start. At this time of the year many organizers talk about removing the things that no longer serve us, doing spring cleaning. Starting fresh in the home with newly organized, cleaned-out spaces. Recently I had the honor of working with a family to declutter a hoarded home. I was inspired by the courage they showed as they went through decades of belongings. ### **A Hoarded Home is Full of More Than Stuff** At first glance the amount of stuff in a hoarded home can look like just piles and piles of things. Some of the piles may have avalanched and become less of a stack and more of a slope of cascading books, magazines, papers, and more. Looking at it makes everyone (including the visitor) feel overwhelmed. The collection of things may relate to many different chapters of the person’s life including but not limited to past jobs, past accomplishments, dreams, trauma, or grief. The person doing the hoarding may feel as if letting go of these things will also release the memories. It may also be that the person feels as if this (the hoard) is the only part of their life over which they have any control. Living in such conditions is overwhelming, I have said this before. What I want you to understand is that releasing the hoard and clearing the space probably feels impossible. The person may question why they should begin decluttering when they feel as if they’ll never be able to finish it. ### **A Switch Needs to Flip** A few weeks ago, I took an [ICD](https://challengingdisorganization.org) class with a panel who bravely shared their life experiences. One of the panelists shared that once they ‘flipped the switch’ they changed their behavior. I believe this is true of any change a person wants to make in their life. Once you make the hard decision to radically change the way in which you’re doing something it can be as if you ‘flipped a switch’ and the former way of doing things doesn’t work anymore. Acknowledging the hoard is more than anyone can tackle alone , is the first step to taking control of it. Asking for help is often the hardest and most courageous part. That is when the person receives hope. It is the possibility of a new beginning, a commitment to a new chapter or way of living in their home. And having a trained professional the person trusts by their side makes all the difference in the world. ### **The Process: One Step at a Time** The process to declutter a hoarded home will be different for everyone. If there is a firm deadline by which time the hoard must be under control, the process will involve a team and a faster pace. If the homeowner has time, the trained professional organizer may work onsite once or twice a week and then have the person do some decluttering on their own in between sessions. It’s important to understand that everyone’s journey is different. The home did not become full overnight, and it will not be decluttered overnight. The scenario with the best results will be one where the person can review all their belongings, determine which few to keep, and which may be donated to someone who will benefit from these things. The decisions about what stays in the home and what is donated or recycled will be difficult and uncomfortable. Making all these decisions is emotional and exhausting. Imagine watching collections of things you forgot you had because they were buried under mountains of other things surface and then forcing yourself to only keep one or none. People who have the courage to do this, to change their lives, are very brave. ### **The Ripple Effect of Letting Go** There is a ripple effect that happens as a person becomes more comfortable with letting things go. The process is a little easier. Things move from piles to places (keep, donation, recycle, trash) faster. There is a feeling of lightness combined with more energy. A shift in the person’s mood takes place. Momentum builds as the home looks more and more the way the person has envisioned it. ### **This Kind of Courage Is Inspiring** The courage people show as they declutter a hoarded home is inspiring. They let go of lots of physical belongings to make space for themselves. Additionally, they let go of the shame and embarrassed feelings which tell them they must keep things because they spent money on them. Whenever I work with someone to declutter a hoarded home, I walk away feeling so happy that they have made progress. I often will look at a few of my own things once I get home and question why I am hanging on to things that no longer serve a purpose. Everyone, even professional organizers, has things they can let go of. Is there something in your home you no longer need, use, or love? If so, why not take this opportunity to let it go. ### **Conclusion: Your Spring Invitation** This Spring open your cupboards, closets, and drawers and look deep inside. Look at the places that are hard to reach like the back of the cupboard and the top shelf in the closet. See if there is something lurking there that you no longer need, use, or love. My suspicion is that there will be things that you forgot you had. Why not let those things go? Sell them or take them to a donation site. This way someone will use them, and they won’t be taking up valuable space in your cupboards, drawers, and closets. Have courage to let go of the things you don’t use. Reducing things a little bit here and there is like taking preventative measures, so you don’t end up with a hoarded home. Please reach out to me to schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation. Send me an email: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com>. Let’s talk about the small things you can do to declutter your home this Spring. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC.](https://dnqsolutions.com/) She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Understanding Hoarding --- ### [Clear Your Space, Clear Your Mind: The Health Benefits of Organizing](https://dnqsolutions.com/clear-your-space-clear-your-mind-the-health-benefits-of-organizing/) **Published:** May 4, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** When you think about organizing something what images come to your mind? Do you picture matching baskets, labeled canisters, or a neat and tidy room? All these images represent organizing, this is true. Organizing, though, isn’t just about being neat and tidy. There are health benefits that are directly related to organizing. Yes. Organizing your home has an impact on your physical and mental health. When you clear your space, you create an environment which supports a healthier and happier lifestyle. ## I am reviewing three main areas to address when you clear your space. ### **Organized Kitchen = Healthier Eating** The first area to clear is your kitchen. When you organize your kitchen the health benefit is that it’s easier to make healthy meals. You may be less inclined to order fast food because you have access to the things you need to quickly prepare a meal for yourself. I want to state the obvious – when you organize your kitchen, you are also clearing the counters. This creates space in which to prepare and cook healthier meals. Plus, clear counters are easy to clean which in turn means that germs or bacteria do not have a chance to collect. The place to begin this organizing activity is the Pantry. Treat your shelves as if they were the shelves in the grocery store. First group like items, then put the older items in front of the newer ones. The reason for doing this is that you want to use items before they have a chance to expire. Another thing to consider is the placement of your cooking tools, accessories, dishes, and cutlery. Organize the drawers and cupboards so things are as near to where they are being used as possible. For example: keep your dishes, cups, and cutlery as near to the dishwasher as possible. This makes emptying the dishwasher super simple. Pot and pans go near the stove and/or oven. Organizing your kitchen this way reduces stress at mealtime because your tools and ingredients are accessible and easy to find. ### **Organized Bedroom = Better Sleep** Getting to sleep, winding down after a busy day is difficult for many people. Organizing your bedroom and creating a calm, peaceful atmosphere makes it possible for your body to relax and lean into the idea of rest. What does it mean to organize a bedroom? I’m so glad you asked! There are no piles of random belongings waiting to be put away. This includes clean clothes waiting to be hung in the closet or placed in drawers or on shelves. Shoes are either not in sight or are neatly placed out of the way, so they don’t become a tripping hazard. The bedside table has the things you need and nothing else. Clear your bedroom space, reduce the clutter, and invite peacefulness so you sleep better. ### **Less Visual Clutter = Less Mental Clutter** In general when you clear your space, it follows that you reduce visual clutter. Visual clutter is a reminder of things you need to do. This in turn creates mental clutter. What is mental clutter? Typically, it is thoughts that cycle through your brain, reminding you of things to do. It can be a collection of thoughts or worries. Mental clutter makes it difficult to focus and make decisions. When you reduce the [visual clutter and reminders you also reduce mental](https://www.verywellmind.com/decluttering-our-house-to-cleanse-our-minds-5101511) clutter which makes it easier to feel at peace in your home. An additional benefit of clearing your space and reducing the clutter is that it takes less time to clean your home. It is so much easier to clean a counter or tabletop when there are only a few things to move. This means that there are fewer places for dust and allergens to collect. This in turn means more free time for you to do with as you wish. ### **Conclusion:** There are many health-related benefits of organizing your home. I have just barely scratched the surface by highlighting these three areas: organizing your kitchen, your bedroom, and clearing space in general. When you pay attention and clear your space in these areas you will eat better, have better sleep, less stress, and more time to enjoy your life. I encourage you to start in one small area and see what a difference organizing in that spot can make. If you would like to learn more about the link between organizing and health benefits, join Jonda Beattie and me on Friday, May 9th, 2025 at noon ET for our monthly organizing class. Register for this [great class here](https://releaserepurpose.com/monthly-class/). *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life, Uncategorized --- ### [Motherhood is an Evolving Journey: Finding Joy in Every Role](https://dnqsolutions.com/motherhood-is-an-evolving-journey-finding-joy-in-every-role/) **Published:** May 11, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** ### **The Evolving Journey of Motherhood** Are you a mom? If you are, Happy Mother’s Day! If you’re not a mom, maybe you are remembering your mother today. I am celebrating Mother’s Day as a mom of two young men and I’m remembering my mom. Being a mother, as everyone knows, is a changing, challenging, and rewarding role. When my children were very young, while I loved them, I couldn’t wait for them to be more independent. Then as they grew more independent, I looked back fondly at the times they were eager to hold my hand. Motherhood is an evolving journey. The older I get, the more I wish I could still sit down with my mother and learn from her experience. Today I want to share some reflections on my journey. ### **Mothering Young Children** If you are a mother of young children, you are probably learning a lot about managing time. Maybe you work from home or go to a job. Doing your work in addition to managing childcare with your partner and finding time to give to your relationships (your partner, parents, and friends) is a juggling act. When my boys were little, I was also coordinating visits with grandparents. Luckily everyone lived within driving distance. I sometimes felt like the middle of a triple-layer sandwich, caring for my mother, my husband, and my children. There are days when nothing goes the way we planned. The children may be fighting, they may not like the meals we planned (and then what do we do? Do we become a short-order cook?), and maybe the children don’t take their naps (as planned) so we can’t do the things we planned to do when we knew the children were settled. The days when something like this happens feel like they are 36 or 48 hours long. Parenting little children is an intense time and it’s a time to celebrate all of the firsts; the first step, the first word, the first time the baby sleeps through the night. And then there all of those snuggles. This is the first role we as mothers take on in this evolving journey of motherhood. ### **Parenting Young Adults** When my boys were young it seemed on the one hand as if time was moving in slow motion and then all of a sudden, they were teenagers asking for the key to the car. My role as mom changed. I was less of a hands-on caregiver and more of a sounding board and drill sargeant. Watching these babies change, grow, and mature means we watch them grow up and away. While that may be a bit bittersweet, it means we’ve done a good job. ### **The Grandparent Years: A New Perspective** Now that I’m a grandmother and one of my sons has two children, my husband and I have the great joy of watching our child become a parent. Of course, there are times when I want to share advice and then I think about how I felt when my mother wanted me to parent differently. New technology and changing philosophies mean that some things are handled very differently. We don’t live near our grandchildren, but we see them on video chats which makes the distance feel less. As a grandmother, I appreciate how hard parenting little children is. What I want to share here, though, is that I’m still a mom. Grandparenting is just another segment of the ever-evolving journey of motherhood. This part of the journey lets me enjoy and appreciate my children as the thoughtful adults they have grown up to be. ### **Conclusion: A Mother’s Love, Timeless and Transforming** I always knew I wanted to be a mom. There is no way to explain the depth of love a parent (specifically here – a mother) has for their children. No matter how old they are, they are still your children. I love my sons endlessly. There are so many parts to this evolving journey of motherhood. It’s important to appreciate each one of them for what they are – a moment in time. I want to leave you with this quote from Jill Churchill. She said, *“There is no way to be a perfect mother, and a million ways to be a good one.”* Wherever you are on this journey, I celebrate with you today. Happy Mother’s Day! *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com)*. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life, Uncategorized --- ### [Clear Space to Clear Your Mind: Controlling Clutter Leads to Better Focus](https://dnqsolutions.com/clear-space-to-clear-your-mind-controlling-clutter-leads-to-better-focus/) **Published:** May 24, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Have you ever sat down to write a letter, an email, or a grocery list and found yourself gazing around the room, not being able to focus on the task at hand? That’s a common experience. It’s a familiar feeling to those who try to work in a cluttered space. Physical clutter is a distraction. It draws your eye and then your mind to the things inhabiting the space and muddles your thoughts. Controlling clutter does so much more than make the space tidy. A clear space helps to clear your mind which in turn makes room for better thinking. ### **Clutter Creates Overwhelm** Chances are you’ve had the experience of walking into a room, ready to get to work, and then turning on your heel and leaving the room. Why? Because you knew you couldn’t work in that space. The reason is clear. When a room isn’t welcoming with an atmosphere of this is a place where your thoughts can flow freely, you don’t feel like settling in and getting work done. Too much visual stimuli makes it hard for a person to focus their thoughts on the task at hand. You become stuck and, if you want to get anything done, you look for another place to work. Piles of paper have that effect on me. If I have too many half-finished projects in piles around my desk, I have a hard time focusing my attention on work. To get something done, I organize my space to clear my mind. It can be as easy as making notes about the next step in each project and then filing my piles. ### **Too Many Choices = Procrastination** Clutter in a room presents you with too many choices of things on which to work. Trying to decide which pile to tackle first leads to decision fatigue, this can make you feel stuck. It is often easier to do nothing, which is frustrating when you know in your head that what you’re doing is procrastinating. Clutter gets in the way of you working on projects and making progress. It’s hard to be motivated and creative when the space is cluttered. Some people think that a tidy space blocks creativity. I disagree. A tidy space allows your mind to think freely and provides an opportunity to be creative. ### **Create Space to Clear Your Mind and Focus** What happens when you actively work to create space? As you reduce piles, make notes, put some things away, and recycle or toss others you give your mind a chance to press the reset button. You put things where you want to find them. Maybe you also categorize and prioritize the tasks. This puts you in control. It’s easier to decide what to work on and when. It’s also easier to focus on the task at hand when the space is clear and conducive to work. An additional benefit is that new ideas can come floating in because you now have the space in which to consider them. ### **The Power of a Tidy-Up** One of my best tips is to tidy up and reset your space every day either before you start work or at the end of the day as you’re wrapping up. My personal preference is to reset my space at the end of the day. I will make notes about where I want to begin my work the next day. My piles get tidied. Anything I got out during the course of the day is put back where it belongs so I can find it the next time I’m looking for it. When I enter my office the next day, it is welcoming and ready for me to begin work. This only takes me about 10 minutes. This short organizing routine offers a powerful reset and helps to clear your mind. It’s a gift I give myself – maybe you want to do the same? ### **Starting Small Leads to Big Results** Encourage yourself to be satisfied with clearing one small specific space. Many people want to declutter an entire room in one organizing session. That’s possible if there isn’t too much clutter in the way. It’s overwhelming and self-defeating if the room contains lots of clutter. When you start small you give yourself confidence and encouragement. Confidence that you CAN do it. Encouragement to keep that one small space clear and to declutter another small space. When you maintain the organization and continue to organize small spaces around the room, you end up with an entire room that is well organized with little or no stress involved. How great is that? The important thing to remember here is that consistent effort wins the battle. It is a battle because clutter is sneaky. It arrives stealthily and collects in piles here and there. At first you may not notice (or pay attention to) a small pile here and there. Then, when you DO notice the clutter, it can be overwhelming. ### **Conclusion: A Regular Reset Routine Helps to Clear Your Mind** Create a regular reset routine in the high traffic areas of your home. This will prevent clutter from accumulating which, in turn, will let you keep your mind clear and available to focus on the things that are important to you. Keeping clutter to a minimum makes cleaning easy. Makes it simple to see where things are because they aren’t hiding amongst the clutter build up. These are just some of the many benefits which come to you when you clear your space of clutter to clear your mind. If this is something which interests you, reach out to me (Diane). Schedule a time to talk. You can email me at: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC.*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [Is Decluttering Stressful? What to Do About it.](https://dnqsolutions.com/is-decluttering-stressful-what-to-do-about-it/) **Published:** May 31, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** As a professional organizer I do lots of listening. You may think that’s strange, but the truth is that to be good at helping someone else organize their belongings you need to know how to listen. I’ll say more about listening in another post. Recently, I’ve been hearing lots of talk about decluttering and stress. People are saying that the idea of decluttering is stressful. I understand. There are many reasons for this. If you are among those who get stressed out at the thought of decluttering this post is for you. ### **What to Do if Decluttering Is Stressful** Remember, I am not a therapist. I am sharing things here that I have found to be helpful. The first thing to do if you find yourself getting stressed at the thought of decluttering is step away and actively breathe. Why? Because often when people are feeling stressed, they hold their breath. We all know that breathing is necessary, so start by taking control of that basic function. You can listen to an App to guide you through some breathing exercises or do this: Breathe in for a count of 4, hold your breath for 4, and slowly breathe out for 4. I sometimes do this with clients if they tell me they are getting anxious. ### **Things that Make Decluttering Stressful** **Unreasonable Expectations:** Do you set unreasonable expectations for yourself? Maybe you think that if you have decluttered a space once that it will always be that way? **Solution:** Do a daily reset to maintain the space you have decluttered. If you live with other people share the responsibility of resetting the space and tell them how to do that. **Is the Project too Big?** Decluttering is stressful when you’re faced with a monumental task. **Solution:** Break the project down into the tiniest of steps. This makes it easy to consider and much less stressful. **Is the Timeline too Short?** Is your expectation that you will get this decluttering done, along with everything else going on in your life, in an unrealistic amount of time? **Solution:** Like the previous question, when you make the timeline realistic and reduce the scope of each step along the way, you remove much of the stress. **You Don’t Know Where to Begin:** It is stressful when you don’t have a clear sense of where to begin a decluttering project. **Solution:** First think about how you want the room to look. Write it down. Then write down how you want the room to function. Identify the purpose of the room. It may have more than one purpose. Remove the things that do not support the function or contribute to your vision a little bit at a time. **Worrying about Decluttering too Much:** is worrying about removing things and regretting it making decluttering stressful for you? **Solution:** Ask yourself what is the worst thing that will happen? Maybe you will have to go out and buy the thing again. As [The Minimalists](https://www.theminimalists.com/) say that’s fine if it is a small cost and takes a short time to do. Chances are good that you will not remove a family heirloom or something of a very high value without thinking it through. Give yourself some grace and then review the reasons you are decluttering now. ### **More Solutions if Decluttering is Stressful** **Remove 1 item a day:** Challenge yourself to remove 1 thing cluttering your home a day for a week. If that works out for you, extend the challenge to a month. Try not to focus on a particular space or room and just look for things that are in your way (that you don’t need or use) and remove them. **Is decluttering necessary?** Is decluttering stressful because you think this is something you must do? What if it isn’t necessary? Do you think you must declutter because your friends are decluttering? Look around your home and determine for yourself if this is something you want to do. **Find a Partner:** It can be fun to work on decluttering with a trusted friend or partner. This partner should be non-judgmental, like a trained professional organizer. You can work virtually or in-person. If you’re working with a friend, why not work one day in their home and one day in yours. Turn on some happy, upbeat music, gather your supplies, and get started. **Work for a Reward:** Give yourself a reward for decluttering. You may want to have a series of small rewards or just one bigger reward for yourself when the whole job is done. It’s good to have something to look forward to. **Conclusion:** If the thought of decluttering your home is stressful for you, turn it around. Decide to think about what you like about your home and then what you want to do to make it even better. Think in terms of small things. Can you empty the kitchen sink before you turn in for the night? Can you do 1 small load of laundry? Will you wipe down the bathroom counter after you’re finished washing up? Commit to doing little things around the house on a regular basis to take the stress out of decluttering. Reach out to me if you’d like to make a personalized plan to help you make decluttering less stressful. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC.*](https://dnqsolutions.com) *She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing*. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter --- ### [Deadlines, Desire, and Discipline: the ways they work together](https://dnqsolutions.com/deadlines-desire-and-discipline-the-ways-they-work-together/) **Published:** June 15, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** As a professional organizer I don’t talk very much about discipline. When I was an elementary school teacher discipline was very much part of the curriculum. Children learned how to practice the art of self-discipline; learning to share, take turns, wait to speak, and stand still in line. Recently I wrote about decluttering and how this task can be stressful. Truthfully, every organizing task can be stressful if you approach it from a fear and dread mindset. Desire and deadlines also add to the stress some people feel when they think about organizing. They may want to organize the family room but have put it off. Maybe there is a deadline like family and friends are coming over for dinner tomorrow. That may feel stressful but can also help push someone into action. Let’s take these three Ds (Deadlines, Desire, and Discipline) and look at the ways in which they work together to help us be more organized. ### **The Power of a Deadline** **Why Deadlines Work** Many people will delay working on a task until they feel the urgency of the deadline. Once that deadline is looming right in front of them, they get serious about working on the task. If you are someone who needs a deadline to spur yourself into action, consider creating deadlines for yourself. **How to Use Deadlines to Your Advantage** Let’s imagine you have things that you’d like to get out of your home and garage. These things are too large and heavy for you to take to a local charity or Goodwill yourself, so you schedule a donation pickup. Having this donation pickup on your schedule will create the urgency you need to gather the things in your home together and put them in the garage with the other things you want to donate. If you want to organize your family room, invite friends and/or family over for dinner. Having this dinner date on your calendar will prompt you to get the organizing done in advance. Remember that if you want to get something done, you must allocate time to the task. Block out time in your schedule to do the task. ### **The Role of Desire** **Wanting vs. Willing** Desire is the emotional engine behind change. Someone may *want* a peaceful home, and even dream about how that could look and feel, but are they *willing* to take the steps needed? Maybe the person is willing to take the necessary steps but doesn’t know which step to take first. That can be a major stumbling block. When this happens, I suggest writing down all the steps you can think of taking and then putting them into sequential order. Or, talking through the steps with a trusted friend. The friend can help figure out which step to take first. **Clarifying Your Why** It’s very important to identify exactly what you want to change and your reason for changing. Is it a desire for a more peaceful morning? Maybe it’s hard to get everyone out of the house with everything they need to have with them on time. Does it bother you to walk into the family room and see piles of papers, used glasses, and dirty plates? What’s your vision for this space? Take out a piece of paper and a pen and describe the changes you want to make. It may involve creating a better routine for the family or perhaps streamlining the organization in one or more parts of your home. It’s always easier to change something when you are clear with your desires. ### **The Foundation of Discipline** ### **Discipline Is a Good Thing** Discipline does not always mean to punish. When a person is disciplined, they are consistent. They have a habit of using self-control, blocking out distractions, and prioritizing tasks. It may be easier on the mind to think of discipline as will power. Part of teaching discipline in school was teaching the children to follow the rules; to raise their hand in class when they have something to say and to take turns among other things. When I was teaching elementary school, I would remind the children to use their self-discipline to help them focus on the task at hand. This meant they were to pay attention to the work they were doing, not what the child sitting next to them was doing. #### **Use Self-Discipline** As adults, we sometimes forget that we have this tool of self-discipline at our disposal. We can be disciplined and take care of our work to earn our reward. My friend and colleague, [Jonda Beattie](https://timespaceorg.com/), is building a new habit of incorporating daily exercise. Jonda is incorporating the three Ds: deadline, desire, and discipline. See how she does this. She disciplines herself and does this exercise at the end of her day (deadline). Once that is done, she takes off her shoes, has a cold glass of water, and relaxes. Her reason is to improve and maintain her health (desire). **Building Routines That Stick** **with Desire, Deadlines, and Discipline** You can apply discipline to organizing when you create simple, easy to follow daily routines. These should be routines that help you maintain order in your home consistently. For instance, picking up used plates and glasses from the family room in the evening, putting them in the dishwasher, and plumping the cushions will keep the family room looking put together. Doing a daily wipe down of the kitchen counters will help keep the kitchen counters under control. Making your bed, putting dirty clothes in a hamper, and putting laundry away is a good way to reset the bedroom. None of these things take very long to do when we do them consistently. Problems arise when we let things slide and decide not to reset a space or do a certain chore. We tell ourselves it’s fine that we’ll do it later or that it doesn’t matter and that we don’t want to. ### **Magic Happens When The 3 Ds Work Together** **Desire Sets the Vision, Deadlines Spark Action, Discipline Sustains Progress** This headline says it all. Make the 3 Ds work together. Begin with identifying your vision. Clearly understand why you want to organize a space and, further, the reason you’re motivated to maintain the organization. If there is no external deadline, set one for yourself. Yes. I know if you set a deadline for yourself, you can move the deadline. Consider offering yourself a reward for meeting the deadline. Lastly, be disciplined in your approach. Ask yourself what will help you stick to what you’ve decided to do. Will it help to post your reason? Remember to congratulate yourself and celebrate every time you do as you’ve said you would. **Start Small, Stay Steady** Small wins build and become big wins. Start with identifying one small area to change. Decide when you want to have this space completed. Then commit to resetting this space daily. ### **In conclusion**: Being organized is a lifelong journey, one that is ever changing and filled with ups and downs. Some days it may feel like organizing a tiny drawer is hugely difficult, other days tidying the family room is a snap. What I can tell you for sure is that each person’s quest for organization is unique. Sometimes even the most strong willed of us need support to figure out our desire, a reasonable deadline, or an accountability partner to stay disciplined. There’s no need for you to do this alone. As you read this and think about what I’ve written ask yourself which of the three Ds do you want to strengthen right now? I’d be happy to offer you support. Email me to schedule a free 30-minute phone call. diane@dnqsolutions.com *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/). She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com/) based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Building Better Habits & Routines --- ### [Making Time to Give Back: How to Volunteer When Life Is Full](https://dnqsolutions.com/making-time-to-give-back-how-to-volunteer-when-life-is-full/) **Published:** July 6, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** I know everyone is busy keeping up with their responsibilities—whether it’s work, family, or managing a household. So why am I thinking about, and talking about, making time to volunteer? That’s a good question. I believe each of us has a role to play in our communities. Being a contributing member doesn’t always mean making a financial donation. Sometimes, the most powerful gift you can give is your time. But how do we do that when we already feel overwhelmed by everything on our list of things to do? It comes down to setting boundaries, planning, being intentional with your time, and aligning your actions with your values. ### **Are You Making Time to Volunteer?** If you don’t make time to volunteer, who will? If your answer is someone else. Yes. That’s correct, someone else probably will fill that volunteer job. But does it always have to be someone else? It could be you. ### **What’s Preventing Us?** Lots of things prevent us from donating our time, talents, and energy. For one thing, we are all busy. Some people go from one job that they’re hired to do to the job of taking care of their home and family. Other people can’t decide where to give their time. They may be interested in multiple volunteer organizations and haven’t yet figured out where they might fit in. Another huge roadblock is guilt. You know that when you put time into one thing you are taking it away from something else because our available time is limited. The problem here is that volunteering doesn’t require you to dedicate lots of time. Most organizations are happy with however much time you can comfortably afford to give. ### **Even Small Efforts = Big Impact** Have you ever noticed in the news or a local neighborhood Facebook group information about people gathering to do something? It could be a meeting about making improvements to the local school playground, gathering information about the feasibility of a dog park, or perhaps a call for people to help get a beached whale back into deeper water. If you notice the call, it interests you, and you have time. Go ahead and volunteer! There are also the once-a-year seasonal activities which may require you to give a whole day but then you’re done until the next time this event rolls around. These seemingly small effort tasks add up to make a big impact. ### **Making It Work in Your Schedule** There’s a simple way to make a volunteer job happen. That is to treat it like any other important commitment and add it to your calendar. Since volunteering is a choice, you get to decide where and when to make time for it. Look for an opportunity that is close to home or your job and that fits in with your already established routines. Be clear about how much time you’re willing to give and stick to those boundaries, so volunteering doesn’t become overwhelming. ### **Benefits of Volunteering for You (and Your Family)** Did you know making time to volunteer does not only benefit the organization but also benefits you and your family? It’s true. [Research shows](https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/3-health-benefits-of-volunteering) that when you participate in an activity which serves a purpose you give yourself a mental health boost. It is rewarding to know that you are helping. When you give of yourself (your time, your talents, your compassion), I believe the goodness you put out into the world comes back to you twice-fold. You will also meet like-minded people in your community. We are learning more and more that face-to-face connections are important. This is particularly true if most of your work is virtual. Volunteering is one way to get involved with neighbors. There may even be opportunities to involve your children which lets them see first-hand that they can also make a difference in their community. In one very real way, you’re working to help yourself by helping others. Find local organizations or causes that align with your values and give them an hour or two of your time. ### **Where to Volunteer?** Look around to see what’s available in your community. Is there a local food pantry or soup kitchen that needs some help? It may be that you do something to beautify your community. Maybe you work with your neighbors to pick up trash, trim hedges, or plant seasonal flowers? Another community job could be to volunteer an hour or two to patrolling your neighborhood as part of a neighborhood watch program. This helps to keep your community safe. Don’t be afraid to try different things. Make a list of possibilities and start making time to volunteer at one possibility on the list. If it doesn’t feel like a good fit, move on to the next option on your list. Trust me, the number of organizations who need and want help is endless. Very simply, you can check in with yourself and ask what would mean the most? Where would you like to make an impact? ### **Conclusion: 501C3 Organizations Need You** Maybe you are wondering why on earth would a professional organizer who usually writes about clutter, decluttering, hoarding issues, and other problems directly related to organizing be writing about volunteering? Making time to volunteer is a planning and scheduling task which directly relates to managing your available time and is an organizational skill. I am a volunteer and make time to give back to a local organization in Sandy Springs ([The Sandy Springs Society](https://sandyspringssociety.org/)) and to a professional organization ([Institute for Challenging Disorganization).](https://challengingdisorganization.org) A problem that I encounter in both groups is a lack of volunteers. It seems as though when someone is asked to volunteer, they always have reasons to say ‘no’. I understand that it can be difficult to fit another thing into your schedule if it eats up lots of time. If that is the issue, then sign up for something that only asks you to donate a little bit of time every other month. Remember, these groups give back to the communities they serve, and they do so with only a very few (if any) paid professionals. I’ll leave you with this quote from Sana Thomas the current president of The Sandy Springs Society. Sana says, “*Volunteering isn’t just about giving our time — it’s about building a legacy. It’s about lifting others, creating opportunity, and leaving the world better than we found it. Every hour you dedicate, every committee you join, every idea you share — it all matters more than you know.”* Please send me an email if you’d like help managing your time to make room for a volunteer activity. You can reach me at: <dnqsolutions@gmail.com> *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com)*. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release Repurpose Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Planning & Schedule Management --- ### [Aging Gracefully: Decluttering to Support the Chapter You’re Living](https://dnqsolutions.com/aging-gracefully-decluttering-to-support-the-chapter-youre-living/) **Published:** July 13, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Aging gracefully is an art, or so I believe. It’s not just about wrinkles or muscles it’s also about transitioning from one chapter of your life to another. It can be difficult to acknowledge that you are no longer doing things you formerly loved to do. So rather than eliminating those things from your life entirely, why not scale back gradually. My Aunt Connie and Uncle Dick are a prime example of aging gracefully. They are in their 90s and still live on their own in the home they moved to about 30 years ago. Periodically their daughter, Suzie, comes to visit and works on clearing out a cabinet or a cupboard with her mother. Together they remove the things that Aunt Connie is no longer using and that Suzie doesn’t want. This is a slow and gradual process. It is about gently closing a chapter to prepare for the next. ### **Life Comes in Chapters and So Does Clutter** If we keep Aunt Connie and Uncle Dick in mind, then let’s go back in time to the start of their lives together and think about the different chapters of their lives. Since they are in their 90s and have been married for 70 years they’ve opened and closed many different chapters. They started married life as a very young couple. I don’t know where they lived. Uncle Dick was in the Navy, and I know they were based in California. They had 3 children and when Uncle Dick ended his career with the Navy, they moved to Florida to be near his mother, my grandmother. They are still in Florida, but in a different part. While my aunt and uncle started out in a tiny apartment for just the two of them, they ended up in a sizable house having accumulated more furniture and accessories for themselves plus three children. ### **Edit as You Close a Chapter** Even though each of us is unique, some patterns of life (or chapters) are the same. We start our adult lives with very little. As we grow older, we accumulate things to support the way we are living. If we move to a new state or city, we (hopefully) only take with us the things we need, use, and love. Take the time to edit the things you will not want to see when you open the box to put things away. If we have children, we accumulate things for them. As the children grow up, let the things they no longer need, use, and love benefit others with younger children. I know some people like to keep the highchair, special toys, and some baby clothes with the thought their children will want to have these things for their children. Trust me, they don’t. If we like to give parties, we collect decorations. When giving parties is something we no longer want to do, it’s time to rehome the large platters, punch bowls, and party décor. Part of aging gracefully is understanding it’s more than ok – it’s good – to let things go when they are no longer needed. ### **What is Swedish Death Cleaning?** You do not need to be old to embrace the concept of [Swedish Death Cleaning](https://www.thespruce.com/swedish-death-cleaning-4801461). Although, the original intent was to make emptying a loved-one’s home after they’ve died easier. Easier is probably not a good word to use. Nothing is ever easy when someone you love dies. Going through their belongings even if they’ve taken the time to edit them, is not easy. Swedish Death Cleaning is a thoughtful and gradual way to declutter later in life, so your home reflects your current needs and so your loved ones aren’t burdened by your stuff when you’re gone. Honestly, it’s more about surrounding yourself with the things you use now, as you’re aging gracefully, rather than about emptying your home as you prepare to die. ### **The Advantages are Freedom and Clarity** If you have ever been the one to empty a family member’s home after they’ve died, you know what I’m talking about. There are lots of drawers, cupboards, and closets which may have not seen the light of day for years if you don’t take the time to edit them. The advantages of decluttering now are that you get to decide what happens to your things. Once they are out of your home, you have fewer things to clean which means more freedom for you. Plus, you spare your loved ones the task of deciding what to do with all your stuff. ### **This Is a Gentle Approach to Letting Go** If you decide that this is something you want to do, start with the top shelf in a closet. We typically put things there that we rarely use because this is a difficult place to access. Chances are there will be things stashed there that you can easily release. Remember to ask yourself if this item supports the life you’re living now? If it brings up a happy memory of times past, take a picture and write the story down or dictate it to your phone. You’ll have the memory, the story, and someone else can make a new memory with this item. If something has been in your family for generations, ask other younger family members if they would like this heirloom. If the answer is ‘no’, donate or sell the item. Take your time. If you, like Aunt Connie and Uncle Dick, have been in your home for many decades there is lots to look through and reminisce over. Making this transition from lots of things down to only the things which you truly need, use, and love is a process, not a purge. ### **Aging Gracefully Means Writing the Next Chapter with Intention** I am doing my best to follow my Aunt Connie and Uncle Dick’s good example and age gracefully. The other day, I noticed I had some books on a shelf in my living room, put there for my young grandchildren. I realized that they were now too old for these simple stories. Even though it made me a little sad to realize this, I removed the books and took them to my local thrift store so someone else’s children could love them. Decluttering to support the chapter you’re living now can be a bit bittersweet. You’re removing some things to make space for the things you need and use now. There’s nothing wrong with looking back and appreciating what was once wonderful and useful. Just remember to also look forward. Ease things out that no longer serve their purpose. Keep the things which allow you to live more fully in the present chapter of your life. I would be honored to work with you either virtually or in person to figure out what things to declutter. Send me an email (dnqsolutions@gmail.com) to schedule a complimentary phone consultation. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com)*. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release* Repurpose *Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [Hoarding, Hoarding Behaviors, and Hoarding Disorder: What Is the Difference?](https://dnqsolutions.com/hoarding-hoarding-behaviors-and-hoarding-disorder-what-is-the-difference/) **Published:** July 27, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Since the words, hoarding, hoarding behaviors, and hoarding disorder are so often used interchangeably, I decided to review the meaning of these expressions. As many of you know, I am not a therapist and do not diagnose. I am a certified professional organizer in chronic disorganization and have earned two specialist certificates (ADHD Specialist and Hoarding Specialist) through the [Institute for Challenging Disorganization](https://challengingdisorganization.org/). When people use these words out of context mixed messages are received which can increase shame and may prevent people from seeking help. Let’s review what these words mean, one at a time so that it’s clear. ### **What Is Hoarding?** When someone says a person is hoarding, many of us jump to the conclusion that their home is full. That the person is living with piles and piles of things everywhere and that there are goat paths throughout the home. But, this may not be true at all. The word hoarding means storing or stockpiling. We don’t have to go back very far in our history to recall that many of us were hoarding toilet paper, paper towels, and other favorite things which were in short supply during the Covid Pandemic. Why did we do this? The reason was simple. Some things that we wanted (needed) were hard to find. So, when we spotted them in the store, we bought more than we needed – just in case. Just because we have a large supply of things does not necessarily indicate a Hoarding Disorder. I’ll get to that definition shortly. ### **Understanding Hoarding Behaviors** Since we now know that hoarding means storing or stockpiling, then hoarding behaviors are those which involve acquiring without thinking of when or how they will use an item as well as saving things ‘just in case’ the person needs them. Here’s an example of a recent client with hoarding behaviors. This person asked me to help them declutter their home so they could pack and move. They had retired from a job at a cookware shop and had an over-abundance of interesting cooking tools. They also had new pans, purchased because they knew they were going to move. In fact, this person had so many cooking implements that they spilled out of cupboards, covered the kitchen counter, and were also piled on shelves in several closets. This is a great example of hoarding behavior because when they were asked which ones they wanted to keep, they had no problem or hesitation in answering. They let go of more than half their collection, keeping only what they knew they wanted to use in their new home. ### **Hoarding Disorder: A Clinical Diagnosis** Hoarding Disorder is defined by specific diagnostic criteria in the [Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5).](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519704/table/ch3.t29/) The key features include: - persistent difficulty discarding or letting things go - discarding causes significant distress or anxiety - perceived need to save – even if the item is broken or has limited value - clutter that impairs living spaces to the point that rooms can’t be used as intended A Hoarding Disorder is a medical diagnosis. People often say they have a hoarding disorder, or others label a person as someone having this disorder without knowing if this person is seeing a therapist about hoarding. This is troubling to me. There are all sorts of reasons for a home to become full or a person to have accumulated a bunch of stuff. Let’s leave diagnosing to those with a medical degree. ### **Reasons a Home May Look Hoarded** There are many reasons that a home may look hoarded. My very best advice is to take the time to have a conversation with the homeowner. Be inquisitive and listen with an open mind to the homeowner’s answers. You may find out, during your conversation, that the person is willing to reduce their collection of things. Here are four common reasons a home may look hoarded: **Over-shopping** or shopping at big box stores can contribute to disorganization. This is particularly true when closet space is limited. Additionally, some people find it hard to resist a good sale. They rationalize buying the things (even when they don’t have need for them) because the price was good and they may need it or be able to give it to someone someday. **Emptying a loved-one’s home** If a family member has died and the person was tasked with emptying their home, they may have brought things they didn’t want to let go of into their home. This overcrowds the space. **Procrastination and Perfectionism** Sometimes homes become filled up because the person has delayed making decisions or maybe wanted to make the ‘right’ decisions. An example is waiting to put things away until they had the perfect piece of furniture. **Chronic disorganization** Consider that maybe the person has had a lifelong struggle to be organized. Perhaps they haven’t learned strategies to help them maintain order in their home, so things just pile up. What if a person struggled with a combination of many of these reasons? Add in a healthy dose of ADHD. Autism, OCD, or Dementia and you have a very disorganized home which may look hoarded. ### **Conclusion: Words Matter – Let’s Use Them Intentionally** Here we are. We have three expressions which mean very different things, but which are, unfortunately, often used interchangeably. I know I’m not going to change that. My intention is to bring your awareness to the fact that these differences exist and perhaps to help you when you are describing a cluttered home or a behavior you may have noticed. If you know someone with a full home, try not to describe the person as someone with a hoarding disorder. Consider that there may be other explanations for the home to look the way it does. Maybe you think that the person needs more help than you can offer, ask them to look for a therapist or refer them to a medical professional. Please send me an email (<dnqsolutions@gmail.com>) to schedule a time to talk if you would like to know more about how to get help for someone living in a full home. *Diane N. Quintana is the owner of* [*DNQ Solutions, LLC*](https://dnqsolutions.com)*. She is an ADHD Organizing Specialist, a Hoarding Specialist, and a Chronic Disorganization Specialist. Diane is also an ICD Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, Certified Professional Organizer and co-owner of* [*Release* Repurpose *Reorganize LLC*](https://releaserepurpose.com) *based in Atlanta, Georgia. She specializes in residential and home-office organizing.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Understanding Hoarding --- ### [Reasons To Be Hopeful If You Have Hoarding Behaviors](https://dnqsolutions.com/reasons-to-be-hopeful-if-you-have-hoarding-behaviors/) **Published:** August 3, 2025 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** If you are a person with hoarding behaviors, the result is probably that you have areas in your home that are very cluttered and disorganized. Trying to get a handle on these tendencies may feel like an overwhelming and insurmountable task. I know, from my experiences as a certified professional organizer in chronic disorganization, that many people with disorganized, cluttered, and piled up homes have a hard time making progress. I’m here to tell you that there are reasons to be hopeful of success. In this blog post, I’m sharing my top three reasons for anyone struggling with hoarding behaviors to be hopeful. ### **You Are Not Alone: Support Groups Exist** Did you know that there are all sorts of support groups available for you to join? Some support groups like [Clutterers Anonymous](https://clutterersanonymous.org/) have different ways to join in. They offer in-person meetings as well as phone or Zoom meetings. There are also several empathetic communities on Facebook. People sometimes post a question with a picture and get suggestions. I often participate in these groups as I can offer tried and true solutions to a variety of organizing problems. One of the reasons to be hopeful when you participate in a support group is there is mutual encouragement. It’s helpful to know that others understand and either are in a similar predicament or have been. Plus, when the group is anonymous, it may be easier to talk about feeling ashamed or embarrassed by the amount of stuff piled around the home. There is a very real sense of community in these groups. ### **You Can Work Virtually with Professional Organizers** Have you ever wanted to have a professional organizer work with you but resisted the impulse because you were reluctant to open your door? Times have changed my friend. Many professional organizers offer virtual organizing sessions. Since the session is virtual, you have control over what and how much the organizer sees. You can blur your background if you’re feeling anxious. These virtual organizing sessions with a professional organizer give you the benefit of having a trained expert to guide you as you work to make decisions about the things in your home without having the organizer in your space. Another benefit of working virtually is the sessions may be easier to schedule as there’s no travel time involved. I run a [clutter support group](https://releaserepurpose.com/clear-the-clutter-support-group/) with my colleague, Jonda Beattie. We meet every Monday for an hour from 12 – 1pm ET. Many of those who have worked with us in this clutter support group for just one hour say that this group gives them reasons to be hopeful they can make sustainable changes in their home. ### **Small Steps Lead to Big Change** I’m sure you’ve heard this before, small steps lead to big change. Why is this? Every little thing you do adds up. Every time you put something away, remove something you no longer use, or recycle (toss) something that’s broken is a step in the right direction. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said *“You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”* It may be difficult to discern a difference in the way things look with the naked eye. I suggest taking a picture of the area before you start working on it. Then take another picture after working for three or more sessions. It’s easier to see progress in a photograph. #### **One Area at a Time** Notice I said, ‘the area’. Pick one small place to start. Continue working in that area until it is ‘good enough’. The reason to pick one area is that you will make more visible progress if you resist the urge to hopscotch around your home jumping from one small area to another. Keep a box or a basket handy to use to cart things to other places in your home when you have finished the work session for the day. Have two other boxes available. One can be for recycling and the other for donations. #### **Set a Time Limit** Set a time limit for your work sessions. Challenge yourself to see what you can do in one small, specific space in 20, 30, or 40 minutes. Remember Rome wasn’t conquered in a day. No matter what you do in the length of time you decide to work, you will have accomplished more than doing nothing. #### **Words Matter** Remember words matter – even the words you say inside your head when you talk to yourself. You can set yourself up for failure or success depending on your attitude. When you notice the change in the photographs, tell yourself (out loud) how proud you are of yourself. Hearing positive words of encouragement helps maintain the momentum. #### **Track Your Progress** Consider tracking your progress in a journal. Note the date and length of time you worked in an area. Then write down your thoughts. Some days will be easier than others but have faith and understand that every little bit you do is more than doing nothing. ### **Conclusion** Whether you decide to join a clutter support group, work virtually with a professional organizer, or work on your own following the guidelines I shared with you in this post, there are reasons to be hopeful. You don’t need to do this alone. Change is possible, and help is available when you’re ready. **Diane N. Quintana** is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com/) and co-owner of [Release Repurpose Reorganize](https://releaserepurpose.com/). Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President-Elect of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Understanding Hoarding --- ### [](https://dnqsolutions.com/412-2/) **Published:** September 8, 2011 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Do you talk to yourself? I do. I talk to myself – inside my head – as I walk my dog, Miles, in the morning. I review my schedule for the day. I also review what I am hoping to accomplish in addition to the schedule events. I hope that those of you reading this are nodding your heads in agreement. You might have a different conversation with yourself but I think we all have conversations inside our minds from time to time. When you talk to yourself do you ever bend the truth? Sometimes I think people don’t tell themselves the truth. When you look inside your closet have you ever said ‘I have NOTHING to wear’? I have definately done that! What I really mean is that there is nothing in my closet that I want to wear to …(you can fill in the blank) Maybe you rationalize keeping – let’s say 10 black skirts – because they are of different materials or different lengths or different sizes or maybe because you may need that particular style skirt ‘someday’? Tell me, does ‘someday’ ever come? Maybe you tell yourself that you HAVE to keep that stack of papers because there might be an article somewhere in that stack that you haven’t read that might have useful information. You don’t have time to sort through the paper so you just keep adding to the stack telling yourself that you should do this ‘someday’. It will take time because there could be an address to enter in the address book. There could even be a refund check lurking somewhere in that pile. No joke! I have found checks sorting papers for some of my clients. While it’s true that money can sometimes be hding in a stack of paper very often the information in the pile of paper is not important. Sometimes, it is filing waiting to be done or it is a stack needing to be recycled. As for the ten black skirts – one in the correct size is generally sufficient. Is there somthing you are telling yourself which is perhaps giving yourself permission to do something or keep something that you may want to rethink? I’d be interested to know! ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How to Organize Your Life Blog, Organizing the Things in your Life --- ### [The 3 Best Reasons to Pay Attention to Your Bed](https://dnqsolutions.com/the-3-best-reasons-to-pay-attention-to-your-bed/) **Published:** June 6, 2021 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** We spend lots of time on or in our beds, but we typically don’t pay that much attention to this piece of furniture. Admiral William H. McRaven, author of the book entitled: *Make Your Bed: Little Things that can change Your Life… and Maybe the World*, said that when you make your bed in the morning if you do nothing else of note during the day you can at least say you accomplished something. When you pay attention to your bed, you do more than just [organize part of your bedroom](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-a-small-bedroom-to-make-the-most-of-your-space/) you can improve your relationships and your health. ### Here are the 3 best reasons to pay attention to your bed. #### **Improve your health** Pay attention to your bed and [plan to change](https://dnqsolutions.com/have-a-change-of-plans-its-best-to-accept-them/) your sheets once a week. Yes, once a week not once a month or once a quarter. [Research](https://www.healthline.com/health/how-often-should-you-change-your-sheets) shows that we sweat while we sleep. Not only that but we also shed some skin. This contributes to fungus, bacteria, and dust mites gathering on our sheets. YUCK! Washing the sheets in hot water once a week reduces the ability for the fungus, bacteria, and dust mites to collect there. Remember to also wash the mattress pad periodically and the blankets, duvet cover, or comforter. [This website](https://www.healthline.com/health/how-often-should-you-change-your-sheets) recommends showering before you get between the sheets, even if it is just for a nap. It also suggests that you avoid applying lotion just before going to bed. Does your bed have a divot in it where you sleep? You can remove those peaks and valleys by rotating your bed every three months. You can go one step further and flip the mattress every six months. #### **Accomplish one thing** As the Admiral said, when you make your bed in the morning you accomplish something. Start your day off with an accomplishment and pay attention to your bed. Make it a habit to make your bed. It sets the tone for the day. You’ve already completed one task, why not make it 2 or 3? How long did it take? Probably not long at all. Once you get into a routine of making your bed after breakfast or after your morning walk it will become a [habit](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-leverage-your-good-habits-and-routines-amid-changing-circumstances/). It will start you thinking about what’s coming up next in your day. #### **Motivation to tidy your room** When you look at your nicely made bed, what else do you see? Is your bedside table littered with tissues, lotion, books, or magazines? Does this present a restful invitation to you? Are you comfortable with letting someone else see your bedroom? Paying attention to your bed is the first step to tidying your bedroom. Take a few minutes and remove anything that doesn’t belong on the bedside table. Put the half-empty glass of water in the kitchen, the tissues in the trash, and the books or magazines where they go. Leave the one you are currently reading. The others will be there when you are ready for them. Making your bed look like a lovely and restful place to be may motivate you to put away any clothes lingering about. Clean clothes go in the chest of drawers or the closet and dirty clothes in the laundry basket. You will sleep better in a tidy room. Lots of clutter in the bedroom can bring a chaotic feeling to the room which, in turn, may make it hard for you to sleep well. Take the first step and pay attention to your bed. There’s little better to give you a good night’s sleep than climbing into a bed with freshly laundered sheets. #### To review the 3 best reasons to pay attention to your bed are: - Improve the chances you will stay healthy when you sleep on clean sheets. - Make your bed every morning to accomplish at least one thing every day. - Paying attention to your bed may motivate you to tidy the rest of your bedroom and you will sleep better in a clutter-free room. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®, Master Trainer and owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC and co-owner of Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC based in Atlanta, Georgia. [Sign up to get Diane’s newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-resources/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/) and receive short weekly tips every Monday.* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Clutter, habits --- ### [3 Compelling Reasons To Join A Virtual Clutter Support Group](https://dnqsolutions.com/3-compelling-reasons-to-join-a-virtual-clutter-support-group/) **Published:** December 24, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Recently I wrote about how [virtual clutter support groups operate](https://dnqsolutions.com/beyond-the-chaos-navigating-clutter-through-the-virtual-support-group/). In this post I will review the compelling reasons to consider joining one. In this fast-paced world, the struggle against physical clutter is more relevant than ever. While the idea of joining a virtual clutter support group may not immediately appeal to you, it offers a myriad of benefits that extend beyond tidying up your physical spaces. ## Three compelling reasons in favor of participating in a virtual clutter support group. ### 1. **Save Money** The first compelling reason is all about money. Working in-person with a trained professional organizer can be an expensive proposition. When you join a [virtual clutter support group](https://dnqsolutions.com/a-review-of-projects-conquered-through-virtual-clutter-support-groups/) facilitated by a trained professional organizer you receive the benefit of their training, guidance, and suggestions at a much lower cost. A hidden benefit of joining a virtual clutter support group is that you will save money on housekeeping costs. It takes a [cleaning service less time to clean a home](https://dnqsolutions.com/are-you-getting-organized-to-clean-your-home-spring-cleaning-style/) when they don’t need to move things out of their way. This results in a saving for you, the homeowner. Finally, you will save money because as you declutter you will [create homes](https://dnqsolutions.com/use-life-hacks-to-begin-creating-better-home-maintenance-routines/) for your belongings. When you know where things are, you don’t need to go out and buy replacements because you can’t find the thing you were looking for. ### **No Embarrassment, Just Empathy:** #### ***No Stranger in your home:*** People are sometimes reluctant to work in-person with a professional organizer because they feel like they have to clean-up and organize before the organizer arrives. They do not want to be judged by the amount of clutter and disorganization in their home. Even though I can tell you that trained professional organizers abide by a code of ethics and are non-judgmental, it doesn’t remove the anxiety which comes from letting a stranger into your home. When you participate in a virtual clutter support group, the facilitators and other group members only see what you want them to see. #### ***Judgment-Free Zone****:* The virtual clutter support group: Clear Space for You is facilitated by two trained professional organizers; me (Diane Quintana) and Jonda Beattie. We are completely objective and bring our non-judgmental behavior to the group. Every participant in both our groups signs an agreement which outlines our non-judgmental policy. The objective is for everyone in the group to feel comfortable and free to express themselves without fear of being judged. ***Shared Experiences****:* Most virtual clutter support groups including Clear Space for You, are purposefully small. This allows for each person to receive individualized support from the facilitators. It also promotes the sharing of similar challenges. Participants learn from hearing about other people’s challenges and the strategies the facilitators create for them. They can offer each other strategies and empathize when circumstances are difficult. There is also an opportunity during the beginning of each session for participants to share their wins. We celebrate every win, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. #### ***Building Confidence****:* When someone has lots of clutter to unpack it can [feel very overwhelming](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-when-you-feel-overwhelmed-by-a-task/). Working in a clutter support group setting and learning how to break down large overwhelming projects into small tasks helps build confidence. The more often you are guided through these steps the easier it becomes. ### 3. **Accountability that Drives Results:** The final compelling reason to participate in a virtual clutter support group is the accountability piece. People often set goals for themselves at the beginning of the New Year. Then in June or July they wonder where the time has gone and how they are going to accomplish their stated goal. 2. ***Decluttering*** and becoming more organized is often a stated goal. When you participate in a virtual clutter support group, the facilitator asks you to set small goals. ***Setting Goals****:* Participants in the Clear Space for You virtual clutter support group set a goal for the month. We break that goal down into realistic mini-goals, one for each week. ***Accountability****:* As facilitators Jonda and I offer gentle accountability asking if the goal for the previous week was achieved. If it was not, we ask what got in the way. Then we offer strategies to accomplish the goal even when something goes wrong. ### There are added benefits: ***Progress Tracking****:* Almost every group has a method of tracking progress. In the Clear Space for You group, Jonda creates a digest of the decisions each participant makes. She sends it to them after each session. At the end of the month, they have everything – all the goals, decisions, and strategies we have discussed during the month. This is a valuable reference tool. ***Encouraging Consistency****:* It is motivating to know that every week the participants check-in during a Zoom call. Each participant shares their wins for the week. They talk about what went right, what needs to be fixed, and what they want to work on next. We sometimes hear “*I waited until the last minute to do xxx but I didn’t want to come to group without getting what I said I would do done.”* That’s the power of the group. ### **Conclusion:** Participating in a virtual clutter support group is not just about organizing your physical space. It’s a transformative journey that touches various aspects of your life. From saving money to embracing a judgment-free zone and leveraging gentle accountability, the benefits extend far beyond the physical realm. Join the movement toward a clutter-free, empowered life — the virtual way. It starts with a conversation. [Contact me](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) for a free 30-minute phone conversation to see if the Clear Space for You virtual clutter support group is a good fit. *Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer® ,a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization®,* *and ICD* *Master Trainer*. *Diane is the owner of [DNQ Solutions, LLC](https://dnqsolutions.com)*. *She is also* the *co-owner of [Release●Repurpose●Reorganize, LLC](https://releaserepurpose.com) based in Atlanta, Georgia* ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** Control Clutter **Tags:** Certified Professional Organizer, Clutter, Clutter support group, professional organizer --- ### [](https://dnqsolutions.com/415-2/) **Published:** August 31, 2011 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** Tomorrow is the first day of September and as such it begins National Preparedness Month. Looking back at the events of the past week and the havoc left behind by Irene I was thinking about my family. How prepared would we be if disaster struck? How prepared are you? I admit I do not have a package of information ready to grab with my vital documents. Do you have something portable with your important information inside? I’m referring to things like social security cards, banking and other financial account numbers, birth certificates, marriage license, will… The things that identify you and that will help you should you loose everything in a natural disaster. Then I was wondering where I would keep such a grab and go box or package of information. The best place for me to keep it will be in my file drawer. I have space to keep a package of information (probably I will put it together in a large manila envelope inside a heavy duty plastic bag). You see, that will fit in my large tote bag. It wouldn’t be too heavy or cumbersome. These are things for you to think about, too. Where would you keep this package of information? I was also thinking about bringing in to my house a supply of drinking water and maybe some canned goods. It’s good to be prepared – also good not to go overboard. Remember that canned goods have a shelf life, an expiration date. I will only bring in a few extra things, canned things that I will use and replace so that they don’t linger on my shelf long past they’ve expired! What will you do towards being more prepared this month? ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog --- ### [](https://dnqsolutions.com/388-2/) **Published:** August 29, 2009 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** As a professional organizer I am all about making the best use of my time. I like to think I practice what I preach in that I try not to overload myself with commitments. It can be really stressful when you overload yourself with commitments. I really wanted to sign up to be a volunteer maintenance gardener at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens. I even went so far as to go for training. Then I totally stressed myself out because I realized that the only day I could confidently give the garden 3 hours is a day that I have a regular business lunch meeting. They are on opposite ends of town. If only I could send myself across town at warp speed and in the process get cleaned up and ready for a business meeting. I had to make a hard choice. I know there will be a time in my life when I will not have business meetings and other related commitments. That will be the time for me to take on volunteer gardening responsibilities. ![author avatar](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) Diane Quintana Professional Organizer Diane N. Quintana is a Certified Professional Organizer®, ICD® Master Trainer, owner of DNQ Solutions, LLC, and co-owner of Release Repurpose Reorganize. Based in Atlanta, she specializes in helping clients with ADHD, hoarding behaviors, autism, and chronic disorganization. Diane is the author of five books and a contributor to ICD’s latest publication on chronic disorganization, where she wrote the chapter on Aging. She is the current President of the Institute for Challenging Disorganization and is passionate about teaching practical organizing strategies that stick. Please reach out to Diane today for help with getting your life or business organized. [See Full Bio](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/DNQSolutions) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/dnq_solutions/?hl=en) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/diane-n-quintana-certified-professional-organizer-a344849/) **Categories:** How To Organize, How to Organize Your Life Blog **Tags:** Saving Time --- ## Pages ### [Home](https://dnqsolutions.com/) **Published:** February 28, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** # Strategies and Solutions for Your Organizing Needs DNQ Solutions is here to help you organize your home. We specialize in creating easy-to-maintain organizing solutions that make sense to you and provide you with a stress-free environment. - ###### Clutter Control - ###### Home Organizing in Atlanta - ###### Time Management & Productivity - ###### ADHD Specialist ## As Seen In ### Our Products 10 Minute Cards Journal Books ### Certified Professional Organizer for Atlanta, GA DNQ Solutions is here to help you organize your home. We specialize in creating easy-to-maintain organizing solutions that make sense to you and provide you with a stress-free environment. DNQ Solutions specializes in providing strategies and solutions in residential organization to control clutter and to create better time management habits. We work with you to organize your home in every way so that when you return you feel like your home is your favorite place to be, a stress-free place to kick back, relax, and let the cares of the day melt away. #### About Diane I work closely with my clients to create organizing solutions that resonate with them and the way they live their lives. My belief is that organizing is a process and a state of being, not a destination. I want my clients to feel organized, so they are at peace in their homes. I do not promise to come in and magically create homes for all your belongings. Rather I work with you to determine what you use, what you need, and what you want to have – just because you want it – in your home. And when something changes in your life that necessitates the organizing systems change, I will be happy to come back and tweak the solutions. Life is not static. Things change. A great organizational system can be tweaked from time to time to accommodate those changes. This is what I deliver to my clients. No job is too small. [**Call to schedule a 30-minute phone consultation.**](tel:%20678-537-1160) ![Professional head-and-shoulders portrait of a smiling woman with blond hair, wearing a white blouse and a purple sweater draped over her shoulders, with a neutral backdrop.](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Diane.webp) ## Residential ## Organization Simple solutions for organizing all of the areas in your home that can quickly become cluttered. Make your home a place of refuge. [Get Organized](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/home-organization/) ##### **Home Organizing** Learn how to prioritize and break projects down into small manageable steps. You will learn to get more things done and open up more free time. [Free Up Your Time](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/time-management-coaching/) ##### **ADHD Specialist** If the thought of organizing a pile of things you have set aside is not sparkly, fun, or appealing, but it is something that must be done, we can work together. [Schedule Phone Consultation](tel:%20678-537-1160) ##### **Clutter Control** Have you tried to get organized more than once? Is the disorganization in your home having an impact on your quality of life? [Let Us Help](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/clutter-control/) ##### Shop Our Helpful Products Diane is proud to offer all of her products on both Amazon and Etsy. [ ![amazon logo](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Amazon_logo.webp) ](https://www.amazon.com/stores/Diane-N.-Quintana/author/B00P26ZCW8) [ ![etsy logo](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Etsy_logo.webp) ](https://www.etsy.com/shop/OrganizingTips) ##### Newsletter Signup To sign-up for my monthly newsletter, please complete the form below. ### Diane's Blog [![My brothers sisters mother and me](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Family-photo.jpeg "Family photo | DNQ Solutions")](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-make-space-for-grief/)[Organizing the Things in your Life](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/organizing-things-in-your-life/)[How to Make Space for Grief](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-make-space-for-grief/) October 4, 2026 ### How to Make Space for Grief October has always been a bit of a sad month for me. I’m a sunshine girl and every time October rolls around, I know the days a shorter, which means… [ Diane Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/author/d04468bf0784af1db28ee6dfdbd8d971/) [ 2](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-make-space-for-grief/#comments) [![Picture on the conference attendees](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/2026-ICD-Conference-Connecting-in-personA_C01609.jpg "2026 ICD Conference Connecting in personA C01609 | DNQ Solutions")](https://dnqsolutions.com/reasons-why-connecting-in-person-is-very-important/)[Organizing the Things in your Life](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/organizing-things-in-your-life/)[Reasons Why Connecting In-Person is Very Important](https://dnqsolutions.com/reasons-why-connecting-in-person-is-very-important/) September 27, 2026 ### Reasons Why Connecting In-Person is Very Important I just came home from the 2026 ICD Conference in Toronto. Actually, it was in Mississauga – part of the Toronto area. Going to the annual ICD Conference has been… [ Diane Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/author/d04468bf0784af1db28ee6dfdbd8d971/) [ 8](https://dnqsolutions.com/reasons-why-connecting-in-person-is-very-important/#comments) [![Collection becomes clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/09-13-DNQ-iStock-2223759514.jpg "09 13 DNQ iStock 2223759514 | DNQ Solutions")](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-know-when-your-collection-becomes-clutter/)[Control Clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/control-clutter/)[How to Know When Your Collection Becomes Clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-know-when-your-collection-becomes-clutter/) September 13, 2026 ### How to Know When Your Collection Becomes Clutter I want to let you know from the start that there is nothing wrong with having a collection of things. I have several, as does my husband. I collect small… [ Diane Quintana](https://dnqsolutions.com/author/d04468bf0784af1db28ee6dfdbd8d971/) [ 5](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-know-when-your-collection-becomes-clutter/#comments) [View All Articles](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/) #### Complimentary Phone Consultation [Contact Us](tel:%20678-537-1160) --- ### [Accessibility Statement](https://dnqsolutions.com/accessibility-statement/) **Published:** August 15, 2026 **Author:** Rashed Hasan **Content:** # Accessibility Statement **DNQ Solutions** strives to ensure that its digital services are accessible to people with disabilities. **DNQ Solutions** has invested significant resources to help ensure access for all users, including people with disabilities, with the strong belief that every person has the right to live with dignity, equality, comfort and independence. Digital accessibility is not just a target we aim to achieve, but an ongoing commitment that we carry in every aspect of our digital service delivery. We recognize that this requires continuous monitoring, improvement, and adaptation. In the sections below, we elaborate on the various efforts that have been undertaken to address our progress in ensuring digital accessibility for all. A key element of our accessibility initiative is our engagement with a third-party accessibility consulting organization UserWay to help bring the website into conformance. We use industry standard accessibility methods and tools to accomplish this, in accordance with the relevant version of [Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as set forth by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)](https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/ "Web Content Accessibility Guidelines") the internet’s main international standards-setting organization. ## Please Contact Us We are here to assist you and make your experience as smooth and inclusive as possible. If you encounter any digital accessibility issues with our products or services, or need information related to digital accessibility, we want to hear from you! Also, we appreciate and welcome feedback, and we are always ready to embrace suggestions for enhancing our digital accessibility efforts. Contact Information: - DNQ Solutions - Email: <diane@dnqsolutions.com> We take accessibility seriously and will get back to you shortly. --- ### [Media](https://dnqsolutions.com/personal-organizer-diane-quintana-media/) **Published:** August 25, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** # Media ## Diane Quintana's Featured Press ## Links to articles Diane has contributed to on popular media and press websites: Learn more about creating a more organized and simpler life. 1. <https://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/moving-in-together-a-checklist/> 2. <https://www.homesandgardens.com/solved/experts-explain-what-clutter-blindness-is-and-how-to-fix-it> 3. <https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/pro-organizer-decluttering-tips-37412144> 4. <https://www.realsimple.com/amazon-home-storage-under-30-professional-organizers-2024-8646272> 5. <https://simplybuckhead.com/dare-to-delegate/> 6. <https://www.redfin.com/blog/how-to-clean-a-basement/> 7. <https://www.homesandgardens.com/solved/things-organized-people-do-every-day> 8. <https://www.homesandgardens.com/solved/experts-explain-what-clutter-blindness-is-and-how-to-fix-it> 9. <https://www.homesandgardens.com/solved/what-is-the-didnt-know-decluttering-method> 10. <https://www.homesandgardens.com/solved/essential-things-professional-organizers-swear-by-to-keep-their-rooms-organized> 11. [https://www.homesandgardens.com/solved/how-to-organize-a-small-walk-in-closet](https://www.homesandgardens.com/solved/how-to-organize-a-small-walk-in-closethttps://time.com/shopping/article/dorm-room-ideas/) 12. [https://time.com/shopping/article/dorm-room-ideas/](https://www.homesandgardens.com/solved/how-to-organize-a-small-walk-in-closethttps://time.com/shopping/article/dorm-room-ideas/) 13. <https://www.livingetc.com/advice/how-to-organize-an-entryway> 14. <https://www.scarymommy.com/lifestyle/people-who-organize-homes-love-these-things-under-25-on-amazon> 15. <https://www.homesandgardens.com/solved/why-you-should-declutter-toys-before-christmas> 16. <https://theenemyofaverage.com/swedish-death-cleaning-method/> 17. <https://www.thekitchn.com/pro-organizers-worst-kitchen-storage-23702611> 18. <https://www.boredpanda.com/husband-refuses-to-let-hoarder-in-laws-move-in/> 19. <https://www.aarp.org/benefits-discounts/members-only-access/info-2021/smart-guide-home-decluttering.html> 20. <https://www.commercialcafe.com/blog/top-things-to-do-in-atlanta-according-to-locals/> 21. <https://www.washingtonpost.com/home/2025/05/19/poop-rule-decluttering/> 22. <https://www.realsimple.com/amazon-organizer-approved-clutter-solutions-11721975> 23. <https://www.homesandgardens.com/solved/30-day-decluttering> 24. <https://www.homesandgardens.com/solved/declutter-house-in-10-minutes> 25. <https://www.realsimple.com/amazon-what-professional-organizers-buy-on-100-budget-august-2026-12032050> ### YourTango Column 1. <https://www.yourtango.com/experts/dnq-solutions/3-steps-create-truly-defined-organized-spaces-in-your-home> 2. <https://www.yourtango.com/experts/dnq-solutions/how-to-surround-yourself-with-things-you-love> 3. <https://www.yourtango.com/experts/dnq-solutions/how-to-start-decluttering-when-youre-overwhelmed> 4. <https://www.yourtango.com/experts/dnq-solutions/how-organize-your-closet-benefit-your-wardrobe> 5. <https://www.yourtango.com/experts/dnq-solutions/foolproof-tips-organize-any-pantry> 6. <https://www.yourtango.com/experts/dnq-solutions/ways-simplify-your-life-right-now> 7. <https://www.yourtango.com/experts/dnq-solutions/moving-tips-organized-simple-relocation> 8. <https://www.yourtango.com/experts/dnq-solutions/how-rightsize-your-life-you-age> 9. <https://www.yourtango.com/experts/dnq-solutions/virtual-meeting-etiquette-tips-successful-zoom-calls> ### Interviews & Podcasts: [*Hoardganize podcast – On this episode of The Hoardganize Podcast, Professional Organizer Rachel Seavey interviews hoarding and chronic disorganization experts Diane Quintana and Jonda Beattie.*](http://hoardganize.libsyn.com/hoardganize-are-you-a-hoarder) [*Sabrina Quairoli interviews Diane as part of her “Fabulous Small Business Owner” Feature*](https://sabrinasadminservices.com/fabulous-small-business-owner-interview-featuring-diane-quintana-from-dnq-solutions-llc/) [Home Organization Tips on the Lisa Show](https://www.byuradio.org/98303347-cf7b-4d2d-b95a-9d5663579581) ### Awards: [*Sacred Space Organizing Names DNQ Solutions to their Best Organizing Blog Award List.*](https://sacredspaceorganizing.com/best-organizing-blogs) ### Videos: **Dr. Beaton interview – Videos of personal organizer, Diane Quintana, and Jonda Beattie, interviewing Dr. Beaton** Diane and Jonda spent about an hour with Dr. Becky Beaton talking about how professional organizers can collaborate with a therapist to help a person with either a diagnosis of Hoarding Disorder or hoarding behaviors reduce the clutter in their home. Together they created a series of short videos. ## News & Events ### IN THE NEWS: **Interview with Lisa Valentine Clark from The Lisa Show on BYU Radio** In this episode, Diane Quintana explains how a home filled with CHAOS (the Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome) can motivate someone to start organizing their home – one small space at a time to have more time to spend on things they want to do. [**Listen here**](https://www.byuradio.org/6170dab4-2ae5-4677-8567-a657637e9a44) --- ### EVENTS: **Some events where you will be able to find me in the coming months:** ##### Newsletter Signup To sign-up for my monthly newsletter, please complete the form below. #### Complimentary Phone Consultation [Contact Us](tel:%20678-537-1160) --- ### [About](https://dnqsolutions.com/about-productivity-diane-quintana/) **Published:** June 23, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** # About Diane I work closely with my clients to create organizing solutions that resonate with them and the way they live their lives. My belief is that organizing is a process and a state of being, not a destination. I want my clients to feel organized, so they are at peace in their homes. I do not promise to come in and magically create homes for all your belongings. Rather I work with you to determine what you use, what you need, and what you want to have – just because you want it – in your home. And when something changes in your life that necessitates the organizing systems change, I will be happy to come back and tweak the solutions. Life is not static. Things change. A great organizational system can be tweaked from time to time to accommodate those changes. This is what I deliver to my clients. No job is too small. [**Call to schedule a 30-minute phone consultation.**](tel:%20678-537-1160) ###### [Contact Us ](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) ![Smiling woman with blonde hair in a white blouse and a purple sweater draped over her shoulders (portrait).](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/New-DNQ-BG.png) ## Background and Credentials: - I am the only ICD (Institute for Challenging Disorganization)® Master Trainer, Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization, and Certified Professional Organizer through NAPO (National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals) in the state of Georgia. - I hold specialist certificates in Hoarding, Time Management & Productivity, and in working with people diagnosed with ADHD. - I have published five books and created two products. - I earned the ICD Volunteer of the Year Award in 2017. - I served as the ICD Corporate Secretary from July 2019 – July 2022. - I am currently serving as the ICD Events Director from July 2023 – July 2025. ## Ethics: DNQ Solutions, LLC abides by the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals and the Institute for Challenging Disorganization Code of Ethics. Information shared during a consultation or an appointment is strictly confidential. ## Education & Certificates in the Organizing Field: ### Continuing Education: ICD Time Management/Productivity Specialist April 2022 Residential Organizing Specialist April 2019 Life Transitions Specialist May 2018 Master Trainer September 2017 ICD Program Mentor September 2016 Level II Hoarding Specialist October 2013 Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization September 2011 Level II ADD Specialist September 2010 Board Certified Professional Organizer October 2009 Level II Chronic Disorganization Specialist October 2008 ### Certificates of Study: Certificate of Study in Interpersonal Intelligence May 2016 Life Transitions March 2013 Basic Physical Conditions and Challenges Affecting the CD Client February 2013 Time Management & Productivity February 2013 Understanding the Needs of the Student CD Client June 2011 Understanding the Needs of the Elderly CD Client August 2010 Basic Hoarding Issues with the CD Client September 2009 Basic Mental Health Conditions and the Challenges Affecting the CD Client July 2009 Learning Styles and Modalities July 2009 CD Client Administration October 2008 Basic ADD Issues with the CD Client October 2008 Chronic Disorganization February 2008 #### Certifications & Affiliations: ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/napo-15-bcpo-logo-webbadge.webp) ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/napo-15-years.jpg) ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/NAPO-21-Badges-LifeTransitio.webp) ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/napo-21-badges-resorg.webp) ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/icd-time-specialist.png) ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Chronic-Disorganization-Specialist.png) ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/ICD-Hoarding-Specialist.png) ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/ADHD-Organizing-Specialist.png) ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Level3CPOCD-1.jpg) ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Communication-Mentor-2021.png) ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Master-Trainer-2021.png) ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/ICD-logo.jpg) ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/parkaire.jpg) [ ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Top-Atlanta-Home-Organizers-for-2019.jpg) ](https://www.expertise.com/ga/atlanta/home-organizers) [ ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/expertise-2020.jpg) ](https://www.expertise.com/ga/atlanta/home-organizers) [ ![](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/expertise-2024.webp) ](https://www.expertise.com/ga/atlanta/home-organizers) ##### Areas of Speciality ##### **Clutter Control** ##### **Home Organizing In Atlanta** ##### **Time Management & Productivity** ###### [Contact Us ](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) ##### Newsletter Signup To sign-up for my monthly newsletter, please complete the form below. #### Complimentary Phone Consultation [Contact Us](tel:%20678-537-1160) --- ### [Terms and Conditions](https://dnqsolutions.com/terms-and-conditions/) **Published:** October 20, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** # Terms and Conditions Welcome to DNQ Solutions! These terms and conditions outline the rules and regulations for the use of DNQ Solutions’s Website, located at [www.dnqsolutions.com](http://www.dnqsolutions.com). By accessing this website we assume you accept these terms and conditions. Do not continue to use DNQ Solutions if you do not agree to take all of the terms and conditions stated on this page. The following terminology applies to these Terms and Conditions, Privacy Statement and Disclaimer Notice, and all Agreements: “Client”, “You” and “Your” refers to you, the person who is visiting this website and compliant to the Company’s terms and conditions. “The Company”, “Ourselves”, “We”, “Our” and “Us”, refers to our Company. “Party”, “Parties”, or “Us”, refers to both the Client and ourselves. All terms refer to the offer, acceptance, and consideration of payment necessary to undertake the process of our assistance to the Client in the most appropriate manner for the express purpose of meeting the Client’s needs in respect of the provision of the Company’s stated services, in accordance with and subject to, prevailing law of the United States. Any use of the above terminology or other words in the singular, plural, capitalization, and/or he/she or they, are taken as interchangeable and therefore as referring to the same. **Cookies** We employ the use of cookies. By accessing DNQ Solutions, you agree to use cookies in agreement with the DNQ Solutions Privacy Policy. Most interactive websites use cookies to let us retrieve the user’s details for each visit. Cookies are used by our website to enable the functionality of certain areas to make it easier for people visiting our website. Some of our affiliate/advertising partners may also use cookies. **License** Unless otherwise stated, DNQ Solutions and/or its licensors own the intellectual property rights for all material on DNQ Solutions. All intellectual property rights are reserved. You may access this from DNQ Solutions for your own personal use subject to restrictions set in these terms and conditions. You must not: Republish material from DNQ Solutions Sell, rent, or sub-license material from DNQ Solutions Reproduce, duplicate, or copy material from DNQ Solutions Redistribute content from DNQ Solutions This Agreement shall begin on the date hereof. Parts of this website offer an opportunity for users to post and exchange opinions and information in certain areas of the website. DNQ Solutions does not filter, edit, publish, or review Comments prior to their presence on the website. Comments do not reflect the views and opinions of DNQ Solutions, its agents, and/or affiliates. Comments reflect the views and opinions of the person who posts their views and opinions. To the extent permitted by applicable laws, DNQ Solutions shall not be liable for the Comments or for any liability, damages, or expenses caused and/or suffered as a result of any use of and/or posting of and/or appearance of the Comments on this website. DNQ Solutions reserves the right to monitor all Comments and to remove any Comments that can be considered inappropriate, offensive, or cause a breach of these Terms and Conditions. You warrant and represent that: You are entitled to post the Comments on our website and have all necessary licenses and consents to do so; The Comments do not invade any intellectual property right, including without limitation copyright, patent, or trademark of any third party; The Comments do not contain any defamatory, libelous, offensive, indecent, or otherwise unlawful material which is an invasion of privacy; The Comments will not be used to solicit or promote business or custom or present commercial activities or unlawful activity. You hereby grant DNQ Solutions a non-exclusive license to use, reproduce, edit, and authorize others to use, reproduce, and edit any of your Comments in any and all forms, formats, or media. **Hyperlinking to our Content** The following organizations may link to our Website without prior written approval: Government agencies; Search engines; News organizations; Online directory distributors may link to our Website in the same manner as they hyperlink to the Websites of other listed businesses; and Systemwide Accredited Businesses except soliciting non-profit organizations, charity shopping malls, and charity fundraising groups which may not hyperlink to our Website. These organizations may link to our home page, to publications, or to other Website information so long as the link: (a) is not in any way deceptive; (b) does not falsely imply sponsorship, endorsement, or approval of the linking party and its products and/or services; and (c) fits within the context of the linking party’s site. We may consider and approve other link requests from the following types of organizations: Commonly-known consumer and/or business information sources; Dot.com community sites; Associations or other groups representing charities; Online directory distributors; Internet portals; Accounting, law, and consulting firms; and Educational institutions and trade associations. We will approve link requests from these organizations if we decide that: (a) the link would not make us look unfavorably to ourselves or to our accredited businesses; (b) the organization does not have any negative records with us; (c) the benefit to us from the visibility of the hyperlink compensates the absence of DNQ Solutions, and (d) the link is in the context of general resource information. These organizations may link to our home page so long as the link: (a) is not in any way deceptive; (b) does not falsely imply sponsorship, endorsement, or approval of the linking party and its products or services; and (c) fits within the context of the linking party’s site. If you are one of the organizations listed in paragraph 2 above and are interested in linking to our website, you must inform us by sending an e-mail to DNQ Solutions. Please include your name, your organization name, and contact information as well as the URL of your site, a list of any URLs from which you intend to link to our Website, and a list of the URLs on our site to which you would like to link. Approved organizations may hyperlink to our Website as follows: By use of our corporate name; or By use of the uniform resource locator being linked to; or By use of any other description of our Website being linked to that makes sense within the context and format of content on the linking party’s site. No use of DNQ Solutions’s logo or other artwork will be allowed for linking absent a trademark license agreement. **iFrames** Without prior approval and written permission, you may not create frames around our web pages that alter in any way the visual presentation or appearance of our Website. **Content Liability** We shall not be held responsible for any content that appears on your Website. You agree to protect and defend us against all claims that are rising on your Website. No link(s) should appear on any Website that may be interpreted as libelous, obscene, or criminal, or which infringes, otherwise violates, or advocates the infringement or other violation of, any third party rights. **Reservation of Rights** We reserve the right to request that you remove all links or any particular link to our Website. You approve to immediately remove all links to our Website upon request. We also reserve the right to amend these terms and conditions and its linking policy at any time. By continuously linking to our Website, you agree to be bound to and follow these linking terms and conditions. **Removal of links from our website** If you find any link on our Website that is offensive for any reason, you are free to contact and inform us at any moment. We will consider requests to remove links but we are not obligated to do so or to respond to you directly. We do not ensure that the information on this website is correct, we do not warrant its completeness or accuracy; nor do we promise to ensure that the website remains available or that the material on the website is kept up to date. **Disclaimer** To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, we exclude all representations, warranties, and conditions relating to our website and the use of this website. Nothing in this disclaimer will: Limit or exclude our or your liability for death or personal injury; Limit or exclude our or your liability for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation; Limit any of our or your liabilities in any way that is not permitted under applicable law; or Exclude any of our or your liabilities that may not be excluded under applicable law. The limitations and prohibitions of liability set in this Section and elsewhere in this disclaimer: (a) are subject to the preceding paragraph; and (b) govern all liabilities arising under the disclaimer, including liabilities arising in contract, in tort, and for breach of statutory duty. As long as the website and the information and services on the website are provided free of charge, we will not be liable for any loss or damage of any nature. --- ### [Cookies Policy](https://dnqsolutions.com/cookies-policy/) **Published:** October 20, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** # Cookies Policy ***Last updated: October 18, 2023*** DNQ Solutions, Inc. (“us”, “we”, or “our”) uses cookies on our website – [www.dnqsolutions.com](http://www.dnqsolutions.com) (the “Service”). By using the Service, you consent to the use of cookies. Our Cookies Policy explains what cookies are, how we use cookies, how third-parties we may partner with may use cookies on the Service, your choices regarding cookies, and further information about cookies. **What are cookies** Cookies are small pieces of text sent by your web browser on a website you visit. A cookie file is stored in your web browser and allows the Service or a third-party to recognize you and make your next visit easier and the Service more useful to you. **Cookies can be “persistent” or “session” cookies.** How DNQ Solutions uses cookies: When you use and access the Service, we may place a number of cookie files in your web browser. We use cookies for the following purposes: to enable certain functions of the Service, to provide analytics, to store your preferences, and to enable advertisement delivery, including behavioral advertising. We use both session and persistent cookies on the Service and we use different types of cookies to run the Service. We may use Essential cookies to authenticate users and prevent fraudulent use of user accounts. **Third-party cookies** In addition to our own cookies, we may also use various third-party cookies to report usage statistics of the Service and deliver advertisements on and through the Service. **What are your choices regarding cookies?** If you’d like to delete cookies or instruct your web browser to delete or refuse cookies, please visit the help pages of your web browser. Please note, however, that if you delete cookies or refuse to accept them, you might not be able to use all of the features we offer, you may not be able to store your preferences, and some of our pages might not display properly. Where can you find more information about cookies? You can learn more about cookies and the following third-party websites: - AllAboutCookies: <http://www.allaboutcookies.org/> - Network Advertising Initiative: <http://www.networkadvertising.org/> --- ### [Privacy Policy](https://dnqsolutions.com/privacy-policy/) **Published:** October 20, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** # Privacy Policy At DNQ Solutions, accessible from [www.dnqsolutions.com](http://www.dnqsolutions.com/), one of our main priorities is the privacy of our visitors. This Privacy Policy contains types of information that are collected and recorded by DNQ Solutions and how we use it. If you have additional questions or require more information about our Privacy Policy, do not hesitate to contact us. **Log Files** DNQ Solutions follows a standard procedure of using log files. These files log visitors when they visit websites. All hosting companies do this and are a part of hosting services’ analytics. The information collected by log files includes internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, Internet Service Provider (ISP), date and time stamp, referring/exit pages, and possibly the number of clicks. These are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable. The purpose of the information is to analyze trends, administer the site, track users’ movement on the website, and gather demographic information. **Cookies and Web Beacons** Like any other website, DNQ Solutions uses ‘cookies’. These cookies are used to store information including visitors’ preferences, and the pages on the website that the visitor accessed or visited. The information is used to optimize the users’ experience by customizing our web page content based on visitors’ browser type and/or other information. **Privacy Policies** You may consult this list to find the Privacy Policy for each of the advertising partners of DNQ Solutions. Third-party ad servers or ad networks uses technologies like cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons that are used in their respective advertisements and links that appear on DNQ Solutions, which are sent directly to users’ browser. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. These technologies are used to measure the effectiveness of their advertising campaigns and/or to personalize the advertising content that you see on websites that you visit. Note that DNQ Solutions has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers. **Third-Party Privacy Policies** DNQ Solutions’s Privacy Policy does not apply to other advertisers or websites. Thus, we are advising you to consult the respective Privacy Policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information. It may include their practices and instructions about how to opt out of certain options. You can choose to disable cookies through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found on the browsers’ respective websites. **Children’s Information** Another part of our priority is adding protection for children while using the internet. We encourage parents and guardians to observe, participate in, and/or monitor and guide their online activity. DNQ Solutions does not knowingly collect any Personal Identifiable Information from children under the age of 13. If you think that your child provided this kind of information on our website, we strongly encourage you to contact us immediately and we will do our best efforts to promptly remove such information from our records. **Online Privacy Policy Only** This Privacy Policy applies only to our online activities and is valid for visitors to our website with regard to the information that they share and/or collect in DNQ Solutions. This policy is not applicable to any information collected offline or via channels other than this website. **Consent** By using our website, you hereby consent to our Privacy Policy and agree to its Terms and Conditions. --- ### [Contact](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact-professional-organizer/) **Published:** August 25, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** ![diane quintana headshot](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/diane-photo_noback.webp) # Contact Diane Feel free to reach out and contact Diane, Certified Professional Organizer, to schedule your complimentary 30 minute phone consultation. Questions? Call Diane. Diane N. Quintana Atlanta, GA [678-537-1160](tel:16785371160) ## Signup for Diane's Newsletter #### Complimentary Phone Consultation [Contact Us](tel:%20678-537-1160) --- ### [Workshops](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-tips-workshops/) **Published:** August 25, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** # Workshops Is your group looking for a fabulous, informative workshop full of great organizing tips? Look at the workshop topics listed here. [**Contact me**](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) for more information. ### **Paper Organizing Challenges:** Use our organizing tips to get control of all the paper in your life. We will answer questions like: Where does all the paper come from? What papers to keep? How long to keep them and How to find them when you want them? This workshop is an hour long. ### **Paper Piles to Files:** This workshop provides hands-on tips that will enable you to organize and file the papers that accumulate on your desk or countertops. Bring in a box or bag of papers and go home with labeled files. We will supply folders and give organizing tips that help you with labeling. This workshop is one and one-half hours long. ### **Plan to Lose:** Participants will learn organizing tips for the pantry and refrigerator. We teach the importance of meal planning; how to make a grocery list to avoid impulse purchases, and how to plan fitness into their schedule so they can plan to lose weight! This workshop is an hour long. ### **DeClutter to De-Stress:** **[Clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/clutter-control/)** in your home contributes to the stress in your life. This workshop teaches you organizing tips to easily remove clutter from your home and reduce the stress in your life. This workshop is an hour long. ### **Downsizing? The what, why, and how:** We all know what downsizing is all about, right? Let me give your group great organizing tips so that you are better informed about how to go about the process and strategies for dealing with what may be holding you back. This workshop is an hour long. ### **The 411 on Hoarding:** Is someone you love keeping too much stuff? Most of us have seen the dramatization of hoarding on television. It is not a pretty picture. Let me give you some tips and strategies that you can use to help your acquaintance, friend, or loved one. This workshop is one hour long. ### **Surviving the Holidaze:** This one-hour workshop will give you organizing tips to help you better manage your time and space so when the holidays arrive, you will be able to enjoy them without worry. Come to this fun interactive workshop and go home with great organizing tips and enthusiasm for the coming season! [**Contact me**](https://dnqsolutions.com/contact/) to schedule a workshop! ##### Newsletter Signup To sign-up for my monthly newsletter, please complete the form below. #### Complimentary Phone Consultation [Contact Us](tel:%20678-537-1160) --- ### [Books](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-get-organized-books/) **Published:** August 25, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** # Books Check out our books which target different organizing situations, challenges, and dilemmas. They will guide you on your journey to being more organized. If you (or someone you know) have a home that is over-full of stuff, we offer compassionate advice as well as tips to reduce the collection of things. If you’re in a new situation and wonder how to set up your home, we have everything from what you need to have all the way to recipes and strategies to clean your home without spending all day doing it. We even have sweet stories for the youngest among us to let them know how to pick up their room without a fuss. ![filled up and overflowing book cover](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/filledup-book.webp) ### Filled Up and Overflowing **What to do when life events, chronic disorganization, and hoarding go overboard. By Diane N. Quintana and Jonda S. Beattie** Filled Up & Overflowing was written to help you and your family members, friends, and spouses find answers to questions and concerns about the safety and comfort of their loved one in their space. Unlike other organizing books, this one is designed to support individuals who would prefer to work with professionals or loved ones who want to listen to them and discover their needs instead of overwhelming them with the process. [Buy Now](https://www.amazon.com/Filled-Up-Overflowing-Disorganization-Overboard-ebook/dp/B08R96XDJX) ![now what book cover](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/now-what-front-cover-600x784.webp) ### Now What? **A Simple Organizing Guide** **by Diane N. Quintana** You think you have things pretty well organized and then something happens which upsets the balance in your life. You think to yourself, Now What? *Now What? A Simple Organizing Guide* provides straightforward practical organizing tips to help you regain that balance. This is your guide to setting up a home, creating and managing a budget, managing paperwork and time. It’s also a guide to the habits and routines that will help you maintain order in your busy life. [Buy Now](https://www.amazon.com/Now-What-Simple-Organizing-Guide/dp/098186435X/) ![from vision to victory book cover](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/from-vision-cover-600x749.webp) ### From Vision To Victory **by Jonda S. Beattie** This is the organizational workbook to help organize any problem area in your home. By following the step-by-step procedures, you will pin down exactly what you want to change, develop a plan to help you make the change, and learn techniques to help you keep your new organization in place. [Buy Now](https://www.timespaceorg.com/workbooks) ![benji's messy room book cover](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/benjis-messy-room-600x749.webp) ### Benji’s Messy Room **by Diane N. Quintana and Jonda S. Beattie** Benji is your average, active five-year-old little boy. He loves to play in his room. Sometimes his room turns into a real mess! Benji doesn’t know where to begin when his mother asks him to pick up his room. This teaches Benji how to get organized. Read to find out how Benji’s mother helps him accomplish this seemingly overwhelming task. The authors took some basic organizational strategies and applied them to the common task of picking up a room. Break projects down into small manageable steps: Sort like with like; Cull collections; Assign a place or a home for belongings; Reward for jobs completed. [Buy Now](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1682132331) ![suzie's messy room book cover](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/suzies-messy-room-600x749.webp) ### Suzie’s Messy Room **by Diane N. Quintana and Jonda S. Beattie** Suzie is a typical, active five-year-old little girl. She loves playing with all her toys in her room and sometimes creates a real mess! When her mother asks her to pick up her room, Suzie is overwhelmed and doesn’t know how to begin. Suzie’s mother helps her complete the job by breaking the project into small tasks that Suzie is able to finish easily. Doing this teaches Suzie how to get organized. Basic principles of organizing are included in this story. Break projects down into small steps: Sort like with like; Cull collections; All belongings need a home; and Reward for completed tasks. See **Suzie’s Messy Room video** on [the Storytime Pup Channel](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnE-v_u5P6o&t=8s) [Buy Now](https://www.amazon.com/Suzies-Messy-Room-Diane-Quintana/dp/1681393808) ##### Newsletter Signup To sign-up for my monthly newsletter, please complete the form below. #### Complimentary Phone Consultation [Contact Us](tel:%20678-537-1160) --- ### [Journal](https://dnqsolutions.com/life-organizer-daily-journal/) **Published:** July 19, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** # My List Simplified [Etsy Shop](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1413824674/my-list-simplified-undated?click_key=55c784f291f526b067ef63e0d8b4cc77fda11c08%3A1413824674&click_sum=a7aaad69&ref=shop_home_active_5) [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/My-List-Simplified-Dateless-Organizing/dp/1735968455/ref=sr_1_39?crid=25RD4Z4SSUSHD&keywords=My+list+simplified+undated+planner%2Fjournal+diane+quintana&qid=1688820490&sprefix=my+list+simplified+undated+planner%2Fjournal+diane+quintana%2Caps%2C83&sr=8-39) ## Undated Planner/Journal ![dnq my list simplified](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/DNQ-My-List-Simplified.webp) It is the perfect planner to use if you have a habit of buying a planner, using it for a week, and then picking it up again 3 months later. With our planner, there are no wasted pages. At the top of the page there is an inspirational quote and then a place for you to put the date. Use it every day, once a week, or whenever you feel like it – no pressure. It is also a fabulous tool for project planning. Let’s imagine you are preparing to do a little renovation. Keep track of the tradespeople you call on the facing notes page. Create a scope and sequence using the small boxes at the bottom of the calendar page. Stay on top of all the things do to using the 3 easy wins field at the top of the calendar page. You will feel in control of this project instead of overwhelmed. Say ‘good-bye’ to all those little scraps of paper holding your notes. Never lose another little note to yourself. Write them down in this terrific spiral-bound planner. **This fabulous planner is available for purchase from my [Etsy shop: Organizing Tips](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1413824674/my-list-simplified-undated?click_key=6c6c420e587e464c3dd02a0ee32149aaba9b6a9d%3A1413824674&click_sum=0c695fca&ref=shop_home_active_1) or from [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/My-List-Simplified-Dateless-Organizing/dp/1735968455/ref=sr_1_39?crid=25RD4Z4SSUSHD&keywords=My+list+simplified+undated+planner%2Fjournal+diane+quintana&qid=1688820490&sprefix=my+list+simplified+undated+planner%2Fjournal+diane+quintana%2Caps%2C83&sr=8-39).** **My List Simplified** Made in the U.S.A. Spiral-bound planner/journal Pages: 114 pages Size: 8 ½ X 11 Cost: $25 ##### Newsletter Signup To sign-up for my monthly newsletter, please complete the form below. #### Complimentary Phone Consultation [Contact Us](tel:%20678-537-1160) --- ### [Home Solutions Course](https://dnqsolutions.com/home-solutions-course/) **Published:** July 19, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** # Home Solutions Course ![home solutions course](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Homesolutions.webp "home solutions course") **Have you ever thought it would be great to work with a professional organizer?** We understand. Every time we tell someone that we are professional organizers they say, “*I need you!”* The reason for that is that a professional organizer can tell you how to organize the different spaces in your home. We create order and turn what may look like a disorganized mess into a place where you want to spend time. Our Home Solutions Course is the next best thing to having us right there in your home working with you. We have included our organizing tips, strategies, and solutions for organizing the most common ‘hot spots’ in homes. **Are you wondering what those hot spots are?** Wonder no further. They are kitchen counters, pantry, closets, chest of drawers, home offices, and family room. These are places where things tend to collect. We also give suggestions for ways to reduce and remove the clutter from your home. In addition to all of this, the Home Solutions Course tells you how to create a maintenance plan for your home. Organizing is not a once-and-done event. You live, work, and play in your home so unless you maintain the organization it will not stick. Follow the organizing tips, strategies, and solutions in the Home Solutions Course and create the organized home of your dreams. **This fabulous course is available to purchase and download from my [Etsy shop: Organizing Tips](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1404210443/home-organizing-solutions-guide-6-page?click_key=623bf7654d7a8497b47eec5b12843c0b15a6daa6%3A1404210443&click_sum=32e388c9&ref=shop_home_active_9).** ##### Newsletter Signup To sign-up for my monthly newsletter, please complete the form below. #### Complimentary Phone Consultation [Contact Us](tel:%20678-537-1160) --- ### [Cards](https://dnqsolutions.com/organize-your-home-card-deck/) **Published:** July 19, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** # Deck of Cards ## Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time [Etsy Shop](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1428001537/organize-your-home-10-minutes-at-a-time?click_key=e58eac15c3f07189265612f8f48d4b4177499a7b%3A1428001537&click_sum=e8ce4582&ref=shop_home_active_2) [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Organize-Your-Home-Minutes-Time/dp/1735968420/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WPAABTAOZZ2C&keywords=organize+your+home+10+minutes+at+a+time+deck+of+cards&qid=1688820168&sprefix=organize+your+home+10+minutes+at+a+time+deck+of+cards%2Caps%2C94&sr=8-1) ![dnq cards closing](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/DNQ-Cards-Closing-543x543.webp "DNQ Cards Closing") ![dnq cards bedroom](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/DNQ-Cards-Bedroom-543x543.webp "DNQ Cards Bedroom") ![dnq cards kitchen](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/DNQ-Cards-Kitchen-543x543.webp "DNQ Cards Kitchen") ![dnq cards living room](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/DNQ-Cards-Living-Room-543x543.webp "DNQ Cards Living Room") ![dnq cards kitchen](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/DNQ-Cards-Kitchen-1-543x543.webp "DNQ Cards Kitchen") ![dnq cards entry](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/DNQ-Cards-Entry-543x543.webp "DNQ Cards Entry") This deck of 52 cards will guide you to create a beautifully organized home. One card is a note from the authors, one card has instructions that tell you how to use the remaining 50 activity cards. Each of the 50 colorful activity cards has step-by-step instructions to organize one small space in just 10 minutes. All you do is pick a card, follow the instructions, and you will have decluttered, cleaned, and tidied one space. Take 10 minutes a day to do a card and before you know it your home will be beautifully organized. **Do you feel overwhelmed by all the stuff in your home?** Maybe you don’t know how to begin decluttering. This deck of activity cards will help you break down the task of decluttering and organizing your home into small, bite-size tasks so you can be successful. Little by little you will see the clutter leave your home. These colorful cards are for daily use. No one wants to spend all their time cleaning and decluttering. Use this deck of cards to do a little cleaning every day so that you can spend more time doing things you want to do. Reduce the clutter in your home and give yourself time to spend on yourself. Organize Your Home 10 Minutes at a Time deck of cards is the best organizing tool to use if your goal is to have a home that is as organized as you want it to be. **This deck is available for purchase from my [Etsy shop: Organizing Tips](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1428001537/organize-your-home-10-minutes-at-a-time?click_key=e58eac15c3f07189265612f8f48d4b4177499a7b%3A1428001537&click_sum=e8ce4582&ref=shop_home_active_2) or on [Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Organize-Your-Home-Minutes-Time/dp/1735968420/ref=sr_1_1?crid=WPAABTAOZZ2C&keywords=organize+your+home+10+minutes+at+a+time+deck+of+cards&qid=1688820168&sprefix=organize+your+home+10+minutes+at+a+time+deck+of+cards%2Caps%2C94&sr=8-1).** ##### Newsletter Signup To sign-up for my monthly newsletter, please complete the form below. #### Complimentary Phone Consultation [Contact Us](tel:%20678-537-1160) --- ### [Time Management Coaching](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/time-management-coaching/) **Published:** June 23, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** # Time Management Coaching Have you ever noticed that the words we use to describe time are also words we use with money? We talk about spending time, saving time, and using time wisely. This is because time is a valuable asset. Unlike money, we can not save time. Nor can we manage our time. We can only manage how we use the time we have available. ## What’s The Real Impact Of Not Managing Your Time Well? The real impact of not managing your time well is that you rarely feel as if you are accomplishing anything. You chase after tasks, much like a hamster on a wheel. This leads to feeling frazzled, overwhelmed, and out of control. ## The Connection Between Poor Time Management & Chronic Disorganization People challenged by chronic disorganization also often have poor time management skills. They lose things in the clutter and then lose track of time hunting for the missing belongings. This is a frustrating cycle that also causes them to be late paying bills, late for appointments and even to miss appointments altogether. ## I Help Clients With ADHD As Well… I help my clients with ADHD figure out how much time they have available to use and then plan and prioritize the things they want to do so that they get done – without being overwhelming. ## How Time Management Coaching Can Help You Everyone wants to feel more in control of their day. Time Management coaching helps you plan and prioritize so that your to-do list gets done. ### Increase Productivity (AKA Get More Done) Time Management coaching puts you back in the driver’s seat. I help you create better habits and routines so that more gets done. ### Feel Less Stressed & Anxious The benefit of learning how to better manage your time is that you feel in control. You won’t have that nagging, anxious feeling that you are forgetting to do something important. The things you need and want to do will get done in a timely fashion. ### Plan Your Time, Instead Of Your Life Being Planned For You When you wait until the last minute to get something done, it is often not done in the way you wanted. Time Management coaching teaches how to efficiently plan your time building in some flexibility because things do not always go as planned. #### How I Can Help You I work closely with you to find out what is working for you and what is not. Then we create daily and weekly plans that let you accomplish the things you need and want to do. ##### Getting Started It all starts with a discovery phone consultation which typically lasts about 30 minutes. We will talk about the challenges you are facing in your home, your reason for making a change now, and how you would like your home to look. Then we will schedule a time to get started. A work appointment lasts a minimum of two hours and a maximum of four hours. Decision-making is hard work, so I limit the number of hours spent on organizing to a maximum of four hours. ###### Tip From Dolores The Busy Lady Do your best not to overschedule yourself. Be realistic about the length of time a project takes to complete. Always break large tasks down into small steps. Those are easier to schedule and help to avoid that feeling of being overwhelmed. ![dolores the busy lady graphic](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Dolores-the-Busy-Lady-transparent-background.png) ##### Newsletter Signup To sign-up for my monthly newsletter, please complete the form below. #### Complimentary Phone Consultation [Contact Us](tel:%20678-537-1160) --- ### [Home Organization](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/home-organization/) **Published:** June 23, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** # Home Organization Services in Atlanta Your home is the place you belong. Maybe you work from home. No matter what you do in your home it is the place where you can relax, unwind, and leave the cares of the world outside. Or can you? ## What’s Going On Inside Your Home? Has your home become a storage unit? Do you continually bring things in, forgetting to remove the things you no longer need or use? Maybe things you intend to return, intend to fix, or intend to read pile up. ## How To Get Organized All the literature says to pick one place to start and then to start small. In other words, first, decide which room or area is most important to you to organize. Then start sorting in just one spot. ## Why Organizing Ideas Are Not Enough To Get The Job Done It is easy to tell someone what to do to get organized. As I just said, all the best organizing books basically say the same thing. Start organizing in one place and start small. If talking or reading about it was enough, you would not be reading this page. Most people have more success when they work with a trained professional organizer. ## This Is Especially True If You Have ADHD When you have ADHD you tend to be distracted by the next good idea or creative thought. This tendency can leave multiple projects in various stages of completion scattered around the house. It also may mean that you’re less motivated to tackle a challenging, lengthy project around organizing your home. Procrastination is a common challenge clients share with me and when your clutter is addressed room by room, the project becomes more manageable over time. ### How Home Organization Coaching Can Help You As a trained Board-Certified Professional Organizer and an ADHD Organizing Specialist, I can help you maintain focus on one project at a time. If your attention wanders, I will gently refocus you on the task at hand so you reach your goals and feel positive about your progress. #### When It Comes To Home Organizing, I Work With Clients On All Of The Following Areas In Their Home: ### [Closet Organization](#) Closets include linen closet, hall closet, bathroom, and bedroom closets. These spaces are intended to hold things we need and use. It’s important to remove things that you no longer need, use, or love to make room for those things that fit your current lifestyle. ### [Garage Organization](#) We will look at what you’re storing in your garage and organize it so that you not only know what’s there but will also be able to find it when you need it. Things that are typically stored in a garage are lawnmowers, gardening tools, bicycles, sports equipment & accessories, outdoor seasonal decorations, and cars. ### [Kitchen Organization](#) The kitchen is the heart of the home. It’s where everyone hangs out at a party and where most of us spend lots of time. Make this a place you want to be to provide meals and snacks for yourself and your family. Your pots, pans, cooking accessories, dishes, and cutlery all need to be easy to access. ### [Laundry Room Organization](#) The laundry room is often where cleaning supplies, household cleaning tools, and some useful tools like a screwdriver, hammer, and pliers are stored. Good organization in this room makes doing laundry easier and cleaning more efficient. We will organize the cupboards as well as use the wall space for hanging tools. ### [Small Spaces Organization](#) Small spaces tend to be magnets for clutter. That said, just because a space is small does not mean it can’t be well organized. We will make use of the entire space. Including vertical space on the wall and space under furniture (like the bed). ### [Bedroom Organization](#) Rest and relaxation are so important for good health. Organizing your bedroom so that there’s little or no clutter to distract you is one way to ensure that the bedroom provides a place for you to get that much-needed rest. For many people, one hidden reason for chronic insomnia is not having a comfortable place to rest. We can fix this together. ### [Children’s Bedrooms & Toy Organization](#) Children often come with far too many accessories and their bedrooms can become dumping grounds for everything they read, play with, or wear. Because of this, it’s wise to create distinct areas or zones in their room for toy storage, reading, playing, and sleeping. When everything has a place to belong, it’s easy for the children to clean up and put their toys away. ### [Attic, Basement & Storage Space Organization](#) Like children’s bedrooms, people place things in their attic or storage closet to get things out of the way. This can include everything from seasonal decorations to archival paperwork (like the supporting documents and tax files), suitcases and trunks, children’s accessories (crib/high chair, etc.), and clothing, just in case you have another child. It’s important to store things you know you use or need and equally important to release anything that does not support your lifestyle. This is something I can help you with. ### [Organizing Everything Else In Your Home](#) When your belongings are organized, everything has a place to belong. You know where to look to find your things. This gives you confidence and reduces stress and anxiety. There is no worry or stress about wondering where something might be, you know where to look and find it. ##### Home Organization in Atlanta Work with me on home organization, so instead of feeling cluttered or overwhelmed, your home is your place of refuge. The place you want to be to rest, relax, and unwind – the place you want to be with your family. ##### Getting Started It all starts with a discovery phone consultation which typically lasts about 30 minutes. We will talk about the challenges you are facing in your home, your reason for making a change now, and how you would like your home to look. Then we will schedule a time to get started. A work appointment lasts a minimum of two hours and a maximum of four hours. Decision-making is hard work, so I limit the number of hours spent on organizing to a maximum of four hours. ###### Tip From Dolores The Busy Lady When you take something out and use it, put it back where it belongs. Then you will always know where it is. ![dolores the busy lady graphic](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Dolores-the-Busy-Lady-transparent-background.png) ##### Newsletter Signup To sign-up for my monthly newsletter, please complete the form below. #### Complimentary Phone Consultation [Contact Us](tel:%20678-537-1160) --- ### [Clutter Control](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/clutter-control/) **Published:** June 23, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** # Clutter Control Services & Advice Everyone brings clutter into their home. No one is immune to it. It is what you DO, what action you take, with clutter that either keeps it to a minimum or lets it become overwhelming. At its most basic, clutter is the result of unmade decisions. The trick is to create boundaries and rules to follow. These things (boundaries and rules) help you deal with clutter more effectively. ## What’s Wrong With Clutter? Clutter distracts you. Even though it is just stuff, clutter crowds your mind with reminders to do something about it. Clutter creates that overwhelming and stressful feeling. It can also be dangerous. When piles of clutter spill over into walkways in your home it becomes a tripping hazard. ## When Clutter Is A Problem, Where To Begin You have two choices. You can begin with something easy or with the place in your home that bothers you the most. No matter where you decide to begin decluttering, always start small. By that I mean one drawer, one shelf, or one small pile. Give yourself success with something small and you’ll be able to do more. ## If you have ADHD, don’t worry, I can help you too… If you have ADHD, sitting down and sorting through a pile of clutter is probably the last thing on your list of things to do. I can help you stay focused while we sort through the pile together. We will talk through the decisions and together find homes for the things that need to go elsewhere that make sense to you and your ADHD brain. ## How To Stop Hoarding What often looks like hoarding may not actually be hoarding. A home can become filled with things because of a variety of things like life events, a lack of organizing skills, over-collecting, or a very busy life. Whatever the reason, you now have an abundance of things you don’t know what to do with. You want to organize but you have no space. You want to make decisions about what stays and what leaves your home but don’t know where to begin. It is overwhelming so you do nothing. Let’s work together so you no longer feel like you are living in a hoarded-up home. ## How A Professional Organizer Can Help You Declutter Your Home A professional organizer brings an objective point of view when they come to help you declutter your home. They can help you think through and make decisions about what to keep, where to keep it, and if you’re not keeping it what to do with it. ### How Clutter Control Coaching Can Help You As the only Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization in Georgia, I can help you identify what you need, use, and love in your home. We will work together to create organizing solutions that make sense to you and the way you live your life. ### Declutter Services I Offer - Closet Organization - Garage Organization - Kitchen Organization - Laundry Room Organization - Small Spaces Organization - Bedroom Organization - Children’s Bedrooms and Toy Organization - Attic, Basement, and Storage Space Organization - Time Management & Productivity ### Getting Started It all starts with a discovery phone consultation which typically lasts about 30 minutes. We will talk about the challenges you are facing in your home, your reason for making a change now, and how you would like your home to look. Then we will schedule a time to get started. A work appointment lasts a minimum of two hours and a maximum of four hours. Decision-making is hard work, so I limit the number of hours spent on organizing to a maximum of four hours. ###### Tip From Dolores The Busy Lady Let’s say that every morning while the coffee is brewing, you take five minutes and tidy the family room. You bring any dishes, glasses, or trash left over from the day before to the kitchen. After breakfast, you do those dishes along with those from your breakfast. This is a simple way to do a little clutter control in those two rooms. ![dolores the busy lady graphic](https://dnqsolutions.com/wp-content/uploads/Dolores-the-Busy-Lady-transparent-background.png) ##### Newsletter Signup To sign-up for my monthly newsletter, please complete the form below. #### Complimentary Phone Consultation [Contact Us](tel:%20678-537-1160) --- ### [Organizing Services](https://dnqsolutions.com/organizing-services/) **Published:** July 20, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana --- ### [Monthly Newsletter](https://dnqsolutions.com/organization-ideas-monthly-email-newsletter/) **Published:** October 4, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** # Monthly Email Newsletter **Tip Of The Week** Get great organization ideas when you sign up to receive the DNQ Solutions Monthly Newsletter and you will get these really fun Weekly Tips. These tips are short, and sweet and provide organization ideas to start your week off right. Sign up for the DNQ Solutions Monthly Newsletter. In each newsletter, professional organizer, Diane Quintana, talks about the organization idea of the month. Then Diane writes the weekly tips. The weekly tips are delivered on Mondays. They contain a short, sweet tip based on the monthly organization idea. These tips are quick to read and easy to follow. They start your week off with a little inspiration. Be sure to read them and then delete them. This way they do not add clutter to your inbox. The Monthly newsletter also has information about workshops and webinars that Diane is presenting and also places where you can find Diane presenting. The presentation at Finders Keepers is always so full there is standing room only. Then if you want to read more on the topic of the week, check out Diane’s blog. In the weekly blog, posted on Sunday afternoon, Diane writes about the topic of the week. Come join the conversation. If you have questions feel free to post them in the comments section on the blog page. Diane answers all comments and questions within 24 hours. ##### Newsletter Signup To sign-up for my monthly newsletter, please complete the form below. #### Complimentary Phone Consultation [Contact Us](tel:%20678-537-1160) --- ### [Areas of Expertise](https://dnqsolutions.com/areas-of-expertise/) **Published:** June 23, 2023 **Author:** Diane Quintana **Content:** # Areas of Expertise As a trained professional organizer I know that the benefits of organizing are wide reaching. I also know that while it may be easy to say that your goal is to be more organized it can be very difficult to implement. Becoming organized is made even more difficult if you are challenged by any of the following conditions. - [ADHD and Executive Functioning](#tab-1697655602539-4) - [Anxiety & Worry](#tab-1697655602569-4) - [Graceful Time Management](#tab-1697655602593-2) - [Hoarding & Excessive Clutter](#tab-1697655602616-5) - [Organizing Documents & Adulting](#tab-1697655602635-9) - [Small Spaces & Maximizing Space](#tab-1697655602653-5) ## ADHD and Executive Functioning Have you been diagnosed with ADHD? Maybe you suspect you have ADHD because you have classic symptoms. I want to be completely transparent and let you know that I am not a therapist. I am, however, trained as an ADHD Organizing Specialist. **What does that mean?** I have studied and earned the designation ADHD Organizing Specialist with the Institute for Challenging Disorganization. Also, I continue to read books on ADHD looking for new strategies to create organizing solutions for people challenged by this condition. ###### **What does the term executive functioning mean?** Here is a simple explanation, Executive Functioning refers to something that the Prefrontal Cortex in your brain is supposed to do. It is supposed to act like an executive and let you make informed decisions. The Prefrontal Cortex is the part of the brain that works on categorizing, sorting, classifying, prioritizing, planning, self-control, self-management, time management, and making decisions. You can read more about executive functions and the prefrontal cortex in **[this article](https://neuroscientificallychallenged.com/posts/know-your-brain-prefrontal-cortex)**. When you have ADHD, these skills are sometimes challenging. It can be very difficult to focus on one task long enough to make tough decisions. You may become distracted by an idea, by looking at something you forgot you had, by touching something sentimental and reliving an emotional event. ###### **Often people with ADHD begin a project because they are excited by an idea.** When the project becomes complicated, or they must plan multiple steps they can hit a roadblock, and the project is stopped in its tracks. Or, midway through one project they have another idea, start the second project, leave the first project as a work-in-progress, and forget to plan time to finish it. The thought of organizing a pile of things you had set aside is not sparkly, fun, or appealing but it is something that must be done, or the pile will continue to grow. It will never magically disappear no matter how much you want that to happen. ###### **My job as your trained professional organizer is to help you maintain focus.** Together we decide what to work on and then I break that project down into small, manageable components. We work together for short periods of time which enables you to hang in there with me. My promise to you is that at the end of a working session, we will have finished what we set out to do. ## Anxiety & Worry For many people, exploring hiring a professional organizer is not without anxiety, worry, and a little stress. It’s very common, and if you’re feeling this way, you are not alone. Organizing is a process that can be filled with anxiety and worry even if you are not an anxious person ordinarily. If you are like most people, you tidy up before the house cleaner comes and even worry about what may be in their way. Worrying about how you’re “seen” by someone who is looking at your private world is normal. For many people, their anxiety grows when thinking about letting a professional organizer into your home. I know this to be true on several levels. ###### **Most of my clients tell me they are anxious about our sessions.** For this, I always apologize. They always tell me that it’s not me – it’s the thought of going through their stuff. They worry about what we’ll find and what we’re going to do about it. I ask them to take a breath and we talk about the project for the day. Then, they know it’s going to be OK. Additionally, to earn my **[Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization](https://dnqsolutions.com/about/)**, one of the assignments was to hire a professional organizer. The mere thought of this assignment filled me with dread. Where would we work? How long would it take? What would they think about me? These were the questions rolling around in my head. The day came and my palms were damp. I was clearly anxious even though I was hiring a friend. Logically I knew it would be fine, emotionally I was worried. It turns out, we had fun together. We put on some music, and I told stories about the things we were sorting through as we organized my storage room. The time flew by. All this is to let you know that I understand. When the time comes and you’re ready to hire me you too may be very anxious and worried about the process. Let me know if you’re feeling this way. We will work through it together. The goal is to help you, not judge you. ## Graceful Time Management Time management is a true misnomer. We all know that you can not ever truly manage time. It just marches on. What we **can** do is manage the demands on our time. We can also manage how we respond to all the little things that get in the way of how we want to use our time. Problems arise when we try to pack too much into each day. We often forget that a portion of the day must be devoted to eating, socializing, and sleeping for us to be healthy and have some sense of balance in our lives. This is what I specialize in – making the best use of your available time. I will work with you to create a plan so that you can get the things done you have to do and the things you want to do. This is not magic. It is figuring out what the time drains are and how you can plan more efficiently. It is also acknowledging that things will happen that are not planned and learning how to flex your schedule to accommodate these unexpected time demands. During the process, we will work together to create some better routines and habits. This will help you be more productive. The result is that you will be on time or early for meetings and appointments. Your projects will be done on time, and you’ll find that you get things done with less stress. Another benefit that comes along with having good time management skills is that you will also have time for yourself to relax and recharge. ## Hoarding & Excessive Clutter Homes become full of stuff for a variety of different reasons. It may be hoarding, or it may be that the organizational systems don’t work due to chronic disorganization. Whatever the reason, the over-abundance of stuff is stressful and takes a toll on every facet of your life. Many people who have hoarding behaviors and tendencies or excessive clutter are embarrassed by the way their home looks and are reluctant to have anyone over. We call this CHAOS: Can’t Have Anyone Over Syndrome. Sometimes, they don’t even really know how their home came to be so full. The hoarding behaviors may have started as collecting. When someone has hoarding behaviors and tendencies, they tend to create piles, and before they know it, there are stacks everywhere. The thought of going through all these piles is overwhelming. Cleaning up is difficult. It’s important to work with an objective, trained professional who will support the person challenged by hoarding behaviors and tendencies or excessive clutter in their efforts to change their habits and their environment. ###### **Here are some behaviors commonly associated with hoarding:** 1. There is a persistent difficulty in discarding or parting with possessions because of a perceived need to save them. 2. The person experiences distress at the thought of getting rid of items. 3. The home has an excessive accumulation of stuff, regardless of value. 4. Rooms in the home cannot be used as intended because they are full. ###### **Here are the three hallmarks of chronic disorganization or excessive clutter:** 1. It persists over a long period of time 2. Frequently undermines your quality of life 3. Recurs despite self-help attempts If this is your problem I can help. My goal is to create organizing strategies that work for you in your environment. William Morris, a 19th-century English craftsman, said, “*Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful*” I share this quote with my clients because I believe it can guide us in controlling excessive clutter in our homes. Things accumulate in our homes over time unless we give our attention to the meaning they bring to our lives. Things break and instead of scheduling time to get them fixed or fix them ourselves, we put it off until later. These things get stuck in a drawer, at the back of the closet or cupboard, in the attic, or in the garage. Before we know it, these spaces are filled up and overflowing! We forget to go through these hiding places and empty them of the things we know we don’t use or want anymore. **As you look around your home ask yourself:** 1\. Do I use this? If you do great! Find a place to keep it. 2\. Do I believe this is beautiful? If you don’t like the way something looks and you don’t use it, what is it doing in your home? **The benefits of controlling clutter are:** 1\. You will save time because you won’t waste time looking for the things you want. You’ll know where they are. 2\. You will save money because you won’t waste money buying duplicates. 3\. You will have less stress. Science has proven that extremely cluttered environments are stressful. Before I start working with you, we will talk through your goals and create a comprehensive plan. We will work on one area of your home at a time, focusing first on safety. Then on maintenance strategies. We will reduce piles and tripping hazards and create a walkway at least 36 inches wide so that first responders can come into your home with a gurney if needed. My promise to you is that we will work together to create organizing solutions for you so it’s easy for you to find your things, maintain a sense of order, and feel comfortable in your home. ## Organizing Documents & Adulting Documents and papers continue to be a thorn in the side of many of my clients. Documents arrive (either in your email or in your postal mailbox). How you organize them is important because when these documents are organized, they are easy to find. And sometimes it is critical to find them. Are you wondering, why? Vital documents serve to identify you and protect you in case of a medical emergency and insurance needs. These include but are not limited to things like your birth certificate, social security, financial and investment information, and (yes) a home inventory. Organize your digital files the same way you organize paper files. You can start with the year and then the category or the reverse. Label the files in a way that makes sense to you. This is all part of being an adult. Do not make the mistake of thinking, I will never need this document for that is exactly when you will be required to produce it. ## Small Spaces & Maximizing Space When you are living in a small space it is more challenging to stay organized because you have less space. It is more important than ever to pay attention to what you use, what you need, and what you love to surround yourself with. Having said that, here are some great tips you can use to organize in a small space and make the best use of the space you have. Put your furniture to use. If you are buying furniture, look for pieces that also offer storage. For instance, a hollow footstool. Use that space to store a cozy blanket or throw, knitting, sewing, or even board games. A coffee table with a shelf underneath is a great place to stash books or magazines. Go vertical. Stack the washer and dryer, then use the space beside them to store cleaning tools and supplies. Remember to use the space under the bed and up high in the closet. ### Getting Started I am committed to helping my clients live in a more peaceful environment. Whether this means helping to create a user-friendly filing system (both paper and digital), working to build better habits, or figuring out how to make the best use of your space I am there for you. Please notice that I do not do this for you, I work with you so that the home organizing strategies are ones you can envision yourself following. It all starts with a discovery phone consultation which typically lasts about 30 minutes. We will talk about the challenges you are facing in your home, your reason for making a change now, and how you would like your home to look. Then we will schedule a time to get started. A work appointment lasts a minimum of two hours and a maximum of four hours. Decision-making is hard work, so I limit the number of hours spent on organizing to a maximum of four hours. ##### Newsletter Signup To sign-up for my monthly newsletter, please complete the form below. #### Complimentary Phone Consultation [Contact Us](tel:%20678-537-1160) --- ## Categories ### [Uncategorized](https://dnqsolutions.com/uncategorized/) --- ### [Understanding Hoarding](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/understanding-hoarding/) --- ### [How To Organize](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/how-to-organize/) **Description:** Professional organizer & productivity expert Diane Quintana shares her best tips and ideas to help you learn how to organize your home, office & life. --- ### [Control Clutter](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/control-clutter/) **Description:** When you control clutter, you feel less overwhelmed & more relaxed. Professional organizer Diane Quintana shares her best tips for controlling clutter here. --- ### [Organizing the Things in your Life](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/organizing-things-in-your-life/) **Description:** It's difficult to rightsize your life - especially after a big life event. Rightsizing is easier using these tips from professional organizer Diane Quintana. --- ### [How to Organize Your Life Blog](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/) --- ### [Building Better Habits & Routines](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/building-better-habits-and-routines/) **Description:** Diane Quintana shares her wisdom about how to build better habits and routines to improve your quality of life, relationships and happiness. --- ### [Planning & Schedule Management](https://dnqsolutions.com/how-to-organize-your-life-blog/planning-and-managing-your-schedule/) ---