We all fall down...

We all have those times when life seems to run ahead, just out of our grasp. We stretch and stumble a little trying to catch up. We may even fall down. But no matter how hard we fall or how long we lay there in a daze, the important thing is to get back up, dust off, and try again!

As I dust myself off and jump back into the world of blogging, I want to apologize for the gap. As life got hectic, some things had to "give" -- and one of those things was blogging. I was lacking the energy and focus, but now I'm back -- re-energized, re-invigorated, and with lots of fun organizing and design related fun to talk about :)

A good friend of mine is going on her first-ever international trip today. Yes, today! She's probably killing time in O'Hare right now waiting for her flight to Germany. Her questions as she prepared were actually a main source of inspiration for me re-starting my blog. I provided her with a few tips and a packing list...and thought, others might be interested in this too! So stay tuned...

~amy

Minimalist inspiration

Lately I've been drawn to reading blogs about minimalism and the spirituality of living simply. I wanted to share a few of my favorites with you for inspiration -- including this interview with Miss Minimalist on Castles in the Air. This is my first introduction to Miss Minimalist, aka Francine Jay, and I've already put her on my list of role models. I share some of her dreams and passions, like living in a foreign country, writing, and travel -- and it's always good to find others doing what you want to do so you can learn from them! I love the fact that she always leaves a weekend bag half-packed so that she's always ready to go traveling - in her own city or abroad - on a moment's notice. She is living proof that living minimally doesn't mean going without, it means only having the things you really need and make you happy.

Other fave blogs currently include the ever-popular Zen Habits (Leo recently did a thought-provoking post on why to not exchange Christmas presents) and The Middle Finger Project (with the best tagline: rejecting the status quo & rebelling against mediocrity). I've also been inspired by Danielle's advice at White Hot Truth. Where have you found inspiration lately?

Happy reading!
-amy

Pantry Update -- Change is a Good Thing

About two months ago I decided to tackle our pantry area and get it back under control. I'm happy to report that this project was a success -- and was completed several weeks ago I'm just being lazy with the blog post ;-)

What I'm most excited about is the "extra" space we now have. We owned an extra set of black wire shelves that had been sitting outside collecting dust and a few BBQ odds and ends. By bringing these shelves inside we doubled our pantry space, without spending money (I love free projects!). That means there's now space for when I go on crazy Costco runs and stock up! No more re-organizing the pantry every time I shop -- which usually meant not re-organizing at all, but rather piling things haphazardly and setting things on the floor until there was room.

I've read a number of books on organizing and one of the key take-aways from most -- plan for future use and be ready and willing to adapt your area/system if you need to. If you only set up your system for now and are unwilling to change it, then as life unfolds and you acquire more things, the whole system falls apart! And then if you're like me, you blame yourself for the system failing. It's not your fault you couldn't forsee everything. Just be willing to adapt your system and you'll be fine.

For months I was in denial that I needed more space in the pantry. No, no, I can make do with what we have - I just need to organize it better. I finally came to my senses and am very happy with the results! And now to get a better system for the BBQ tools outside...

Happy organizing,

-amy

Going Digital

A friend of mine recently sent me this article on going digital to help with organizing/streamlining your life. There are great tips in here and I just love this pro organizer's company name: The OCD Experience -- OCD stands for "Organize & Create Discipline."

Our bills and finances are almost all electronic already, as is our music. But the photos? Oh my. Now to find the time (and motivation!) to actually scan them all...and my recipes...and all the tax documents...

Happy scanning,
-amy

Simplify Sale in Portland

I saw this posted on Facebook and wanted to share for all my Portland peeps. (And perhaps inspire those of you elsewhere to do a yard sale!)

Restoring Order, a local professional organizing business, is putting on the Simplify Sale this coming weekend in Sherwood. According to the site, "Featuring over 50 participant stations with tons of household goods for sale, live music, sizzling BBQ, and life-simplifying service providers."

Could be a great way to offload some of your excess stuff, and/ or a great place to find used household items for a deal.

We participated in a neighborhood-wide yard sale earlier this summer and it was a huge success. Having one on your own can be more difficult, but when you join with neighbors your combined sale becomes more of a destination and helps attract more people. We made nearly $500 in two days! And we have far less clutter in our home, extra bonus :)

Happy simplifying,
-amy