Organize 365 Podcast

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode, I introduce you to Laura M. who is a mom and wife living in Kansas. Once Lisa learned she was also an academic researcher, she wanted to go offline and geek out about research and all the things. Lisa refrained and they continued on about how Laura found Organize 365® in the weeks of homeschooling due to the pandemic while also carrying on with her full time job. She bought the Sunday Basket® and it sat. When she knew the program would no longer include the kids program, she felt urgency to take advantage of The Productive Home Solution® while it still included the kids program. She did her first Planning Day in December of 2021.  Laura loves the mental capacity she now has. She has since started and uses the Sunday Basket® regularly. Laura then started to think about her work days and how meetings were really hanging her up. She wanted to find a way to not be working deadline to deadline and micromanaging her team. Cue the Meeting Mastermind. She now has an effective way to communicate with her team and meetings are more efficient. She has more capacity and more bandwidth. Our capacities can shift from hour to hour depending on what we have to deal with. Because she is focusing on the right things that day, she has more capacity and it gives her relief that she only has to do those tasks and not worry about things that are earmarked for a different day. She knows it will all get done.  Laura and Lisa really took a deep dive in the structure of what Organize 365® is building. Laura taught Lisa that Organize 365® is essentially collecting community participatory research!  You all are participating - so thank you! They both agreed that in the long run it is for the benefit of the community, and lives will be transformed as a result of the research and surveys that are being done now. They dissected what generalizations have been made about housework and how they both desire inclusive language. However, little side joke, that academia doesn't really appreciate corporate speak and vice versa! And with inclusivity, Lisa would love to find a way to help all with their organization and housework; she's thinking about what that will look like. Organize 365® is really striving to provide an operational definition of housework. There must be no assumptions made like a master bedroom, home owner, or man vs. woman's work (worn out conversation but not the solution!) Laura's advice is, “Just get started at whatever pace you can.” She pointed out even if you are just thinking about it, it's on your radar, and you will start to take baby steps towards your organizational goals. If you miss a lesson in The Productive Home Solution®, no problem. Start on the lesson of the day in the course. The reality is that the lesson will come back around. If you have extra time you can go back. Lisa added they are all loops. Each lesson is designed for you to start and complete it, leaving the space better - not perfect. But if you never get back to it - no harm - no residual mess. EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® The Productive Home Solution® Planning Day Meeting Mastermind Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

Our Organize 365® Dream Team has experienced way more than its fair share of unexpected events this year. Like...A LOT. Nearly every single one of them has dealt with or is dealing with really big life events. I asked a few of them who were willing to share about those unexpected events and how they navigated them. Today's episode with Tanya talks about how she stepped up to the challenge of traveling to the Homeschool Convention and Paper Organizing Retreat in Greenville, SC without hesitation. During this recording, I found out about some other things that took place in her personal life right around this time - I had no idea! Tanya made the move to Florida in January 2023 to combine households with her in-laws. We discussed this multigenerational living in a previous episode (check that out here). The timing of this move was incredible, because by the time they were all settling in and her mother-in-law started visiting new doctors and establishing relationships with them, they discovered that she needed to have a heart catheter and surgeries quickly followed. Let's rewind back to March for a second - we decided not to do the booth at the convention, but we still had to make sure the Paper Organizing Retreat went off without a hitch. Tanya was all in, but then something happened right before she was scheduled to fly to South Carolina. On Tuesday night of that week, her son fell during football practice and hurt his arm. The next day they decided to take him to the ER because he was still in pain. Tanya felt guilty she wasn't the one to take him, but her husband was able to since his schedule was more flexible. Turns out he had a broken arm! Tanya reluctantly flew out the next day to join me in Greenville, but knew her son was fine and would be taken care of. As an owner and manager, I find it important to spend as much time as possible in person with my remote staff to problem solve. This worked out great for Tanya and I on this trip. We spent as much time together as we could to discuss how we were going to handle our company finances, move our website, and which of our existing programs were going to work on WordPress without breaking! During the rapid changes with her work role, she was still dealing with the medical situation with her mother-in-law at home. Her in-laws helped a lot with the kids, so logistics changed for a while with school drop offs and pickups. They had no other family in the area, and hadn't made any new friends yet since moving to Florida. Her husband had also just started a new job about a month before, but thankfully his schedule was flexible. Tanya and her husband were doing what was most necessary to keep their heads above water and focusing on the day-to-day essential tasks. She knew she could leave the rest because when she was ready, it would still be there to deal with. I asked what would've helped at the time if anyone could have or would have offered - and she said three things: food, a clean house, and childcare. She also brought up pet care, because her in-laws have a cat. Sometimes you forget how much work pets can be; they definitely are an added chore on top of all the other things! So if you've been paying attention and wondering why all the sudden the Paper Organizing Retreats are only being hosted in Cincinnati at our headquarters - now you get it! If you aren't able to come to Cincinnati, please visit our Certified Organizer Directory on the website to find a virtual or in person retreat near you! Next week we'll hear about Virginia's unexpected event. Stay tuned for series episode #5! EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® The Friday Workbox® Certified Organizer Directory Cincinnati Paper Organizing Retreat Sign up for our Newsletter Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode, I introduce you to Chelle D. Listen in as we discuss change, how to plan for it, and the shift in mindset Chelle has experienced since doing The Productive Home Solution®. So way way back in 2019 when times were different, Chelle found Organize 365® listening to a different podcast. She then realized she was already a fan when she saw she'd pinned some things in Pinterest. And of course, she had the ebook. What really caught Chelle's attention was that I had a solution for paper.   Chelle and her husband were both previously nurses and now are real estate agents. She's been married for 32 years and recently completed her 14th move - that's what you do when you are in the military. Through all those moves, it's the paper she has not been able to get under control. Chelle started with 4 boxes that reflected the binders. She shared a few stories where she was able to get whatever she needed without extra stress. She had the paperwork she needed and could readily provide answers. We really dug into the Medical and Financial Binders for her personal life and how they can help her potential home sellers. Having medical knowledge is power, she pointed out. It gives you the power to communicate without a power struggle, to collaborate with healthcare providers, and to get to answers sooner. Also for your own annual visits, you can show up prepared and get your burning questions answered.  “I could use a caddy like that” Chelle's husband said to her. This is where functional organization comes into play. Functional organization can be complemented with Pinterest, but it's the functionality that provides the routines and systems to keep you moving through your day. Chelle knows once she's completed that caddy, she's ready for the next part of her day and it all goes away neatly and ready for tomorrow. Chelle started The Productive Home Solution® before this last move. She has been able to transfer those skills she learned to the new house for functionality. Functionality is what provides the extra time. Now she's got the extra time and knows how to plan chunks of time in advance. So when the camp put out the S.O.S. that they needed more ice cream sandwiches, Chelle had the peace of mind to be able to help! It's not about being perfect, just being better. She has let go of her perfectionist mindset and now just plans as best as she can.  If you find yourself in the season of life of selling your home, Chelle offered advice on how to achieve a smoother sale by: Decluttering - We can help with that (we agree it's safe to start before the selling process) De-personalizing - Your home becomes a commodity for others when selling Paint! - Help all the realtors out there and document the paint color in your Household Reference Binder. The #1 question realtors get: “What paint color is that?” Chelle's advice is, “Take the time to plan.”  She's been using Organize 365® in combination with “The One Thing” process to do this.  It doesn't change the fact that change will come your way, it just changes how you show up for that change.  EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® Friday Workbox® The Productive Home Solution® Planning Day The Paper Solution® Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

I'm excited to announce that we've added a new color to the assortment of options for the Sunday Basket®!! But first, when the fall season finally arrives, what is your go to or favorite hot drink? For most people, it seems like it's Pumpkin Spice EVERYTHING! Me? You will always hear me order a hot Caramel Macchiato. Of course, it was only fitting to have that be the name of our newest Sunday Basket® color! But wait there's more! We have a fun fall treat for you! When you treat yourself to the new Caramel Macchiato Sunday Basket® from now until Sept. 25th (the Complete or the Standalone), we are adding 2 notepads to your order. I use these notepads constantly - the daily ones I leave in my car, desk, purse, kitchen and office so I don't have piles of note cards lying around. The lined notepads I use on the weekends while I'm processing my Sunday Basket®, for big projects, and in meetings when I take notes. These two notepads are game changers and work great with the slash pockets in the Sunday Basket®. Have you seen the new website?  That's right! We've upgraded the Organize 365® website! Your eyes aren't playing tricks on you. Same great content, just a different look and feel. We'll continue to make more improvements throughout the rest of this year. So grab that favorite drink of yours and please check it out! I hope you all are enjoying week three of the 10 most productive weeks of the year! Episode Resources: Complete Sunday Basket-Caramel Macchiato with FREE Notepads Standalone Sunday Basket-Caramel Macchiato with FREE Notepads Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

Our Organize 365® Dream Team has experienced way more than its fair share of unexpected events this year. Like...A LOT. Nearly every single one of them has dealt with or is dealing with really big life events. I asked a few of them who were willing to share about those unexpected events and how they navigated them. Today's podcast features Stefanie and her daughters Haleigh and Hannah. It was definitely a family affair on this episode! Stefanie lives in a multigenerational house - consisting of herself, her husband Adam, Betty (the dog), their daughter Haleigh and husband Kaleb - and their 6 children! Haleigh and Kaleb have been married 11 years and met at ministry school in South Carolina. They have 4 biological and 2 adopted children - their names are Manchan, Parris, Olivia (Liv), Frances (Fran), Charlotte (Lottie), Isaac (Ike). Kaleb is the Lead Pastor at their church (Christian Renewal - Hilton Head and Bluffton, SC) and Haleigh is the creator of the Foster Care Ministry, Free Homeschool Co-op and Kids Ministry at the church. They are also foster parents and Haleigh is on the Foster Parent Advisory Council for the state of South Carolina. Hannah and Sean have been married 7 years and also met at the same ministry school! They were missionaries for 5 years and served in China, Ecuador and Costa Rica. A few years ago, Hannah started experiencing some health and infertility issues, so they decided to move back to the states to focus on her health. She's the Children's Director at the Bluffton campus of Christian Renewal Church and her husband also works for the church as their Media Director. Late 2022, after receiving their fostering license, Hannah and Sean found out they were expecting. What a surprise and what a miracle. Back in March, Stefanie was gearing up to travel for a few Organize 365 events. She says it seems as if every time she travels, something happens - someone in the family gets sick, her daughter has a new foster placement, or someone needs her more than usual. Stefanie was enjoying a Wednesday off with her youngest grandchild (Ike) when she got a call from Hannah. She was having serious back pains, but was only about 5 months along in her pregnancy. Hannah is a self-proclaimed “worrier” - so she called the doctor and went to get checked out. When she arrived at the hospital, she was 3cm dilated. They immediately called an ambulance and had her transported to Charleston to the closest hospital with a NICU. Gabe was born at 26 weeks 6 days, and weighed 2 pounds 11 ounces. The first 20 minutes of his life he was unresponsive and was getting no oxygen to his brain. The doctors told them they would have a very long road ahead of them, and at first weren't sure if he was going to survive. They only got to see him for a few seconds before they whisked him off to the NICU floor. Gabe was definitely a miracle, he blew everyone away just in his first week of life. He was moved off the ventilator within days and all respiratory support on Mother's Day. Hannah kept track of all of his progress and needs with the Warrior MAMA and Medical binders, plus a journal that Stefanie had given her. They left the hospital with him on June 26 - 4 days after his actual due date. Stefanie loves that all her family members consistently use The Sunday Basket®, Friday Workbox®, binders and even the Education Friday Workbox® for homeschool. Haleigh with her diagnosis of ADHD took the longest to implement the products because the implementation felt very overwhelming; but just recently one of the kids found their birth certificate for her within minutes because it was in his binder (where it was supposed to be!). Hannah has had a lot of relief with the mental load of all of Gabe's medical needs, insurance claims and appointments by using the Sunday Basket®. EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® Friday Workbox® The Paper Solution® Binders Education Friday Workbox® Warrior MAMA Binder Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode, I introduce you to Stefanie Ardoin. She has been part of our Organize 365® Dream Team since 2021 and one of our Certified Organizers since 2018. We are talking about Stef's transition from empty nester to multigenerational living. We are also talking about her previous roles which transitioned her into her roles inside of the Organize 365® Dream Team - one of those being the administrator of a medical & surgical practice. Once she moved from Louisiana to South Carolina though, we renegotiated Stef's role within Organize 365® because I definitely wanted to keep her!. Stef and her husband Adam moved next door to her daughter and son in law for two years in South Carolina. Stef wanted to do things a little different with her grandchildren than she had done with her children and this move provided that opportunity. Being neighbors gave them confidence that they could cohabitate. So the two families bought a house together! Stef, her husband, and her daughter's family (which includes 6 grandchildren) all live together now. Listen in as we discuss the necessity of planning and creating routines. As we talk, you can hear how the process of using the Friday Workbox® is something that productive people naturally lean into. Once Stef was acclimated to Organize 365®, it dawned on her she'd been doing her own form of the Friday Workbox® in the medical practice. Productive people have this natural cadence to reflect on their week, see what's left to do with pressing deadlines, what can wait, and then plan their next week. Stef shared how she used similar systems in her previous position as an administrator of a medical & surgical practice and how using the Friday Workbox® and Planning Days really helped her to move into the next level of productivity. Once she was on the employee side of things instead of the administrator side, she realized the slash pockets flow in a different order. When you are the business owner and visionary, the slash pockets go pink → purple → blue → green. However when you are the employee, they flow more like green → blue → purple → pink. She was no longer the one coming up or implementing the pink stuff, so it put a different spin on the slash pockets for her. Stef shared how and why there was that shift with her use of the workbox. Stef really took over the Friday Workbox® Club and ran with it! This got us talking about the business owner/administrator's day, and all the work that is completed before the rest of the employees show up. The keeper of ideas and how those get implemented. The relationship with the employees. It's important to know them, but not spend so much time getting to know them that you lose chunks of time to work on the business. Offer the element of caring about them, but not that you talk everyday. If they want more time with the CEO, let them learn while you earn. They can always help you at an event or sit in on a presentation. This way you aren't taking away from your valuable time and they are still getting the benefit. Business owners have hard numbers they need to hit to keep the business running, after all. We talked about what that CEO day looks like and the thoughts that are guiding their days.  We then discussed meetings. At Organize 365®, how we have a kind of digital workbox for in between meetings. Everyone can see everything that is going on and what the meeting will cover. We use Google Docs and team members can add to it in between meetings to cut down on texts, Voxer messages, and instant messaging. I discovered the other benefit to this system…ideas aren't being sprung on employees at the meetings. Everyone has time to process and think. This leads to productive and actionable meetings. And that's why we started  to share our meeting structures and agendas inside the Meeting Mastermind, to help other businesses accomplish productive meetings. The idea is that your team should be effectively using the Friday Workbox® and Planning Days, now you need effective meetings to make that action take place. Your teams will also be able to look back at the projects you have previously discussed. Projects maybe you started and then halted, only to realize now may be a better time to try again.  You all know I love to spend time in pink work and being the visionary for Organize 365®. I also love to hand things off once I have hatched the idea. The digital systems we have in place allow me to do that and keep ideating on what I was uniquely created to do. After 4 years, this little dream team we have in place allows each team member to step up in their zones of strength and almost be me. This has created more time for me, the business owner, time I am using to get my PhD. What would you do with the extra time?  EPISODE RESOURCES: The Friday Workbox® Meeting Mastermind Certified Organizer Directory Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

Our Organize 365® Dream Team has experienced way more than its fair share of unexpected events this year. Like...A LOT. Nearly every single one of them has dealt with or is dealing with really big life events. I asked a few of them who were willing to share about those unexpected events and how they navigated them. This is part 2 of Monique's story. I have a feeling this part of her story will resonate with many of you, and my hope is that someone out there listening might be able to help Monique with this unique situation, or possibly give her answers. Please reach out if you have any similar experiences you could share, resources she may find useful, or anything that might point her in the right direction.  Monique's 21 year old daughter fell and hit her head on a Friday evening back in March. She has a history of migraines, so by Sunday when she still wasn't acting like herself they went to the ER to have her checked for a concussion. Monique has dealt with concussions before, when her son (who was 13 at the time) got hit with a baseball in the head and suffered a concussion along with cavernous hemangiomas that had to be surgically removed. If they hadn't sought help right away, he could have died from the hemangiomas. That was a year-long battle, resulting in 2 surgeries for him. The last thing she wanted was for history to repeat itself with her daughter.  Alina was living her best life. She's 21 years old, had a full time job at Ulta, was a nanny, and was involved in the YA Group at church. Suddenly she couldn't even take 10 steps to the bathroom without help. The doctors gave them 3 options - take her home and hire a home therapist, start taking her to physical therapy, or get her into a rehabilitation facility. Monique chose the rehab. She knew she couldn't take care of her the way she needed to, she's not a physical therapist or a nurse!  As part of Monique's story, she wanted to give advice to anyone out there who ever finds themselves in a place to help someone else who is dealing with a traumatic life event. Here are some tips on things to do that are helpful.  Give them a place to stay, gas money, or food money if they have to travel. Help with meals/snacks for any other people at home. Mealtrain.com is great for this!  Hire or ask someone to come clean the house, do laundry, or grocery shop for them and their family. Ask the person in need “when would you like my help?” instead of “what do you need?” It takes the pressure off of the person who's already dealing with a lot to have to ask for help or make more decisions.  Just send money if you don't know what else to do. Cash, gift cards, Venmo, Paypal. Write a nice handwritten note or card to let them know you're thinking of them. Sending a text to let them know you're thinking of them, without expecting a response right away. Zenon finally came home from Ukraine, and Monique was able to travel for work and attend the Missouri Paper Organizing Retreat. She needed to laugh and have some fun, and let her brain and her body be “somewhere else” since she was so weighed down from the stress of the entire situation. She also went to host the Certification in South Carolina 2 weeks later. Other Organize 365® Dream Team members were asked to help fill in for Monique at the event, then one of them had their own unexpected event arise at the last minute.  Listen in next week to hear the reason why Stef, another Dream Team member, couldn't attend the South Carolina event like she planned to.  EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® The Friday Workbox® Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode, I introduce you to Norma C. who is welcoming the next chapter of her life as she gets ready to retire and start a new business with her hubby! Norma was fed up with her disorganization and wanted to get organized as she felt life slowing down. Norma found Organize 365® on YouTube which surprised me, but then it clicked when Norma said she had read the book, too! Now Norma also listens to the podcast for continued learning and motivation.  Listen in as we discuss the golden window Norma is about to experience and how she is taking advantage of it! She's already conquered her closet and a portion of her storage space so it feels like Norma's goal is realistic. We talked about a lot of internal conversations that take place when you go through your closet in regards to our weight, what fits, what used to fit, the monetary value of clothes you want to get rid of and how to donate or toss items without it haunting you. What is the right amount of clothes anyway? Remember too, styles change, our taste changes, and so do our bodies - so you don't need to keep things even if they fit or you could fit in them soon. Norma and I have in common that we have lived in our homes for a long time. We discussed the closets and the reality of emptying a room to declutter and get organized. Lots of times people go through those phases when they move, but when you don't move, this is another way to accomplish that. She shared that her handyman husband has been able to maximize the use of their closets and anything else necessary for organization. Norma and her husband did a lot of traveling this year so far and have been able to organize it all through the Sunday Basket®; she even took her slash pockets on the road! Norma has a countdown on her phone for the day she's retiring in 2024, and it's also the countdown to get organized! Now that she has the hang of the Sunday Basket® and can appreciate all the time she has because of it, she's doing the whole house. She wants this area of her life settled so she can focus on the next chapter. I reminded Norma that in a slower phase of life you may not have to process your Sunday Basket® as often. But once they start their business, it can serve them and keep them on track. Norma's advice is, “Definitely start with the Sunday Basket®. Make it part of your life and start with bite sized pieces. In the long run, you will start to see that it saves you time.”  EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® Organization is a Learnable Skill The Paper Solution® Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

Our Organize 365® Dream Team has experienced way more than its fair share of unexpected events this year. Like...A LOT. Nearly every single one of them has dealt with or is dealing with really big life events. I asked a few of them who were willing to share about those unexpected events and how they are navigating them. Monique is the first to share, but this isn't her first time on the podcast! I love how open, honest, and willing to share her story for the benefit of others she is. Monique has 6 adult children - 3 are biological, and 3 are adopted from Ukraine. Her husband Zenon is a first generation Ukrainian. Within the last 18 months, Monique and her husband have moved to a different state, welcomed their first grandbaby, one of their daughter's got married, and dealt with Zenon losing his job. WHOA! They lived in the same home in Valparaiso, Indiana for 20 years. They also just celebrated their 30th wedding anniversary! The move was the best change for their marriage and their family. Then the first wave of unfortunate events hit. Their son and daughter in law who lived in Wisconsin were expecting a baby and he lost his job. Shortly thereafter, her son lost his job. It was then they decided to follow Monique and Zenon to Tennessee and start a new chapter of their lives. Monique stepped in to help as much as possible like any good parent would - on top of dealing with all of life's normal challenges. She quickly learned it was a mistake to assume that adult children know how to do things that they've actually never done on their own! It's a whole different ballgame stepping back into a teaching role as a parent when they are adults. Monique & her husband also have a few children with special needs. Teaching adulting skills to those children who have a different processing ability can be a challenge. They know this will require a lifetime of mentoring, and they might not be moving out someday and will most likely have a different future than their other children. They really had to do a mindset shift and readjust their expectations once they realized they might not become “empty nesters” like they once thought they would. Lisa and Monique also shared about how much they love being grandparents. Monique's grandson Gabe was 4 months old at the time, and Grayson is about to turn 2! The impact you can have on your grandchildren's lives is so unique and different than what you had on your own children. They both hope they can make better choices this time around, and do things differently with them. Monique's husband can't wait until Gabe is 2 so he can take him to Home Depot, and Greg can't wait until Grayson is 5 so he can take him fishing! Next up in Monique's life was her daughter's wedding in May. She still lives in Indiana, and Monique was trying to be supportive in helping her plan the wedding long distance. She would make weekend trips from Tennessee to Indiana to do all the wedding preparations she could along with her daughter. Monique spent the entire week leading up to the wedding with her as well, and was intentional about carving out special time with her before she became a married woman. How does she do it all? As if a move, a grandbaby, and a wedding wasn't enough to make her head spin - she was also working full time at Organize 365®. Along with her full time job, she was taking out of town organizing jobs and coaching sessions in the evenings and on the weekends to earn extra money. She says she and Zenon had to "get scrappy" in their old age to deal with all the extra expenses in order to invest in their children's lives as much as possible. Monique wastes no time feeling sorry for herself or worrying about how she will get it all done. She simply gets up and gets dressed. She figures out what the next step is and problem solves along the way. She uses her Sunday Basket® and Friday Workbox® - and focuses on only 7 days at a time. It feels like a game of Tetris to her; fitting all the pieces in, figuring out what the most critical things to get done are for the next 7 days, and flexing that time when something out of the ordinary does come along. Then she experienced another blow - Zenon lost his job. But it turned out to be a blessing in disguise - because he was able to go on a trip to Ukraine in March shortly after the war began. He focused his energy on this experience and giving back to his home country. He drove 25 hours in a caravan and made multiple stops along the way, delivering supplies from the western side to the eastern side where people were stuck in war zones. He experienced a once in a lifetime chance to be involved with organizations that help children, bringing people from east to west, taking things that people need from west to east because they couldn't get it, and meeting a relative for the first time. Listen in next week to hear Part 2 of Monique's incredible story - it's unbelievable to think even more unexpected events were right around the corner. EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® The Friday Workbox® Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode, I introduce you to Natasha B., the daughter of immigrant parents. Oh how covid changed so many things for so many of us. Natasha had her own business and lived with her mom. Natasha was ecstatic to learn she'd have two weeks off to tackle some projects she always wished she had time for. But soon their income was affected and ironically, they moved in with her father, step mom, and their 7 month old baby in Florida. She likes to refer to them as “the original modern family!” Natasha took her skills she'd learned after finding Organize 365® and started to organize her dad's kitchen and house, too. It was a struggle at first, but now they appreciate the method to her madness. Her parents saw how much she loved organizing, so her mom invested in the Sunday Basket® for her. She did at least set it up, but didn't use it for 2 years. Now she's in almost all of Lisa's programs!  Natasha found out she had developed Rheumatoid Arthritis in 2019. Listen in as we discuss the necessity of planning and creating habits to feel in control of a disease that makes you feel like you have no control. At any moment, Natasha can be at the mercy of her energy. When she's having a flare up, she's in a lot of pain and it causes low energy. But what she finds is that with help from the Sunday Basket and the ‘spoon theory', she can prioritize tasks per day according to her energy. Organization is now part of Natasha's health management - it gives her more time, more energy, and more peace. Up until her diagnosis, Natasha was a competitive ballet dancer. Now she's almost in her 30's and already in her second career of running a dance studio. She's now sharing her love of dance in a different way. And her doctors encourage her to keep dancing!  She has created a podcast that she plans to air someday. It will be titled “We Dance Too” and would love it to be a layer of her business to help her reach out and partner with other businesses focused on Rheumatoid Arthritis. She wants to share what she has learned about organization that others with her disease could utilize, too. Natasha dreams a lot, so who knows what that third career may look like! She now has the confidence to say no to some things and not feel guilty about it. We discussed not permanently closing the door on opportunities that present themselves now. Just look at them as “not right now” and file away in a pink slash pocket.  Natasha wishes that she would've known sooner that organization is a learnable skill. But her advice to others is, “Everyone who starts The Productive Home Solution® should just listen to the steps and do one at a time. And follow the energy.”  EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® The Productive Home Solution® Planning Day The Paper Solution® Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter Bachata Fuego Sarasota - Natasha's business I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

At 40 I knew it was “time to start my company.” But what company should I start? I started simple and have grown with demand. Everyone is working all the time and no one has time to plan. You also don't have the time NOT TO. You still have to put in the hours - so you can spend the time working on current projects, or reflecting on what you were doing. It's still work.  The thing is, no company or no one employee will do this perfectly, and no one actually has the time - you have to just do it. My hunch is that this quarterly planning is going to become the norm due to the internet and business changing so rapidly. Gone are the days of having a 10 year plan, because the change in life alone will make predictability difficult. Not bad to have a 5 or ten year plan, just know there will be lots of course corrections. The Singularity theory says that there will be a time where all knowledge will be known from everywhere instantly. This is where we are headed, people.  Cue the Rabbit Trail I took a detour down a rabbit trail in this episode! This rabbit trail began with my recent studies of the Industrial Revolution. It dawned on me that railroads offered transportation, thus lending itself to more communication. Much in the same way when cars were invented. Farmers could get their products much further and visit their families and other farmers because the car could travel further than the standard horse. See, transportation and communication. And now, due largely in part to the pandemic, the internet is the new railroad. The communication and transportation highway. It's all online, everything.  The Workbox Planning Day is a continual progression of regular reflection, opportunity selection, and course correction: Continued regular reflection; Ask yourself  How has the world changed in the last three years?  Where is my/the business now?  Where is it going? Are we going in the same direction?  How are people buying? Are we still relevant?  Opportunity selection What projects do you want to get to the finish line in this quarter? No more than 5; but ideally 3.  Course correction I gave the example of our new website. We hadn't planned on it but it was necessary to keep the business going.  Once the issue was identified, we course corrected  Takeaway… Your biggest benefit and your biggest expense in business is the people.  EPISODE RESOURCES: Friday Workbox® Workbox Planning Day Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

At 40 I knew it was “time to start my company.” But what company should I start? I started simple and have grown with demand. Everyone is working all the time and no one has time to plan. You also don't have the time NOT TO. You still have to put in the hours - so you can spend the time working on current projects, or reflecting on what you were doing. It's still work.  The thing is, no company or no one employee will do this perfectly, and no one actually has the time - you have to just do it. My hunch is that this quarterly planning is going to become the norm due to the internet and business changing so rapidly. Gone are the days of having a 10 year plan, because the change in life alone will make predictability difficult. Not bad to have a 5 or ten year plan, just know there will be lots of course corrections. The Singularity theory says that there will be a time where all knowledge will be known from everywhere instantly. This is where we are headed, people.  Cue the Rabbit Trail I took a detour down a rabbit trail in this episode! This rabbit trail began with my recent studies of the Industrial Revolution. It dawned on me that railroads offered transportation, thus lending itself to more communication. Much in the same way when cars were invented. Farmers could get their products much further and visit their families and other farmers because the car could travel further than the standard horse. See, transportation and communication. And now, due largely in part to the pandemic, the internet is the new railroad. The communication and transportation highway. It's all online, everything.  The Workbox Planning Day is a continual progression of regular reflection, opportunity selection, and course correction: Continued regular reflection; Ask yourself  How has the world changed in the last three years?  Where is my/the business now?  Where is it going? Are we going in the same direction?  How are people buying? Are we still relevant?  Opportunity selection What projects do you want to get to the finish line in this quarter? No more than 5; but ideally 3.  Course correction I gave the example of our new website. We hadn't planned on it but it was necessary to keep the business going.  Once the issue was identified, we course corrected  Takeaway… Your biggest benefit and your biggest expense in business is the people.  EPISODE RESOURCES: Friday Workbox® Workbox Planning Day Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode, I introduce you to September G. who is an ambitious entrepreneur. We talked about her routines pre and post pandemic, and the moment she just couldn't take it any longer. The pandemic was the opposite of a Golden Window for September! She couldn't take that they had settled into old habits during the pandemic. When her husband asked if they were on the verge of a divorce due to September's unsettled behavior and the meltdown she had, she said that is when they banded together and invested in the Sunday Basket® and their marriage. She has been able to make the invisible work visible, so others can accomplish the same tasks in her absence since she travels often. It gave them a chance to renegotiate and reorder responsibilities. Listen in as we discuss the vital role the Sunday Basket® and The Friday Workbox® plays in both her businesses and her home life. She and her husband actually go through their Sunday Basket® on Fridays, and then he knows what his checklist is for the week. She runs a coffee shop with her children, and the Friday Workbox® helps them get things done more efficiently. It systematizes what's happening and when, they get more done, work faster, and management is much more proactive. It works so effectively that she has peace of mind that things will not fall through the cracks. I hypothesized that maybe the boys are ok with doing the Friday Workbox® on their own because they saw their dad model this behavior. Even when we don't realize it, our children are watching us. We need to get ready to cheer September on because in March and April of 2024, she embarks on the Southern Tier Bike Ride from San Diego, CA to St. Augustine, FL. September explained the ride and that it is a 2-month commitment. She is confident that Gerrity Education Team, the coffee shop, and her household will be taken care of due to the systems and organization that September, her family, and her remote team have put into place thanks to Organize 365®. She has freedom from stress knowing that things won't fall through the cracks.  September's advice is, “Just buy all the stuff.” Let Lisa do all the thinking for you and you just fill in the blanks or do the things. Forget struggling to DIY it! EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® Friday Workbox® Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

The Barbie Movie  Have I mentioned I like to plan? It's like a never ending mental puzzle. I've become really skilled at manipulating my time like Lego bricks; I move it around, expand it, replan it in my brain before taking action. This got me thinking: “How can I explain Planning Day to someone who's never heard of Organize 365®?” It made me think of a few silly examples, like the Barbie movie. Did you see it? OR did you see a lot of other people talk about seeing it and start thinking maybe I should go see it too?!  This is what happens - the more we hear about something, the more we think there must be value in what everyone else is doing. Just like my Culver's onion rings I talk about all the time, or Madam Secretary being my role model. You see others in the community finding such value in it and I want you to experience the same results with Planning Day.  So much of this is mindset. I talked about this in my last podcast series, the difference between being organized and productive is your mindset. Planning Day is a day to think about the next 4 months, and planning your household 3 times a year is very purposeful.  The Flow - Positive, Productive, Proactive I've coined the products and services that Organize 365® offers the flow. Greg says to me quite often, “Lisa, can you please just go with the flow?” The podcasts, blitzes, The Productive Home Solution™, clubs, Instagram - it's all curated as a positive, productive, proactive flow! When you are in the flow - you will become very productive due to the cadence and “stair step” process of the Organize 365® products. Whether you have kids or not, it's a flow we have all become conditioned by due to the American education schedule. We all know that we get rejuvenated in summer, then we buckle down from after Labor Day until mid November. We then get organized in January, and ride the wave through spring break until summer arrives again. Organize 365® recognizes this cyclical pattern and has created a flow that compliments it! Our homes are a business - and we need the Organize 365® products and programs to run that business!  What Planning Day Does: Gives you the big picture of where you are going Plan the next 4 months and learn how to “purposefully procrastinate”  You will have bigger time horizons. Look at this 4 month chunk and then you don't have to spend anymore time planning or reacting. The idea is to have thought of most things and then have more time to address something unexpected or overlooked. Helps you to make better decisions Spend your money, time, and energy better. Establish new habits to the point where they are no longer reactionary. You just know the next step or how to approach the situation. After 4-6 weeks you will have more mental capacity. All those other goals and dreams you have? Plan them accordingly and you'll know exactly when you'll meet or complete each one!  What's Included in Planning Day (first one is included when you purchase of The Productive Home Solution™): 4 hour Zoom Webinar Brain Dump - personal, financial, household, family Where you are right now - Golden Windows, top 3 priorities, etc.  Timed breaks 3-10 min (wherever they fit in)  Year at a glance 168 hour time circles - see where your time goes and plan where you want to spend it going forward. Establish routines for morning, afternoon, and evening Analyze how you spend your time on weekdays vs. weekends Plan ideal weeks going forward Set goals for the next 120 days, and break down those goals into each month Replay for 25 Days; to ensure you get started If it was available forever you would not have any urgency to get started You can watch or listen multiple times. If you feel yourself getting overwhelmed, take a break, sleep on it, and come back to it the next day (or later). The workbook won't be fully complete or perfect. Remember the only wrong way to do this is to not start.   Workbook (with extra pages so you actually use it! You'll know why I say this once you listen) Community While there is no live chat (which is nice because then you don't miss out on anything in replay mode), there is always the community. Many conversations take place during the breaks and after, of course, as everyone continues to take steps towards organization and productivity.   I'd love to have you join me in the classroom and get functionally organized so you can do what you are uniquely created to do! EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® The Productive Home Solution™ Home Planning Day Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode Ryan L. is back, and she's getting ready for a Golden Window! The last of her three children is getting ready to fly the coop! What will she do with all her new found time and energy? “This is for me! This is my time!” expressed Ryan. She plans to get fully organized. Ryan is a Kolbe Consultant and we dug into that for a bit. She and I shared our Kolbe numbers, what they mean, and how you too can learn from your Kolbe numbers. Ryan stressed that all numbers are a strength; they just simply show how you do things in those 4 categories.  Listen in as we discuss the necessity of planning and creating habits. One of her favorite “Lisa-isms” is Planned Neglect. Set the bar LOW and trust your instincts! It's impossible to do this incorrectly. Too many times we don't know how to get started or afraid we'll do it wrong. The most important thing is to just get started. Ryan plans to start in her laundry room. It's funny how you can think this is such an insignificant room until you analyze this space. This room is the “workhorse” of the house, the room where every random thing gets dropped. Check out the free week to organize your laundry room, you'll be surprised! Ryan feels bad that she's so excited for her Golden Window (you know…that mom guilt starts to kick in). She will be able to put time on her calendar and won't have as many distractions so she will be able to protect that time better. Her goal is to commit 20-25 hours a week to get her home through The Productive Home Solution™ this time around. If you find yourself on the cusp of a Golden Window like Ryan is…immediately fill that new free time as if you've hired a Professional Organizer for your house - except you're the expert!  EPISODE RESOURCES: The Productive Home Solution™ FREE WEEK The Sunday Basket® The Productive Home Solution Planning Day The Paper Solution® Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

Productive people are weird. We just are. We are not going with the flow. We are where the flow comes from. First, I suggest listening to part 1, part 2 and part 3 of this series before doing anything else. In today's episode we are bringing the entire process of expanding your capacity and productivity together. There's a process to this and it all comes together today! I have received many requests to record podcasts on how I get so much done. Where do I get the capacity? The energy? How am I so productive? I'm obsessive about being productive and proactive because my sense of significance and purpose is burning so deep in me. I don't want to waste my time. I am all in on having the most impact I can have on my family, my friends, the Organize 365® community, my team and the community as a whole! But here's the thing - this was an evolution for me. It didn't happen overnight or in a weekend. It was a long process. I've been thinking about this series for years, but have never been able to articulate it. I had to dig deep to really pinpoint the things I was doing to get it all done. It was hard for me to remember why or how I got to this skill level. Productivity has everything to do with how you think about your time, energy, capacity and your sense of purpose. It has nothing to do with containers, planners, or checklists. It is your mindset that makes the biggest difference in your own productivity. You can learn how to manipulate your own energy and expand your capacity just by focusing on your personal and professional development. If you also give yourself permission to do things you don't see other people doing - you will be well on your way. What's the thing you want to do or learn that will help you take the next step? What's something you want to do but haven't for #allthereasons? Today's podcast is going to have you asking yourself some deep questions: What's something you can learn to keep growing or developing in order to expand your capacity? What's something you want to do that's out of your comfort zone? How do you keep maximizing your capacity, then using it with purpose? Are you deriving the energy from your physical space at the most optimal level? Do you truly know how to plan and are you planning enough? A productive person surrounds themselves with physical, mental and emotional space that supports their productivity and growth. Last week, I talked about juggling. I don't feel like I'm juggling, or that my life is imbalanced. This feels more like bouncing balloons up into the air and constantly keeping them from hitting the ground. Productive people have the capacity not only to keep all these balloons in the air, but to have more balloons than they would be physically able to hold all at once. What does it take to do this? Obsessive and relentless planning! I hope you join me and get functionally organized so you can do what you are uniquely created to do! EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® The Productive Home Solution™ Home Planning Day The Friday Workbox® Work Planning Day Jeff Olson - The Slight Edge Rory Vaden - Procrastinate on Purpose Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode, I introduce you to Mary B. She's a mom of 4 and after her divorce found Organize 365®. She walked away from that divorce thinking she wasn't good enough. When she looked around her house, her negative self talk got the better of her, telling her she wasn't even good at keeping her house organized. Then when she noticed she'd also been gaining weight, she started to dig into why. Mary was very vulnerable and shared the mental health journey she has been on and how Organize 365® played a role in her healing.  Mary saw a naturopath and also saw an EMDR therapist when her anxiety and panic attacks became regular. Through EMDR therapy, she discovered trauma from the divorce hanging around, and unfortunately even more trauma from her childhood. All this trauma was stuck in her body and keeping her cortisol levels high. We discussed how no two people experience the same thing in the same way, and also about how you can move on from a traumatic event without dredging up the past to try and “solve the problem.” Listen in as we discuss the guilt we feel as women - even when we are the ones doing most of the childcare and generating an income too! Research has supported that for each child a woman adds to their life, they gain three and a half hours of extra work while the man gains none. How much leisure time does the dad lose when a child is brought into the family? NONE. How much time does the mom lose when a child is brought into the family? Countless!! It's time for us. You should not feel guilty about budgeting for home cleaning services then using that time you get back for yourself. Use it for your hobbies and interests - guilt free.  It was so important to have this conversation because it seems as though we are living these isolated lives, even in such a connected world. We keep everything so private to “save face” when really it's all falling apart behind closed doors. These conversations need to be normalized.  Mary is not stuck anymore and has been able to conquer her paper piles. If you find yourself in a similar situation to Mary's, you can reach out to her in the Organize 365 community app so you can have a private, candid conversation with her directly. EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

Let's unpack the next step in my productivity journey - PLANNING!  First, if you haven't listened to part 1 and part 2, I highly recommend doing so before delving into planning! Planning is the fun part, but you really need the foundational productivity mindsets discussed in the first two parts of this series. The planning we are going to discuss in this podcast is a completely different kind of planning. This is planning from the ground up! A productive person teaches themselves how to get all the way done.  For me, I really learned how to do this kind of planning in March 2020. This is when reality set in for me and failure was not an option. Planning became my number one priority. The type of planning I've learned to do and the type of planning I teach in Planning Days for both Home and Work allows you to look at the big picture as well as what is actually possible in the season you're in. It's an awesome way to continue taking next steps without feeling overwhelmed or like you're drowning! I don't plan for an entire year at a time. That wouldn't work for me or my business. I break planning up for Home by my three new years - listen to this podcast to learn more about those. For work, I plan by quarter which allows me to be agile and create efficiencies for my teams and meetings throughout the year. It doesn't end there - setting up this system for planning and essentially planning out my planning time allows me to have multiple times throughout the year to freshen up my home and work. You know that amazing burst of energy you get at the start of the new year? The whole “new year, new me” energy? Imagine having that multiple times per year? What could that do for your productivity? That's exactly what these planning days do for me and the Organize 365® community! Ultimately, this podcast series on productivity is going to teach you how to juggle really well. It's true that life is a juggling act and you need to know how to keep all the balls in the air. Listen in to hear what balls I'm juggling and how I've used my productivity skills to juggle better! EPISODE RESOURCES: The Friday Workbox® The Friday Workbox® Planning Day The Productive Home Solution™ Home Planning Day® The Sunday Basket® Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode, I introduce you to Kristen M. a mom of three, a teacher, podcaster, and a teacher-prenuer.  How does she do it all? Kristen shared that it started with the Sunday Basket®.  She knew she had to get her paper under control first.  Routines are so important and without her knowing it, she had established an afternoon routine of doing 15 min of paperwork between the end of her work day and when her children would be home. Once she experienced the magic of the Sunday Basket®, she quickly layered system upon system and now is a well rounded Organize 365® member! Listen in as we discuss the different uses for Sunday Basket®s throughout the year.  Kristen used one of her Sunday Basket®s to organize her daughter's senior year and now her daughter will be going off to college with the Launch Program and Binder. And she will use it differently again closer to the holidays. Hear how Kristen's children love the magic of the Sunday Basket® too, mind you one is only 8 years old!. The Sunday Basket® helps her to be more present because she is not trying to remember everything.  And she can stay aware of her children's desires due to them contributing to the Sunday Basket® index cards. Kristen also shared the magic of the Sunday Basket® through her eyes. Once she got the hang of it, it was so freeing. Kristen was already organized so why did she need new systems? The reality is the new systems were freeing up her working memory. Instead of trying to remember everything all of the time, now it was physically in her external brains known to us as Sunday Basket®s. She doesn't have to remember how the school year curriculum went. She just refers to the Sunday Basket® and knows what she can change or do better for the upcoming school year.  She uses her different slash pockets to organize things for her podcast, “The Modern Math Teacher” and her teacher business within each “external brain.” She's impressed when she looks back and can see all the impact she has been able to have due to the physical systems of her external brains, the Sunday Basket®. EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

I'm excited to announce that The Productive Home Solution™ enrollment is now open!  The Productive Home Solution™ is your Household Management Solution. This is a 52 week curriculum, and I will be there every step of the way!! You've had your lazy summer days and soon the kiddos will be off to school (or start homeschooling). Believe it or not, this is the time of year that your family needs you the LEAST. Once that crisp fall air hits, we all naturally become more productive. You know what that means…another Golden Window is coming! Let's get you organized and more productive. I would love for you to join me! What is The Productive Home Solution™?  Once a teacher, always a teacher. Now that school is in session, you will be my student. You will systematically go through all the nooks and crannies of your home in a calendar year. Please don't let that deter you - because you can jump in at any time. Follow your energy and cherry pick tasks. I will spoon feed you every single thing you need to know - even if you are someone who needs to know #allthethings from the very first moment. Labor Day is the official ‘beginning' of The Productive Home Solution™ - so now is the BEST time to get started!  What is included in The Productive Home Solution™?   Planning Day Workbook The Productive Home Solution™ Playbook The Paper Solution® 4 Binders (Medical, Financial, Household Operations & Household Reference)  Online 52 Week Course with modules, worksheets, videos, and more Online Community via our private app What to expect from The Productive Home Solution™   Current members you may already have your playbook and planning day workbook in the mail due to UPS's strike. That's right, UPS is threatening to strike as of the day of this episode. Don't worry, we used proactive anticipation and are controlling what we can control.  Full details around 10 minutes into this episode.   If new members pay in full, you can expect the entire The Productive Home Solution™ box soon! If you choose the payment plan, you will get your binders after your final payment. Honestly, you don't need them for the course until next summer when we move into paper management.  The Paper Solution® Members: You will get the option to upgrade! If you sign into your account, the option will be in the drop down menu and then you will have everything you need to keep moving forward on your organization journey.  One thing to note: The Sunday Basket® is not included - but it will SUPER CHARGE all of the time you have to spend doing The Productive Home Solution™. Get a Sunday Basket® too! During your Sunday Basket® time, save these important dates: August 26 - Planning Day - organize and plan for the next 120 days August 31 - Tanya Blackburn will be live in the community to debut The Productive Home Solution™ coworking time. First up - closet organization! First 8-10 weeks - It's all about you and your personal spaces November & December - You will focus on storage spaces. I'm carving out alone time for you! January - May - Family Spaces. I know you want to do these first, and you can, but there is a method to my madness! You'll be more confident and less frustrated by the time you get here.  Summer - We'll hit all the hodge podge spaces and put systems in place for all that paper! Episode Resources: Organize 365® Community App The Sunday Basket® The Production Home Solution® Planning Day Upgrade to The Productive Home Solution™ Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

In today's episode, Expanding Your Productivity: Productive People Part 2, I discuss how the next step on my productivity journey was very much an inside job. A lot of the things that I was doing during this part of my transformative journey were invisible to those around me. But, yet had a massive impact on where I am today. I quickly realized that to have the impact I wanted to have, I would need to create products and courses. The products you need to truly get your papers organized didn't exist. I would need to create them. The courses you need to learn to get functionally organized and stay organized didn't exist. I would need to create them.  My in-home professional organizing business was growing rapidly and in the background I was creating a new vision and mission for Organize 365®. Listen in to hear how I was able to create this on an airplane! I had a burning desire to help women learn the skill of organization so they could unlock their time to do what they were uniquely created to do. I was having great success with this with my in-home clients. But how could I do that on a larger scale? This is where I had to just keep taking the next step. You know the long game but you are very much in the weeds, putting one foot in front of the other. To those around you, your transformation may be undetectable at this point.  If you aren't sure what the next step is…I'm here to affirm that no one else is going to be able to tell you either. I can tell you that you are always capable of more than you realize. You have so much more in the tank than you realize.  Through this period of time in my life, where I was deeply internalized and absorbing information, books and podcasts, I became laser focused on creating the products that now fill the Organize 365® warehouse and are helping people all over the world (literally)! I also created The Productive Home Solution™ as the course that will help you learn to live an organized, productive and proactive life while organizing your entire home - one step at a time. It was through my own experiences of not knowing what that next step was that I was able to create a complete program designed to provide you with the next steps for getting organized in a way that is functional and sustainable for you. Then, once you're organized, the sky's the limit! You will have unlocked so much time and possibility and I can't wait to see what's next for you! It's so fitting that this podcast happens to be episode 550! We are now half way to 600 episodes because I just keep making the next episode and taking the next step. Whatever stage of life you are in, I want to encourage you to let go of guilt and invest in yourself. Do and get the things you need to feel motivated, be more productive and take the next step. EPISODE RESOURCES: The Productive Home Solution™ The Sunday Basket® The Friday Workbox® Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode, I am excited for Susan T. to share her Organize 365® journey with you! Susan lives with her husband and adult children - her daughter is 29 and her son is 26. They both live in apartments in Susan's home and we talk about the blessings and challenges of building strong relationships with our adult children. When she found Organize 365® through an interview I did on another podcast, she was helping a friend get her paper organized. She then, like many of you, binged all of the Organize 365® podcasts and found that our solutions were exactly what she needed!  She had been trying for a while to figure out a system for organizing her work. She had an ever-growing pile sitting on the corner of her desk. The pile was creating overwhelm for her. She struggles to get her work organized and move easily from task to task. She needed a system for her work and her paper pile. The Friday Workbox® transformed how she organizes her work and her ability to keep moving throughout the week at work, especially as someone who works mostly out in the field. Planning Day for Work and Home have also been a gamechanger for her. She subscribes to both Work and Home Planning Days which leads us to a conversation about how Organize 365® is able to help orchestrate a flow for your life through these planning days, which is exactly why Susan goes to them all. She looks at it as an accountability partner for her home and work. The coaching she gets from me during these events is an added bonus! Listen in to hear our tips for organizing your medical history in real time and how to set aside time for yourself to dream and think! EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® The Friday Workbox® The Friday Workbox® Planning Day The Productive Home Solution™ The Productive Home Solution™ Home Planning Day Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

Where does productivity come from? Planning our day the night before? Having solid routines? Having a beautiful and well-maintained planner?  Those things are all important, but they aren't necessarily going to make you more or less productive. What are the differences between productive people vs. less productive people? To begin this podcast, I want to offer grace and understanding for those of you in phases of life where you have very little or no control over your productivity (such as a medical diagnosis, depression and active parenting years). I've been where you are and I know that these are all very real constraints. Productivity comes from being in control of your time. In order to do this, you need to observe YOURSELF. Look at your day and pay close attention to your energy levels - physically, mentally and emotionally. Become curious about yourself. What makes you more or less energetic? How can you extend periods of productivity? How can you unlock more of your time? In this episode, which is part one of a four-part series, I discuss the very first steps I took in my transformative journey to becoming my most productive self. I didn't just wake up one day with the energy and capacity to be the CEO of Organize 365® while also getting my PhD. This was a long journey. The first step in this journey was a wake-up call for me. I realized no one is coming to save me. If it's going to be, it's up to me. This realization led me to quit my job and other habits that were draining my energy on all levels. Through this series you can follow along on my productivity journey and learn how I had to take total ownership of my life. Productive people are obsessed with knowing what things make them more or less productive, from their diet choices to the amount of sleep they are getting.  A big part of my transformation was looking at the purpose of the things I was trying to do. Productivity is not just about getting more done, it's about doing things that matter, knowing why you're doing them and doing them with a sense of calm. Want to instantly boost your productivity? Here are two questions you can start asking yourself to be more productive starting today: What's one thing I can do right now? Keep moving forward. Even if you are only taking one step at a time. When you feel “stuck” ask yourself, what's the next step that I can do right now. Do I have 15 more minutes? True productivity is not a check mark on a checklist - it's a completed project. When you are working on something and running out of time, don't be afraid to spend extra time to complete the project, especially if it will save you time in the future. EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® The Friday Workbox® Brooke Castillo and Kris Plachy Podcast Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

I have a surprise to share with you!  Embrace is now available on demand!  Want to learn more about the Embrace experience? Listen to this podcast. July is a GREAT time to do Embrace. Learn what is next for you. We are currently offering an Embrace Bundle that includes: Embrace Self Guided Virtual Retreat with surprise gifts! The NEW! Raspberry Embrace Sunday Basket® A pink journal Available now through July 25, 2023. Episode Resources: Limited Edition Embrace Bundle Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode, I introduce you to Lori S. Lori is married with two adult children. Her daughter has completely left the nest and is getting married next spring and her son is in college. Lori has always been an organized person and loves to plan as much as I do. She found the podcast while looking for new ideas and systems to try on her organizational journey. Lori immediately upgraded the DIY Sunday Basket® in her kitchen to the real Sunday Basket®. She and I discuss how all the solutions ebb and flow, shrink and expand depending on your phase of life.  A real light bulb moment for Lori was when she learned my philosophy on getting your storage room organized. In The Productive Home Solution™, I teach you how to organize your storage room as a store. This has allowed Lorie to transform her home over the past year. Lori has unlocked her time to do what she is uniquely gifted to do and that includes writing a book! We discuss Lori's book, “One Shade Greener at Home: A Room by Room Guide to Reduce Toxins, Lighten Your Environmental Footprint, and Live Simpler”. Listen in to hear the things I'm doing to live greener! Lori and I both agree that small consistent steps over time make the biggest difference! EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® The Productive Home Solution™ The Paper Solution® Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

It isn't really about scissors. It's about empowering yourself. It's about taking back your spaces, your time and making things more efficient, functional and enjoyable for YOU. Your home is yours. It is the place where you have the most control. So if there are things at your home like old scissors - now is a great time to re-evaluate your supplies and get better ones if needed! I can't say it enough - managing your household is a full-time job and you get to be the CEO. So if things aren't up to par, you get to make it better! What would make your job as the CEO of your household easier? This podcast is airing in the middle of summer because right now is when you are going to find the best sales and the most variety of office and school supplies. Observe what you use and want to stock up on now while it is all on sale. What current supplies are you just tolerating but would be better served by upgrading or updating? Small upgrades to your supplies can yield big results! Grab your favorite beverage, take some time to yourself and go stroll the back to school supplies aisle at your favorite store. EPISODE RESOURCES: Back to School Blitz Upgrade your Organize 365® Supplies Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode, I introduce you to Janet O. Janet is a mother of two “adult children”, she's been married for 38 years and she is a Nurse Practitioner in the emergency room! I've met her twice at Paper Organizing Retreats as she worked to get all her paper organized once and for all!  Listen in as we discuss her husband's ALS diagnosis, how his diagnosis catapulted her sense of urgency to get organized and how she found Organize 365®.  There's a lot that stands out in this interview for me. What I found most interesting about this interview is how medical professionals view the Organize 365® Medical Binder. Sometimes we worry that our medical providers will be offended by bringing these documents with us or we think that they already have all the information so we don't need to bring anything. This is not the case. Yes, most medical facilities now have digital systems for record keeping, but they aren't connected in any way. This means if you are visiting multiple providers (which almost everyone does), they don't have a complete picture of your health and medical history. When I met Janet for the first time at a Paper Organizing Retreat, she very infamously told me that her husband said the Holiday Blitz (which is FREE) is worth the entire price of The Productive Home Solution™. Janet was notorious for overcomplicating and creating stress around the holiday season. The Holiday Blitz allowed her to simplify and plan ahead for less stress around the holidays.  Janet also talks about how she and her husband now use multiple Sunday Baskets® and we discuss recommended intervals for processing different Sunday Baskets® used for specific purposes. EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® Paper Organizing Retreats The Productive Home Solution™ The Paper Solution® Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

The Back to School Blitz starts NOW! This Back To School Blitz is for YOU…ok, and your kids if you have them. :) Sign-up now to download the amazing workbook we created to help you get ready for fall productivity - whether that includes sending your kids (or yourself) back to school is optional! Plus, you'll get exclusive free access to our Organize 365® App. The best gift by far that you will get from the Back to School Blitz is the gift of time and peace of mind this fall. This year we are giving you the ENTIRE Back to School Blitz (5 days worth of actionable videos) to do on-demand! It doesn't matter if you actually have kids going back to school or not - this is a great time to refresh and plan ahead for a successful and enjoyable next season. Here's a sneak peek at what we will cover each day of the Blitz: Monday, July 10th: Clothing (yes - it's time get rid of the socks with holes in them) Tuesday, July 11th: Command Center (checklists, calendar, schedules, appointments - all in one place) Wednesday, July 12th: School & Home Office Supplies (replenish supplies and take advantage of back-to-school sales) Thursday, July 13th: Personal Grooming (A fresh haircut, new makeup, and a manicure? Yes, please!) Friday 14th: Getting out the Door (My tried and true approach to being on time and frustration free in the mornings) Here's how it works this year: Register for the Back to School Blitz. It's free. You'll get your printable workbook automatically upon registration. If you are already a customer - use your Organize 365® login information to get your Dashboard. If you are new to Organize 365® you can set-up free access to the Dashboard by selecting Login and "Reset Password" to set-up your new password. *Note: You must register first then you will receive an email to set-up your login. In the Dashboard, select Organize 365® Blitzes then, select Back to School Blitz. Inside the slash pocket for the Back to School Blitz you will find 5 videos and easy access to the workbook if you still need to print it! Feel free to do the blitz at your own pace! It will be available on-demand through Monday, September 4, 2023.

This episode is the second part of a two part series. Rhonda and Casey are back and today we are discussing how Rhonda's organizational journey led her to become more organized at home, with paper, homeschooling and has allowed her and her husband to expand their work! They have BOTH started new businesses since Rhonda's organizational transformation. One of the things that initially surprised me when I became a professional organizer was how much a lack of organization was holding people back. Rhonda's story shows how learning the skill of organization will unlock your time and allow you to do more of what you were uniquely created to do. Rhonda is now an Organize 365® Certified Organizer and provides organizing services to clients in Springfield, MO! Rhonda now understands that organization is not a one size fits all systematic approach. It is about learning the skill of organizing and creating organization that works for you and your family.  Now she shares her passion of organizing to help others move from reactive to proactive. How did she go from an overwhelmed and self-described disorganized homeschool mom to being able to juggle homeschool, home, sports and starting her own business? The Business Friday Workbox® with Work Planning Day comes in full view during this episode! Oh my goodness - hearing Casey's perspective on the Work Planning Day is a must-listen! Casey is a civil engineer who has spent his entire adult life working for large companies. One day he was eavesdropping on Rhonda's Work Planning Day and suddenly was completely enthralled with it. You have to hear why he kept making Rhonda pause the replay! Casey was able to take my philosophy on meetings back to his company to help re-evaluate the amount of meetings taking place (there were A LOT)!  EPISODE RESOURCES: The Friday Workbox® Friday Workbox® Planning Day Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! This episode is part one of a two part series! I'm so excited to welcome Rhonda H. back to the podcast. She recently shared her transformation story with me and today we are going to hear about Rhonda's organizational journey from her husband's perspective! When you are on a transformational journey it impacts those around you. We all hope that as you make positive changes in your life - become more organized, more productive, more positive - it will have a positive impact on those around you, also. And perhaps, it will even inspire and motivate those people to join in. But sometimes it can be intimidating to others, sometimes they aren't ready for you to make changes or it can even make them feel bad about themselves. Listen in as we explore how Rhonda's organizational journey impacted her husband and her family.  Rhonda and Casey have been married for 18 years. Rhonda has homeschooled (and still is) all four of their children. In this episode, they very candidly and accurately share how they have divided up the invisible work at home over the years and throughout different phases of their life together. Casey is happy to report how Rhonda's transformation through the Organize 365® courses has led to a new level of confidence that has had a positive trickle down effect on their entire family. Join me for the second part of this interview where we segway from discussing the home and housework to how Rhonda has organized her paper, work and homeschool! EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® The Productive Home Solution Planning Day Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

In today's special Back to School Summit episode, I'm talking with Steph Fowler from Austin Fowler. Steph has four kids and became a business owner after having her kids and finding an unmet need in the marketplace. Today's episode focuses on a question I love to ask other successful entrepreneurs who are balancing home and work - how do you do it? How does Steph Fowler do it? Planning and organization! Steph offers so many amazing insights into balancing a big family with lots of extracurriculars and growing a business. We discuss the importance of making the invisible work visible. She writes it all down! As do I. I've been telling you for years - WRITE IT DOWN. Start now - grab some notecards or a piece of paper and start writing down any errant thoughts or to-dos that pop into your head as you listen to this podcast!  The best part of this podcast is that you get to hear about everything that's in my wallet! If you are one of those people like me that's always curious about how others' organize their things, you'll love the detailed conversation we have about how I personally use the Austin Fowler products for organization and productivity on-the-go! Episode Resources: Register for the FREE Back to School Blitz Austin Fowler - Free printable packing checklists Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

In today's special Back to School Summit episode, I'm pleased to welcome Angela Watson back to the Organize 365® podcast! Angela has been on the podcast multiple times now. Angela spent 11 years as a classroom teacher and then created a truly life-changing course for Teachers called the 40-Hour Teacher Workweek. She's also the host of her own podcast, Truth for Teachers. We hope all the teachers out there will listen to this episode as it is a hug from Angela and I to you! We understand better than most that teachers LOVE to teach. It's a calling as much as it is a profession. Even if you're not a teacher, this episode is for you! Angela and I dive into planning and have lots of inspiration and tips to share about how to make the most of your days. We discuss how a really good plan actually frees you up to be more creative. Planning doesn't box you in. It helps you maximize your time, but you have to find a planning system that works for you. Planning isn't one-size fits all. Angela and I encourage you through this podcast to listen and learn from many people when it comes to creating a planning system for yourself. Take what works for you and adapt it to your own planning system. Then maintain your planning. Angela has a great analogy for how planning is like gardening. You don't just plant your seeds then you're done. You have to keep checking them, watering them, figure out what's not working and make adjustments. I guess it's true that life's a garden! Listen in and learn how you can plan in the most worthwhile way for you. Learn to plan this summer so you will be ready to run when the most productive 10 weeks of the year come around this fall (from Labor Day until the second week of November). What can you do this summer that will help you run farther faster this fall? Episode Resources: Register for the FREE Back to School Blitz Truth for Teachers - Angela Watson's website Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

In today's special Back to School Summit episode, I'm talking with Cas Aarsen from Clutterbug! Cas has three children and is also growing a company! As we enjoy our summers, we also want to take advantage of this time to set ourselves and our family up for success this fall.  Cas and I agree that the more you LEARN to be organized and productive, the more you're able to show up in all areas of your life. Part of that learning process is discovering what type of organization works best for you and your family. Cas offers a free quiz that allows you to find out what kinds of organizational systems and approaches would work best for you! She calls them her Clutterbugs! I love it! We discuss how important it is to find out what your Clutterbug type is and also how much time, capacity and where you are in the organizing cycle. Organize 365® offers a free quiz that is very complimentary to the Clutterbug quiz. Once you find out your Clutterbug type, the Organize 365® quiz can empower you to pinpoint why you are ready to get organized, how much time you have to commit to getting organized in a sustainable way and where you are in the organizing cycle. There are SO many great tips in this podcast! Enjoy and I hope it empowers you to think forward toward how you want your fall and/or school year to be organized, productive and less stressful this year! Episode Resources: Register for the FREE Back to School Blitz Take the free Clutterbug Quiz Take the free Organize 365® Quiz Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

In today's special Back to School Summit episode, I'm talking with Sarah Hart-Unger about PLANNING. I love planning and so does Sarah. We both attribute planning to our success. There's so much value in thinking about your time in a concrete way and that is what planning allows you. Sarah is the host of the Best Laid Plans Podcast, co-host of the podcast Best of Both Worlds with Laura Vanderkam, mother of three children, and a pediatric endocrinologist. So needless to say, she has a lot on her plate. Organization and planning are a big part of her ability to do so much! In this episode, we dive into how to use planning as a tool in your arsenal as you head into fall and back to school. We also discuss planning as it pertains to your kids! Kids like to know and have a plan also. Episode Resources: Register for the FREE Back to School Blitz Sarah Hart-Unger- Best of Both Worlds & Best Laid Plans Home Planning Day with Lisa Work Planning Day with Lisa Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

Have you ever been looking for something so hard that you miss it? Of course you have. That's why we have so many idioms for this exact situation, like “If it'd been a snake it would have bit you.” You tear your house apart looking for the glasses that are literally on your head (guilty). You get frustrated at everyone in your house for losing your car keys that are still in the car.  Often what we are searching for is right under our nose. Perhaps it's been there longer than we realize. Today on the podcast, I reflect on my personal history and how it has uniquely shaped who I am and where I am today. I love sharing my story with all of you and I reflect on this not because I want to tell my story. I want you to see that my unique gift and passion for being the CEO of Organize 365® runs deep. Just like I know there's something that runs deep in you, too. Picture yourself from the 50,000 foot point of view, then take inventory of your life and your story. You'll quickly realize that your “something” has been right under your nose the entire time.  Sometimes we can't see the forest through the trees. We are so focused on the details of our life that we don't see the bigger picture. In my business and my life, I give myself permission all the time to dream. I literally schedule this time into my schedule. When you listen to today's podcast, I am giving you permission to dream. Think back to your upbringing, your life, the experiences you have sought out - everything is so close to you that you may not even see it. Think, dream, and take inventory of your unique personal history. Your story isn't done yet. Neither is mine. I'm pursuing a PhD and learning that Organize 365® is growing in different ways than I ever imagined. I'm paving my own paths and writing my own story. Your story is also still in the making. In this podcast I encourage you to look at all the puzzle pieces of your life up until now and let's start to put them together to help you discover your unique purpose. What are the things that you understand better than anyone? What is the thing you would sit down on the internet and research for hours? What is keeping you from taking the next step in pursuing your unique purpose? Whatever you're dreaming about, I'm here to encourage you to take the next step. Whatever it is…do it. Believe you can do it - because believing in yourself is NOT optional. Give yourself permission to dream it and do it! This is such a fun episode. I hope during this episode you free up your mind for your own story. In order to save you some time googling - here's the link to the infamous Longaberger Basket Building! Listen in to find out how this ties in! If you've forgotten how to dream or you're not even sure where to begin, I've created the Embrace experience for you.  EPISODE RESOURCES: Embrace Self-Guided Retreat Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode, I introduce you to Katelyn S. In this can't miss interview, you will get to hear how Katelyn went from a self-described borderline hoarder to being ready to move with just two suitcases (one dedicated to her Organize 365® products) halfway around the world!  Katelyn's transformation brings tears to my eyes. She absolutely embodies the Organize 365® mission, visions and values. When I started Organize 365®, I wanted to have a positive impact on helping people become organized so they can do what they are uniquely created to do and when you hear Katelyn's story - you will hear how organization freed up her time and mind to do exactly that.  Listen in to find out where Katelyn is headed and why! She has some exciting adventures ahead of her. EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® The Education Friday Workbox® The Productive Home Solution™ Embrace Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

What motivates you? Where do you get stuck in your organization? How can Organize 365® support you MORE in your journey? These are all questions that have led me to create a new offering for you! This summer we will be piloting new classes designed to help you achieve your organizational transformation faster. I know from the Wednesday podcasts that once you implement the Organize 365® solutions, whether it's the Sunday Basket®, a binder or The Productive Home Solution™, a weight is lifted off your shoulders. You have freed up your mind and most often your time. Then you are able to dream again and do what you are uniquely created to do. The problem is once we become even slightly disorganized, we are starved for the time we need to even implement these solutions. I know that many of you who are going through a challenging life stage or unexpected event are already missing work. And I also know that if you have an appointment or meeting scheduled - you attend and participate. So I've created classes for you to help you hold yourself accountable and get your Organize 365® solutions implemented as quickly as possible! These classes will be 3 hours long and you can literally start with your products in the box. The goal of the class is that you will go from having a brand new (or never implemented) Organize 365® solution and have it implemented and ready for use by the end of the three hours. The classes are the PERFECT compliment to your Organize 365® products and I've got the absolute BEST teachers lined up for you. The Education Team at Organize 365® has a robust roster of experienced professional organizers who specialize in different areas to provide you the most amazing and informed experience in setting up your organizational systems. This is a great opportunity for you to receive one-on-one support from the dream team! Meet the teachers: Monique Horb will be teaching The Sunday Basket® and The Warrior Mama Classes Stefanie Ardoin will be teaching The Friday Workbox® and The Medical Binder Tanya Blackburn will be teaching The Financial Binder and the Income & Expense Binder How to sign-up: I'll be doing a free introductory webinar 3 weeks before each class. The webinars are FREE. Join the webinars by registering here. Classes will be $250, but are currently being offered (for this summer only) at the introductory price of $179. Classes can be purchased here Want more professional assistance from Organize 365®? Do you want someone to create your Sunday Basket®, Friday Workbox® or Binders for you? We will be opening up a full-service option as well. This will start at $2,500 per solution. If you want this option, please email customer service at customerservice@organize365.com. Do you want to talk to the Education Team about your situation, needs or what would work best for you? Reach out to us at customerservice@organize365.com to set-up a one-on-one call - completely free. Episode Resources: CustomerService@organize365.com Sign-up for the free webinars Register for classes Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

In past years I've proclaimed, “I don't know what Embrace is. Just do it.”  Today on the podcast, I'm coming clean. I DO know what Embrace is. I've just been scared to say it. But I need to. I want to help you unpack what you are uniquely created to do. It's an evolution, but the sooner you leave fear in the rearview mirror and you take that first step, the sooner you'll be closer to what you are uniquely created to do. This podcast episode takes me out of my comfort zone. I am coming out of hiding and I'm here to tell you - I do know what Embrace is. I know exactly what it is. I created it and I have carefully orchestrated every aspect of it. Embrace is an embodiment of my unique gift. My ability to tell the story of your life and help you get lost in dreaming of what could be so you can make it happen. Let's look at it this way: if you are getting ready to list your house for sale, a realtor will tell you to take down all the photos and tchotchkes so that other people can picture themselves living in the house. When you are listening to my podcast, I try to create a conversation where you are able to get lost in your own life. You are able to apply whatever I am talking about to your situation - yourself, your home, your family, your work. For as long as I can remember, I have been putting together the puzzle pieces of what it is to be a female head of household in today's society. My lifelong pursuit is to figure out who I am and who you are and how that relates to the many other roles we have. When I created Embrace (it was an evolution as well - hear the complete history of Embrace in today's episode), I wanted to create a completely unique two-day experience to immerse women in the musical of their life. And that's what Embrace is. It is the musical of your life. It is about you and it is a uniquely “Lisa” experience designed to help you understand and create a vision for how you can get to self-actualization with the life that you have. YES! Your life. Your current life. Not someone on social media's life. Not your life if you didn't have kids or weren't caretaking for a loved one. Not your life if you had more money or more time. Your life. Today. As it is. Ahhh. It feels SO good to finally speak this into my beloved podcast microphone. I DO know what Embrace is and you still should just do it!  Learn more about Embrace. I created Embrace for you. I'm cheering you on as you embark on this journey to what you are uniquely created to do. EPISODE RESOURCES: Embrace Self-Guided Virtual Retreat The Productive Home Solution™ with Home Planning Day Sign-up to get the FREE Back to School Blitz in July! The Midlife Unraveling by Brene Brown Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode, I introduce you to Rhonda H. Her Organize 365® journey began when her cousin (who is like a sister to her) sent her the Sunday Basket® Podcast Playlist. She binged the podcast and tried to DIY her own Sunday Basket®, but quickly realized (like so many others) there's no substitute for the real deal. As a homeschool mom to four children, she didn't stop at The Sunday Basket®; she took her organizational journey through all the available resources at Organize 365®. She had tried many things to get organized and some of them worked as quick fixes, but the Organize 365® approach is where she finally found her organizational transformation. By learning the skill of organizing, she was able to maintain the organization for the first time ever. Why do we pretend we can get organized in a weekend? You can't get into better health in a weekend. You can't get out of debt in a weekend. And you can't get organized in a weekend either. It's a journey and I'm so excited to have Rhonda joining me on the podcast today to share her journey. Listen to the end to hear how she is now sharing her unique gift with others through Organize 365®! EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® The Productive Home Solution™ Education Friday Workbox® Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

This episode is all about organizing your finances. What I've found is that organizing your finances isn't just about money. The Paper Solution® Financial Binder will guide you through your files, computer and the information inside your head needed to create a complete financial binder and estate plan. As difficult as it is to think about and even talk about - you are most likely going to settle an estate someday (you may have already).Your estate will also need to be settled. The Financial Binder was created out of my own experience with settling my dad's estate. Your life is different after you've settled an estate. This binder makes it as painless as possible for you to get your own financial records in place and you can also use this to help your loved ones. Listen in as I outline the four things you need to organize your finances. There is so much invisible work that needs to be made visible when it comes to our finances and estate planning. Every The Paper Solution® Binder includes a fully curated workbook. The Financial Binder's workbook includes: Financial prep sheet Family information sheets Personal documents and contacts Financial advisor information Insurance policy information Safe deposit box inventory Financial account inventory Debts and loans record Credit card inventory Bill payment records Gift cards and reward tracking Travel rewards Retirement benefits Household inventory EPISODE RESOURCES: The Paper Solution® - get all four essential binders with training courses and a virtual paper organizing retreat! The Financial Binder The Sunday Basket® Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode, I'm delighted to introduce you to Jennifer L. She's a substitute teacher, caregiver to her grandmother and living with ADHD. As you'll hear in this interview, she's balancing A LOT of things. She's implemented the Sunday Basket® and I have some additional suggestions for her to help her lighten her mental load..  How to process through screenshots on your phone as part of your Sunday Basket® routine  Organizational solutions that work well for those with ADHD Caregiving Finding your unique purpose Listen to end to hear how Jennifer L. has started to dream bigger for herself and embrace her unique purpose. It's truly inspirational. EPISODE RESOURCES: Embrace Self-Guided Retreat The Sunday Basket® The Friday Workbox® The Education Friday Workbox® Jennifer L's favorite podcast episodes: Six Figure Time and The 4 Kinds of Housework Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

Why do we put off organizing our medical records? Medical emergencies happen. The more prepared and organized you are, the better care you will receive. The Paper Solution® Medical Binder will allow your loved ones to advocate on your behalf with ease and decisions will be made faster. In this episode we do a deep dive into: What it means to organize your medical records and health What health & medical information do you need to have and where do you find it How to organize medical information for others - loved ones and children Best practices for managing medical records Viewing your medical history from a macro and micro level How to support yourself when you are in the caregiving role Every The Paper Solution® Binder includes a fully curated workbook. The Medical Binder's workbook includes: Family information sheet Medical information summary Medical & health history Family medical history Doctor information Diagnosis tracker Allergy tracker Medication tracker Lab results Hospitalization & surgery history Doctor appointment tracker Milestone checklist Immunization record EPISODE RESOURCES: The Paper Solution® - get all four essential binders with training courses and a virtual paper organizing retreat! The Medical Binder The Warrior Mama Binder Parent's perspectives of the pathway to diagnosis of childhood cancer: a matter of diagnostic triage The Sunday Basket® Sign Up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Don't wait to organize your medical and health records. Our health is something we often take for granted when we have it and wish we had it back when we don't have it. Be prepared. Make the binder for you and your loved ones. This is the best way to support your future self! Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! This is a highly motivational podcast. I'm so excited to introduce you to Jack Brendamour, co-owner of Junk King Cincinnati. Listen in as Jack and I discuss: Junk King Cincinnati's success Honoring the legacy of Pete McCreary, Junk King Cincinnati's original founder How to handle junk in your home The benefits of using a green and ethical junk company like Junk King What to do with styrofoam The best ways to stay on top of junk piling up in your home How Junk King has saved over 860,000 pounds from going to the landfill EPISODE RESOURCES: Junk King Cincinnati Habitat for Humanity Matthew 25 Ministries The Process of Organizing a Storage Space with Michelle Paradice I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

This is the second of a four part series featuring The Paper Solution® Binders. Today I want to introduce you to the Household Reference Binder.  The Household Reference Binder is for anything related to your house. Think of it as a little file cabinet for your house. In this episode, we discuss how to implement The Household Reference Binder for: Your home Second home, rental properties, multiple properties, etc. If you are getting ready to sell your home, move or buying a new home If you are a realtor The Household Reference Binder is a powerful tool that you should have to help you protect your biggest asset - your home! EPISODE RESOURCES: The Paper Solution® The Household Reference Binder Sign up for the Organize 365® Newsletter  Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode, I introduce you to Jake Nordmark. Jake has been part of our Organize 365® Dream Team for the last 2 years. We are talking about how things changed for him during the pandemic, things he learned with his diagnosis, and a sneak peek into the Launch Program when Jake and several of the other young team members went to school together at Organize 365® to learn and experience Launch.  EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® Launch Program The Paper Solution®  I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

This is the first of a four part series featuring The Paper Solution® Binders. Today I want to introduce you to the Household Operations Binder. This binder gives you or someone else everything needed to be the COO of your household! The Household Operations Binder is fun. This binder is all about you, your uniqueness, your family, how you celebrate life and the things and traditions that make your family unique and special. This binder will not only allow you to create a “lesson plan” for how you run your household, but also how to do it more effectively and efficiently. During my active parenting years, the Household Operations Binder was part of my Sunday Basket® routine. I would flip through the binder and create my schedule for the week. Every The Paper Solution® Binder includes a fully curated workbook. The Household Operations Binder's workbook includes: Cleaning Schedules Meal Planning Master Grocery Lists Family Information Emergency Information Babysitter Information Important Dates Rarely Used Items Tracker (genius!) Electronics Inventory Holiday and Event Planning Vacation and Travel Planning and Checklists Pet Records And more! EPISODE RESOURCES: The Paper Solution® The Household Operations Binder The Sunday Basket® Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode, I introduce you to Ginger H., and we get to talk about the Sunday Basket® and the habits that Ginger has established. Ginger is an empty nester with her husband and enjoys using her Sunday Basket® and participating in Planning Day.  Listen in as we discuss the necessity of planning and creating habits. As we talk you can see where attending Planning Day is optional, but planning for the next 120 days is not optional. Ginger is on her second post retirement career as a real estate agent and talks about how her The Paper Solution® Household Reference Binder has been the best tool for her and her clients. She also explains how the The Paper Solution® Medical Binder was such a delight for her physician and The Paper Solution® Financial Binder has been great for the diversity in documents between her and her husband.  Ginger advice is, “Do your husband a favor, do your kids a favor and get yourself organized, use the Sunday Basket®, use The Productive Home Solution™, use the The Paper Solution® Binders so that you know where everything is”  EPISODE RESOURCES: The Sunday Basket® The Productive Home Solution Planning Day The Paper Solution® I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

In honor of Mother's Day, I want to focus on the feminine touches that make a house a home. What are the things you remember growing up from your mother, grandmother or mother figure in your home that you want to add to your home? YOU make your house a home.  In this episode, I encourage you to take a minute and reflect on: The great things that the women in your family have given to your family. How have these women helped make your house a home? What are the things you want to replicate?  How can you purposefully add in those little traditions, holiday memories and feminine touches to your home? EPISODE RESOURCES: Mimi's Cookie Recipe Embrace - Self-Guide Retreat - now available on-demand Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

On the Wednesday podcast, I get to talk with members of the Organize 365­® community as they share the challenges, progress, missteps and triumphs along their organizing journey. You can see and hear transformation in action. I look forward to helping YOU learn the skill of organization, too! In this episode, I introduce you to Dawn F. and we get to talk about books! All the books! Dawn is an educator who has been a K-2 reading specialist for the past 17 years. Reading is her true passion which means she has a lot of books. Which means we get to talk about organizing books, which books to keep, how many books should you keep and how to store and display books.  Dawn's favorite quote is, “I would be most content if my children grew up to be the kind of people who think decorating consists mostly of building enough bookshelves.” I absolutely love this quote. Dawn describes herself as “organizationally challenged.” She has found that the Organize 365® approach works for her. During the pandemic, she found the time and energy she needed to start getting truly organized. Her Sunday Basket® is running smoothly, takes little time to do each week and she feels amazing when she's able to find all her paperwork at a moment's notice. She moved and downsized recently and is implementing functional organizing throughout her new home.  Listen until the end to hear how I have been using common school supply organizing tools for simple bathroom organization! EPISODE RESOURCES: The 24 Hour Rule The Sunday Basket® The Education Friday Workbox® I am grateful that you are reaching out to share your stories and progress with me and with the Organize 365® community. If you are ready to share your story with us, please apply at https://organize365.com/wednesday. Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!

I want to end this series by talking about how I'm planning for the next trimester and beyond and what is different now than what I was living with before I started this journey.  The beginning of this journey started with trying to get naps in, still working a bit on days that I planned to do school, but it has moved to no naps and no work on Mondays and Thursdays. Looking at my past trimester will help me to better plan my next trimester.  This has been such a joy being able to verbally process this change with you. Whenever you take on something new, you are changing your identity, adding to the person you already are and the person you are going to become. I have recently gotten to the point where I identify as a PhD student and that I am thinking what it will be like when I am actually Dr. Woodruff. That was the first time I said that out loud! Join me thinking about what it is going to be like when I finish this PhD journey. What journey are you on that you can imagine where you will be at the completion of that journey? EPISODE RESOURCES: Follow my journey on Instagram - Check out the PhD Highlight Button Did you enjoy this episode? Please leave a rating and review in your favorite podcast app. Share this episode with a friend and be sure to tag Organize 365® when you share on social media!