Copyright (c) 2008 Simplified Spaces In the past 20 years, childhood obesity has tripled in teenagers and doubled in younger children. While these statistics may be alarming and cause for concern for parents, they also don't have to be a permanent real...

Copyright (c) 2008 Simplified Spaces With families so busy these days, the laundry room can be one of the most cluttered areas of a home. Kids are notorious for changing clothes frequently and adults often drop items as they come in the door. Often by ...

Copyright (c) 2008 Simplified Spaces A common mistake that parents make when delegating household chores to children is remunerating children for their efforts around the house. The reasons for offering money to children to complete chores can stem fro...

Copyright (c) 2008 Simplified Spaces An important part of implementing a household chore system is creating a formal agreement, commonly called a contract, for every member of the household. A contract defines the parent's expectations and provides dir...

Copyright (c) 2008 Simplified Spaces Praise is an essential part of offering regular encouragement to a child who would otherwise find the task of household chores undesirable. It also helps remind children that their contributions to the household are...

Copyright (c) 2008 Simplified Spaces As a parent, teaching children the skill of organization is not just one less cleaning job on the household chore checklist. Some experts consider teaching children organizational skills as fundamental as instructin...

Copyright (c) 2008 Simplified Spaces While there are no set rules on the amount of time a parent can expect his child to do chores, there are generally accepted guidelines about what chores a child can handle based on age and maturity and how long each...

Copyright (c) 2008 Simplified Spaces Oh how easy it is to accumulate a large collection of mismatched and worn-out linens that crowd shelves in heaps, so jammed together that when you tug for a towel or reach for that yellow sheet, everything comes tum...

Copyright (c) 2008 Simplified Spaces In my work with clients as a Professional Organizer, I've observed many characteristics in chaotic homes, but here I focus on four major characteristics that I've found to be most common. 1. Lack of systems and h...

Copyright (c) 2008 Simplified Spaces You're running late (again) and in a panic, you're trying to get your kids and yourself out the door to school and work. Everyone is running around frantically to find what they need to leave the house with ... back...

As a Professional Organizer, the most common challenge I hear from clients that deters them from tackling an organizing project is "where do I start?" Most get overwhelmed at this stage, feel defeated, and don't ever get started. With any large projec...

Does the thought of simplifying your surroundings and life sound wonderful, but the challenges of the making the transition keeps you from making a change? You are not alone! Regardless of how attractive it may seem, downsizing a lifetime can be an emot...

Does the possibility of simplifying your life sound wonderful, but you can’t imagine how you will ever get from here to there? You are not alone! Regardless of how attractive it may seem, downsizing a lifetime can be an emotional and organizational ni...

The lazy days of summer are behind us and another school year is in full swing. It's once again time to handle the deluge of school papers that flow in and out of our homes. For students and parents alike, getting an organized start to the new school ye...

Copyright (c) 2007 Janet Nusbaum Imagine how marvelous it would be to open your closet door and in place of the regular junk pile, you find a well-organized, attractive array of clothes, shoes and accessories. Imagine the focus, calm and efficiency yo...