Life Made Simple with CarlaRae

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#87: What To Do With Clothes You Love But Never Wear Jul 17, 2017

Show notes

When you clean out your closet, why is it so hard to let go of clothing that for some reason you love, but will never actually wear?

What spurred this topic for me was my recent experience cleaning out my own closet. Every year just before summer, I take time to put away all my winter clothes and pull out all my summer wear. Since we live in the Pacific Northwest, half my fall and winter clothes stay in the closet year round, so that I can layer when needed.

Usually I clean out my closet and my son's closet around April or May. But this year, I have to say, I didn't clean out my own closet until a last weekend (which is mid July). According the National Weather Service, Seattle had its coldest winter season since 1984! And for some reason Jack Frost did not want to let go of spring. The sunshine and warm air didn't begin to appear until late June and it's still a lot cooler than usual.

So, when I finally made the time to clean out my closet, I was so ready. Now remember, if you've listened to the show before, I've been a home organizer for over 15 years, BUT, I am also a recovering pack rat. I have a hard time letting go, which is why I became a home organizer in the first place... to help other people explore the psychology behind clutter and chaos.

For some reason, clothes can be really hard for me to let go of. And this time, it wasn't necessarily any easier than other times. But like I said, I was so ready. I was tired of looking in my closet full clothes yet feeling like I still had nothing to wear. I was ruthless. I was on a roll. That black bag filled up pretty quickly.

And why? Well, over the years I've learned how to develop a different relationship with my clothes. I've had to explore the psychology behind why I hang onto clothes that I love but never end up wearing. I confess, there were quite a few items that I've had for years, yet never wore. I used to justify keeping them, but this year I dug a little deeper.

When I came across a piece of clothing that for some reason I didn't want to part with, yet knew I probably wouldn't wear it, I asked myself a few questions. On today's episode I share exactly what those questions are and what you can do with all those clothes that for some reason you love, but never wear, and just can't let go of.

Links Mentioned in this Show:

Episode #21: Here's Your Closet Clean-Out Master Plan

Share this Episode: CarlaRaeArneson.com/episode87

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Simplicity University: SimplicityU.com

Free Guide: "9 Ways to Simplify Your Life"

Or send a text to 44222 with the word 9SIMPLIFY

Free Download: "5 Steps to Organizing Your Home"

Or send a text to 44222 with the word ORGANIZE

Website: CarlaRaeArneson.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/CarlaRaeArneson

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#86: When Looks Really Do Matter Jul 13, 2017

Show notes

I'm going to share with you one ugly truth... it's the fact that looks do matter when it comes to home organizing.

I know that a lot of people don't believe this, but it's true. When someone views the organization of their home as strictly utilitarian, they don't put much thought into the aesthetics of their system. And many times, this is their biggest problem.

They figure, "Any old container will do," or "No one will see it but me, so who cares what it looks like." As a result, their organizing system is boring, uninspiring, and ugly to use.... so then they don't use it or maintain it.

On today's episode I share with you a story about a client of mine who discovered that looks really do matter when it comes to your organized space.

Trust me: if you can add a sense of personal style to your space - even if it's behind closed doors - you will be more likely to honor it, use it, and maintain it.

Links Mentioned in this Show:

Share this Episode: CarlaRaeArneson.com/episode86

Share this Podcast: LifeMadeSimplePodcast.com

Simplicity University: SimplicityU.com

Free Guide: "9 Ways to Simplify Your Life"

Or send a text to 44222 with the word 9SIMPLIFY

Free Download: "5 Steps to Organizing Your Home"

Or send a text to 44222 with the word ORGANIZE

Website: CarlaRaeArneson.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/CarlaRaeArneson

Submit Questions: CarlaRaeArneson.com/AskCarlaRae

#85: How To Live With A Messy Person Without Going Insane Jul 03, 2017

Show notes

Life Made Simple is a podcast show dedicated to helping you simplify all areas of your life: your home, your time and to-do's, your mindsets, your health, and even your messy relationships... which is what I talk about on today's episode. While I've been a professional home organizer for over 15 years now, I am not a neat freak.

This weekend I was chatting with someone I had just met and after she asked what I did for a living she replied, "Your house must be perfectly clean and organized all the time." Yes, I get that a lot. But no... I have no shame in saying that my house is never perfectly clean and organized.

Now technically if you looked in all our cupboards and closets they are definitely very organized... don't get me wrong, everything we own has logical home, which of course is one of the keys to staying organized.

But the fact is I have a husband, a six year old son, a dog, and a full time job. The struggle is real. My house is far from perfect. Now, many years ago before I was married I was definitely considered a "neat freak" and my house was immaculate. I was obsessively tidy.

But now, nooooo way! It would be impossible to keep up with the steady stream of mayhem that flows through our house on a daily basis.

Now, I know that our home isn't as bad as most... especially families with more kids. Luckily my husband isn't a complete slob and he always helps with cleaning up the house when it gets out of control. I've also been training my son to pick up his toys and put his dirty clothes in the hamper. But he's only six. I can really only expect so much. Years ago, for the sake of my sanity, I had to let go of my unrealistic expectations of keeping a perfectly tidy home

There is nothing more frustrating than living with a spouse, a child, or even a roommate whose messy habits thwart your own efforts to stay organized. And when you're trying your hardest to simplify your home, trying to clean up after an untidy family member can be demoralizing. It's easy to just want to throw in the towel and give up.

On today's episode we look at how to live with a messy family member without going insane.

Links Mentioned in this Show:

Episode #55: (PART 1) How To Live With Someone Who Won't Change - "I Married A Pack Rat"

Episode #57: (PART 1) How To Live With Someone Who Won't Change

Episode #13: How To Simplify Any Messy Relationship In Your Life

Episode #72: Try To Turn People Into Trees

Share this Episode: CarlaRaeArneson.com/episode85

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Simplicity University: SimplicityU.com

Free Guide: "9 Ways to Simplify Your Life"

Or send a text to 44222 with the word 9SIMPLIFY

Free Download: "5 Steps to Organizing Your Home"

Or send a text to 44222 with the word ORGANIZE

Website: CarlaRaeArneson.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/CarlaRaeArneson

Submit Questions: CarlaRaeArneson.com/AskCarlaRae

#84: Leap Faster Than Your Fear Can Grab You! Jun 22, 2017

Show notes

I recently ran across this amazing quote by Vironika Tugaleva, a life coach, speaker, and award-winning author of The Love Mindset. Here's what she says...

"They say, 'Look before you leap.' So look. But do not look for too long. Do not look into the void of uncertainty trying to predict each and every possible outcome, to evaluate every possible mistake, to prevent each possible failure. Look for the opportunity to leap, and leap faster than your fear can grab you. Leap before you talk yourself out of it, before you convince yourself to set up a temporary camp that turns into a permanent delay on your journey into your own heart."

The phrase that really stands out to me is "leap faster than your fear can grab you".

In life, it is so easy to let our fears, worries, and anxieties stop us from living the life that we've dreamed of. Most goals and dreams aren't easy to accomplish and sometimes the things that we need to do in order to accomplish what we want are uncomfortable and scary.

I've seen it so often with my clients... when tackling a huge project like organizing your entire home or even just one room can be terrifying! So many thoughts run through their mind, like "How am I ever going to get his done?" Or "What if I can't let go of anything?"

Like Vironika says, it's ok to look before you leap, but don't look too long.

Back in episode #70 I confessed to you that I am an over-thinker. And sometimes my over-thinking along with my tendency to be a perfectionist, stops me from pushing forward in life. I call it paralysis by analysis..

Sometimes, we just have to face our fears... sometimes we just need to stop over-analyzing and just take the leap.

And yes, taking a leap into the unknown is scary! And when you face your fears, you may still FEEL afraid, which is a very real emotion. But that emotion doesn't have to dictate what you do. Make the decision to act, face your fear, and then leap faster than your fear can grab you.

Links Mentioned in this Show:

Episode 66: What Are You Afraid Of? "Do It Anyway!"

Episode 70: A Few Thoughts On Paralysis By Analysis

Share this Episode: CarlaRaeArneson.com/episode84

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Simplicity University: SimplicityU.com

Free Guide: "9 Ways to Simplify Your Life"

Or send a text to 44222 with the word 9SIMPLIFY

Free Download: "5 Steps to Organizing Your Home"

Or send a text to 44222 with the word ORGANIZE

Website: CarlaRaeArneson.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/CarlaRaeArneson

Submit Questions: CarlaRaeArneson.com/AskCarlaRae

#83: Organize All Your Trinkets, Tchotchkes, And Other Randomness Jun 19, 2017

Show notes

I have been a Professional Home Organizer in the Seattle area for over 15 years now, and like I've said in previous episodes, I have seen it all! No organizing project is too big or crazy for me.

My key to success is to always have in mind the fact that everyone is different. Everyone has different personalities, quirks, interests, tastes, hobbies, values, priorities, and so on. And when it comes to organizing someone's home or helping them with time management I've learned that what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another.

More often than not, when I pull a strategy from my huge arsenal, I have to custom fit all the different tips and techniques for each individual client. But, there are a number of tried and true organizing tactics that consistently work with most people.

One of those is what I call the Category Game. In general, when it comes to organizing your home, in a lot of ways you're playing one big category game. Everything you own falls into a particular category and within each category are sub-categories… and then sub-categories of sub-categories. Each category in your home should be assigned a home, so that you can find the items when your need them.

But sometimes, when I'm helping a client organize their home, we come across a few very random items that don't seem to fall into any specific category. When you're sorting, purging, and organizing all your stuff, what do you do with some of those very random items that don't seem to have a home anywhere in your house?

When you come across something that doesn't fit one of the obvious categories, it's easy to get stuck, frustrated, and overwhelmed. On today's episode of Life Made Simple I give you a solution for all those little random items that don't seem to have a specific home.

Now I have to say, when we put this topic on the podcast schedule, it was originally going to be about the random little junky things our children have in their rooms. But, the truth is, even as grown-ups those little random items tend float around and clutter up our space as well. So not only do I specifically apply this unique organizing solution to organizing a child's room, I also tell you how you can apply this solution to your own random stuff lying around.

Links Mentioned in this Show:

Share this Episode: CarlaRaeArneson.com/episode83

Share this Podcast: LifeMadeSimplePodcast.com

Simplicity University: SimplicityU.com

Free Guide: "9 Ways to Simplify Your Life"

Or send a text to 44222 with the word 9SIMPLIFY

Free Download: "5 Steps to Organizing Your Home"

Or send a text to 44222 with the word ORGANIZE

Website: CarlaRaeArneson.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/CarlaRaeArneson

Submit Questions: CarlaRaeArneson.com/AskCarlaRae

#82: Can I Really Control My Thoughts? (Ask CarlaRae) Jun 15, 2017

Show notes

What you focus on grows and what you what you don't focus on eventually fades away. Seems easy? Right? Well, in some ways it is, and in some ways it's not.

After this past Monday's show aired I received a few comments and questions from some listeners who reached out to me asking for my thoughts on HOW to focus on the good when negative thoughts so easily creep up in our minds.

One listener said, "There are a handful of things going on in my life right now that overwhelm me. I can't help but dwell on them. Whenever I tried to think about so-called happy thoughts, my brain just goes right back to the negative ones."

Well, you are not alone. The fact is, negative thoughts turn into negative feelings. And it's easy to believe the idea that we don't have control over our thoughts. But in so many ways, we do.

On today's episode I share with you one example on how you really do have control over your thoughts.

Links Mentioned in this Show:

Episode #81: How To Simplify Your Brain When It Gets Complicated

Share this Episode: CarlaRaeArneson.com/episode82

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Simplicity University: SimplicityU.com

Free Guide: "9 Ways to Simplify Your Life"

Or send a text to 44222 with the word 9SIMPLIFY

Website: CarlaRaeArneson.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/CarlaRaeArneson

Submit Questions: CarlaRaeArneson.com/AskCarlaRae

#81: How To Simplify Your Brain When It Gets Complicated Jun 12, 2017

Show notes

As humans, our minds are complicated. Our brains and all the complex thoughts that come in and out of them are very complicated.

As I try to simplify my home, my schedule and all other areas of my life, I want to also figure out how to simplify my crazy complicated mind.

On this episode of Life Made Simple I share with you some fascinating information about our brains that I recently found in an amazing article.

Links Mentioned in this Show:

Episode 67: Good Night, Sleep Tight! (Sleep Habits Series PART 1)

Episode 69: Wake Up, Sleepy Head! (Sleep Habits Series PART 2)

Share this Episode: CarlaRaeArneson.com/episode81

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Simplicity University: SimplicityU.com

Free Guide: "9 Ways to Simplify Your Life"

Or send a text to 44222 with the word 9SIMPLIFY

Website: CarlaRaeArneson.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/CarlaRaeArneson

Submit Questions: CarlaRaeArneson.com/AskCarlaRae

#80: Do You Have The Grass Is Greener Syndrome? Jun 08, 2017

Show notes

How many times have you heard the popular cliche, "The grass is always greener on the other side?" While I know this phrase is definitely over used, the Grass Is Greener Syndrome is a real struggle for many people.

In today's episode we dive in deep to the psychology behind it all and I give you an alternative cliche to consider.

Links Mentioned in this Show:

Share this Episode: CarlaRaeArneson.com/episode80

Share this Podcast: LifeMadeSimplePodcast.com

Simplicity University: SimplicityU.com

Free Guide: "9 Ways to Simplify Your Life"

Or send a text to 44222 with the word 9SIMPLIFY

Website: CarlaRaeArneson.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/CarlaRaeArneson

Submit Questions: CarlaRaeArneson.com/AskCarlaRae

#79: You Need To Know The Four D's of Productivity Jun 05, 2017

Show notes

It seems these days that our society has a 'busier is better' attitude. Most of us buy into the idea that if we're not stressed out with a crazy busy life, then somehow we're not doing enough.

But the stress that comes with being crazy busy is not healthy. Somehow the madness needs to stop! Julie Morgenstern, who's the author of Time Management From the Inside Out says that "one of our biggest stressors is the ticker tape of tasks that runs through our head." Can you relate to that? I love that description! A ticker tape of tasks. Sometimes that ticker tape doesn't stop, even in the middle of the night when I'm trying to get some much needed shut eye.

So what's the solution to a crazy busy life? Well, we need to figure out a way to simplify our to-do lists.

But you can't simplify your to-do list if you don't even have a to-do list. And that, my friend, is a subject that I can talk for hours about! In fact, we have it on the schedule to create an entire course for Simplicity University dedicated to creating and managing to-do lists. So stay tuned.

On today's episode I give you one particular strategy that can help manage all your to-dos no matter what kind of to-do list you have. I explain to you the Four D's of Productivity.

Links Mentioned in this Show:

Episode #74: I Collect Too Many Ideas & Good Intentions (CarlaRae Confesses)

Episode #75: Treat Your Life Like A Rose Bush - "It's Time To Prune!"

Episode #76: How & What To "Prune" Out Of Your Life

Episode #62: Is Your Life Crazy Busy?

Episode #31: Urgent vs Important - Is It Important? Or Just Urgent?

Episode #24: Do You Have An Ignore List?

Share this Episode: CarlaRaeArneson.com/episode79

Share this Podcast: LifeMadeSimplePodcast.com

Simplicity University: SimplicityU.com

Free Guide: "9 Ways to Simplify Your Life"

Or send a text to 44222 with the word 9SIMPLIFY

Website: CarlaRaeArneson.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/CarlaRaeArneson

Submit Questions: CarlaRaeArneson.com/AskCarlaRae

#78: Space Saving Storage Solutions For DVDs Jun 01, 2017

Show notes

Last month my 6 year-old son, Levi and I were glancing through a special keepsake box from my childhood (which is kinda fun to do every once in awhile). In the box he discovered an old VHS tape. Remember those? Levi immediately asked, "What is that Mommy?!?"

I explained that a VHS tape is how we used to watch movies before DVDs came out. And I remember very clearly when DVDS began to replace those huge clunky VHS tapes... it was amazing! We all couldn't believe that a movie could be somehow squeezed onto a thin little disk.

Well, now-a-days, we have access to movies through the internet and through services like Netflix and Hulu. VHS tapes are now pretty much extinct, and from the looks of it, DVDs are one day soon going to be considered an endangered species.

With everything being so digital, most people don't even buy DVDs anymore. And in fact, many people I know are actually downloading and transferring all their DVDs onto portable hard drives on their computers that they can stream to their tvs, and then they let go of the disk.

But what about those of us who just aren't quite ready to give up those DVDs? My family watch most movies through our DVD player which has access to the internet. But we do still have some classic movies that we own that I'm just not ready to part with yet.

Last month I did some research to figure out the best way to store all our DVDs so that wouldn't take up so much room. On today's episode I talk about two of those solutions.

Links Mentioned in this Show:

Amazon Link: DVD Binder

Amazon Link: DVD Sleeves

Share this Episode: CarlaRaeArneson.com/episode78

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Simplicity University: SimplicityU.com

Free Download: "5 Steps to Organizing Your Home"

Or send a text to 44222 with the word ORGANIZE

Website: CarlaRaeArneson.com

Facebook: Facebook.com/CarlaRaeArneson

Submit Questions: CarlaRaeArneson.com/AskCarlaRae