The holidays are quite the time of year. The twinkling lights decorating the landscape cue us to this season of giving, celebrating, and reflecting.

You might be finishing this year’s projects or beginning new ones to continue in the new year. While joy-inducing opportunities are abundant, balancing the holidays, work life, personal plans, and life maintenance responsibilities can be stressful.

There are many ways to bring calm and balance into your life, and I’ve written extensively about them.

Recently, I read something valuable and relevant from James Clear, which I’ll share with you. I hope you find it helpful as you navigate your balance this season.

First, The Back Story

Are you familiar with James Clear’s “3-2-1 Thursday” newsletter? Each issue includes three of his short ideas, two quotes from others, and one question to consider. One of my clients told me about it, and I signed up immediately. I enjoy receiving his weekly wisdom in its easily digestible format.

Two Simple Rules

In a recent newsletter, Clear shared this:

“Two simple rules:

1. You get better at what you practice.

2. Everything is practice.”

He encourages observing yourself and others to notice what we’re practicing. He reminds us that where you focus is a choice. For example, are you practicing…

• “Getting mad on social media?”

• “The fine art of noticing how they have been wronged?”

• Stressing over being stressed?

• Saying “yes” to the point of being overscheduled?

• Not following through on commitments?

• Engaging in negative self-talk?

• Not sleeping enough?

• Accumulating more stuff?

One Insightful Question

Bringing awareness to your practices is essential for changing where your time and energy go. Clear asks, “What are you practicing?”

Do you want to “get better” at nourishing practices? If so, focus on those while reducing harmful ones.

“What are you practicing?”

— James Clear

Here are several of my recent practices:

• Overcoming the fear of doing it wrong

• Meditating and journaling daily

• Reading in the morning

• Connecting with my loved ones

• Enlisting help for a new project

• Setting boundaries

• Writing

• Respecting my energy levels

• Working with virtual organizing clients

Which Practices Will Bring You More Balance?

You have an opportunity to create a better balance this season. What will you focus on during the last few weeks of the year? Which practices can you let go of that no longer serve you? Which ones do you want to invite in?

You have choices. I’m excited to see how this idea can shift your balance. I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

How Can I Help?

Do you want support decluttering, organizing, planning, or creating more balance? I’d love to help! Virtual organizing is an extraordinary path forward – A local feel with a global reach.

Please schedule a Discovery Call, email me at linda@ohsorganized.com, or call 914-271-5673. Organization, balance, and ease are possible, especially with support.

As this year winds down, I appreciate reflecting on the past before moving ahead to the future. For part of the year-end review, I selected my favorite organizing concepts from 2024, one from each month. I hope you discover or rediscover a seed idea that will bring inspiration and balance to your New Year.

Where will you focus on creating organization and balance? Which people and projects will receive your time, energy, and attention? If you’re ready for a fresh start, embracing change, taking your next step, letting go, decluttering, enlisting help, and more, this is for you.

12 Promising and Best Loved Organizing Ideas of the Year

1. Fresh Start – Your Fresh Start Begins With One Small, Courageous Step

“It takes courage to move forward when you’re overwhelmed.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

2. Embrace Change – How 3 Helpful Changes Can Make Positive Differences in Your Life

“Yes starts the process of change. Yet keeps it going.”

— Sharon Saline, Psy.D.

3. Next Step – Here Are Today’s Most Interesting and Best Next Step Discoveries – v44

“One small step in the face of fear is enough to dispel its hold on you.”

— Todd Henry

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4. Letting Go – One Easy and Excellent Strategy for Quickly Letting Go

“One of the simplest ways to let go is to notice the things that don’t belong.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

5. Clutter - What Does Your Clutter Feel Like? One Client Shares Insights

“Clutter creates chronic inflammation.”

— Oh, So Organized! Client

6. Time Management – What Astounding Growth and Change Can Happen When You Make Time?

“Progress is noticeable when you make a time investment.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

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7. Motivation - How One Simple Question Will Motivate You When You’re Not

“What’s a quick completion?”

— Cameron Gott, PCC

8. Enlisting Help – When Facing Something Difficult, Do You Procrastinate or Ask for Help?

“You don’t have to do everything yourself.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

9. Virtual Organizing – Virtual Organizing: Everything You Want to Know and Why It Benefits You

“Virtual organizing is a flexible, creative, collaborative process.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

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10. Possibilities – New Exciting Bedroom Fun Look Transformation: From Possibility to Reality

“Bringing possibilities to fruition is gratifying.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

11. Wonderfully Human – 3 Ways to Joyfully Prepare for a Compassionate Holiday Season

“We don’t have to be perfect.”

— James Clear

12. Life Balance – How to Create Your Happy Life Balance Using Circles of Influence & Control

“There’s immense power in knowing which things in our lives we can and can’t control.”

— Mikael Krogerus and Roman Tschappeler

Grateful for You

Thank you for being an integral part of this vibrant community. I am deeply grateful to you. We’ve had an incredible year of conversations and sharing. You bring learning, growth, support, and inspiration to every exchange. Thank you for participating and sharing the best of who you are.

What inspired you this year? Which organizing concept resonates most with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

How Can I Help?

Do you want help decluttering, organizing, planning, or creating more balance? I’d love to help! Virtual organizing is an extraordinary path forward – A local feel with a global reach.

Please schedule a Discovery Call, email me at linda@ohsorganized.com, or call 914-271-5673. Organization, balance, and ease are possible, especially with support.

There will always be tasks to do, projects to complete, and calls, texts, or emails to return. These can be motivation drivers. However, they can also derail and de-motivate. You can burn out when you’re constantly doing and striving without breaks or spaciousness.

Do you feel overwhelmed by your to-do lists, incomplete projects, and things you ‘should’ be doing?

I’ve been there, as have many of my clients, family, and friends. Surprisingly, one antidote to doing too much is to slow down. This may seem counter-intuitive and a strange way to boost motivation. However, it’s not just about taking a break from your list.

Make time to savor life and engage in restorative activities that replenish your energy.

Savoring Life

What works will be different for each person. For me, savoring and slowing down include:

• Getting enough sleep

• Meditating

• Refusing to rush

• Going away and changing my environment

• Practicing yoga

• Spending time with family and friends

• Having alone time

• Journaling

• Showering

• Being on or near water

• Getting a massage or pedicure

• Eating juicy summer fruit

• Slowing sipping an iced coffee or tea

• Sitting in the sun

• Exploring new places

• Setting boundaries

• Leaning into and being present in the moment

A Japanese Concept

Do you know about yutori? According to DailyOM™, yutori is “a Japanese concept of spaciousness. It refers to slowing down to simply breathe, and savor life – intentionally creating space to relax and reflect without being under constant pressure.”

How would integrating yutori into your life benefit you?

Motivation Cycles

I’m a doer and a completer. I love setting goals and accomplishing them. The first six months of this year were especially active. And guess what? I needed a break from that intensity, which I knew the summer would bring. My pace is slower even though I’m still actively working with organizing clients and on several projects.

This summer, I intentionally created more space for restorative, nourishing activities in addition to work. My latest motivation-restoring adventures include going to the beach, exploring new museums, listening to live music, and eating a delicious treat.  

“Make time to savor life and engage in restorative activities that replenish your energy.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

4 Ways to Restore Motivation

1. Being by the Sea

Waves in. Waves out. The sound of the ocean waves moving forward and backward along the sandy shore is soothing. The sun warms my skin as slight breezes and cool water prevent me from overheating. By the sea, there is no agenda, no lists to take care of. Time stretches as I wiggle my toes in the sand.

2. Exploring New and Old Places

My husband and I visited the Queens Museum and Flushing Meadow Corona Park this weekend.

The Queens Museum is located on the Flushing Meadow Corona Park grounds, where the 1939 and 1964 World's Fairs were held. I was there 60 years ago for the World’s Fair and have spotty yet happy memories of going with my family.

Steve and I walked the grounds, marveled at the 700,000-pound stainless steel Unisphere, talked about our childhood World’s Fair memories, and were wowed by the Panorama, a scaled cityscape model of the five New York City boroughs.

The exploration didn’t end there. We ventured on to another area of Queens.

3. Learning and Listening

Our next stop was the Louis Armstrong House Museum. We had a wonderful tour of his house, explored the museum, and, in Armstrong’s garden, heard a fantastic jazz quartet with Jon-Erik Kellso playing the trumpet.

It reminded me how much I love hearing live music. I grew up in a house full of musicians. People were always playing, practicing, learning, teaching, composing, jamming, and performing. Watching and listening to musicians share their gifts is so joyful. I had a positive, visceral response to being outside and hearing live music.

Louis Armstrong lived his life with passion, purpose, and generosity. It was moving and inspiring to be in his space, hear stories about his life, and listen to musicians embodying this rich tradition of jazz music.

4. Eating a Delicious Treat

The exploratory day was completed by dinner at a fantastic local Italian restaurant in Queens. However, before dinner, we ate dessert. It’s fun to shake things up sometimes.

Steve brought me to the famous Lemon Ice King of Corona to get ices. I was so excited! What’s not to love about a cold, refreshing dessert? The hardest part was choosing which flavor to get. They have over 50 options, although lemon ice is their most popular. They don’t mix flavors but will let you try one before you decide.

I ended up choosing cantaloupe ice, which was amazing! Steve got chocolate, which was also delicious. After dinner, we almost returned for seconds but were too full. We’ll return another time.

Motivation needs to be cultivated. Slowing down, savoring life, having new experiences, and giving yourself a break from life’s pressures is a great way to do that. What helps you restore your motivation?

If you need help restoring motivation and getting organized, email me at linda@ohsorganized.com, call 914-271-5673, or schedule a Discovery Call. Reaching your goals is possible, especially with support.

All cylinders fire at capacity when you experience an intense period of busyness, deadlines, or emergencies. You can sustain your energy and focus for a while, but something needs to shift. Otherwise, you’ll burn out. There are various ways to decide what comes next after a rigorous stretch.

I am at this juncture now. While not quite over, it’s been a full first quarter. A partial list of what I’ve been working on includes:

• Presenting four workshops – Three virtual and one in-person

• Having virtual organizing sessions – Ongoing, returning, and new clients

• Blogging – Writing a new post each week

• Leading meetings – For two professional organizer groups, one international and one local

• Volunteering – For personal and professional groups

This week, I gave the last of the four workshops I scheduled for this quarter. Denise Wenacur, the talented interior designer and founder of DW Design & Décor, invited me to talk about clutter at her monthly Speaker Series. It was a wonderful evening with great people, drinks, and delicious food. Denise is such a warm host who fosters a sense of community through her monthly events.

Denise shared the evening, and my workshop live. Click here to watch How to Conquer Clutter.

So here I am. Winter has morphed into spring as the crocuses and daffodils emerge from the earth. Most of my first-quarter projects are complete. It’s time for my next step plan, which I’ll share with you.

“Regrouping allows me to pause briefly, evaluate, and decide what to embrace next.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

My simple three-step plan for next:

1. Breathe in deeply.

2. Exhale slowly.

3. Regroup.

Steps one and two help me prepare for step three. Regrouping allows me to pause briefly, evaluate how the last quarter went, and decide what to embrace next. I already have some things in the works. During my regrouping process, I’ll assess the timing and energy needed for other projects.

For example, one of my goals for 2024 is to host three Oh, So Organized!-sponsored workshops. I presented My Simple Organizing Plan in February and would like to do a new workshop in late spring, but we’ll see. Figuring out the details will be part of my regrouping process.

I’m breathing, pausing, and thinking before committing to my plan. How was your first quarter? Are you thinking about what comes next? I’d love to hear your thoughts and invite you to join the conversation.

If you need help regrouping and figuring out your next step, I’m here to help. Please email me at linda@ohsorganized.com, call 914-271-5673, or schedule a Discovery Call. Your next step is doable, especially with support.