We’ve arrived together. It’s a new beautiful winter season, the beginning of the year, and the opportunity for a fresh start. Before we look ahead, it’s just as essential to reflect back on what happened, what we learned, what we accomplished, and where we currently are. We locate ourselves so that we can move forward with focus and enthusiasm.

For this amazing community of sharers, while all the conversations have been incredible, I thought you’d like to know which posts resonated the most with you this year. Your insights and thoughts have been invaluable. We talked with experts like Julie Morgenstern about time management, we had giveaways for books, organizing products and most importantly…chocolate. We shared ideas about clutter, change, enlisting help, and more. Enjoy the 2012 highlights!

10 Most Popular Posts of 2012 . . .

1. Ask the Expert

Julie Morgenstern – The “Ask the Expert” monthly feature, newly introduced in 2012 was very well received. Julie’s interview on time management generated an especially dynamic conversation. My favorite question was, “Why do some of us have so much difficulty managing our time?”

2. Giveaway

Fall Organizing Giveaway – Fall organizing tips on inspiration, relaxation, and organization were shared along with a giveaway including a $25 Starbucks gift card, Purse Perfector handbag organizer, and autographed copy of The Other Side of Organized to lucky winner, Rachel. More fun giveaways will be coming in 2013.

3. Wonderfully Human

Sometimes It’s The Little Things – Following on the heels of Superstorm Sandy, we shared our thoughts about gratitude.

4. Possibility Thinking

5 Tips to Eliminate Your Excuses – We looked at the top five excuses and tips for overcoming them in order to move forward and embrace the possibilities.

5. Success Secrets

8 Tips for Bouncing Back – Eight wonderful colleagues shared their best advice for handling life’s surprises and setbacks. Thank you Yota, Leslie, Geralin, Ellen, Janice, Janet, Sue, and Helena for your unique perspectives.

6. Enlisting Help

Top 10 Reasons People Ask for Organizing Help – As a professional organizer for over 20 years, I’ve noticed certain patterns that propel people to reach out for organizing help. Can you add other reasons to the list?

7. Getting Motivated

10 Motivation Challenges & Fixes – What de-motivates us and prevents us from moving ahead? We identified challenges and talked about tips for overcoming them.

8. Too Much Clutter

What’s Your Relationship to Clutter? – We talked about our views about clutter. We looked at if we were on a clutter hiatus, oblivious to clutter, or overwhelmed by it? After locating ourselves, we discussed next steps.

9. Embracing Change

4 Tips for Navigating Change – Procrastination can keep us stuck. This post, inspired by a pair of purple velvet slippers, looked at what to do when we’re struggling with change.

10. Fresh Start

Recombobulation Area – Transitions are integral to beginning something new. We shared ideas about the shift from a disconnected to a more balanced state.

Thank you for being part of this community and taking time to reflect back over the best of this past year. Did you have a favorite post? I’d love to know which one and what you liked about it.

I’m looking forward to the conversations we will continue to have this year. My heartfelt wishes go out to each of you for a happy, healthy, organized-enough, and joy-filled 2013!

There are some things that make me happy. Eating fortune cookies and reading the fortunes are some of them. There is something fun and silly about it, which is what I most enjoy. On a recent winter evening, my husband and I had Chinese take-out, which included one dozen fortune cookies, specially requested by me. At the end of our meal, we ate the cookies and shared our fortunes.

This ritual involves getting good fortunes, bad ones and those that don’t make any sense. No matter which variety, the sharing always provides interesting conversations and thoughts to ponder.

I’d like to share with you the best five fortunes from our dinner as they relate to organizing, starting over, and making the best of the time we have.

5 Fortune Cookie Organizing Tips

Fortune #1:  Gratitude

“You are very grateful for the small pleasures of life.”

Let’s begin with the basics. If you are feeling overwhelmed with the magnitude of editing, decluttering, and organizing that’s ahead of you, think about gratitude to help redefine your mood. Look for the moments that you’re thankful for. Be grateful for the one drawer you just organized or the fact that you were able to locate your keys or that you gave yourself five minutes at the end of the day to clear off your desk. Gratitude is there for you. It will enhance your daily experience and help propel you forward.

Fortune #2:  Let Go

“Forget those things that aren’t worth remembering.”

We know about physical clutter. There is also mind clutter. Sometimes it’s from all the “to do” items we are holding in our brains. Other times it’s the negative messages of past failures that we keep repeating. Release that stuff! Send the to dos to paper or an audio reminder. Stop the negativity from repeating. Find a new message that focuses on your strengths and accomplishments.

Fortune #3:  Small Steps

“He who climbs a ladder must begin at the first step.”

You are headed to great places. I see you in your organized, wonderful space. It’s supporting you and your needs. It’s working with and not against you. Be patient. Take one small step at a time and you will be successful.

Fortune #4:  Best Self

“Wherever you go, whenever you can, try to leave a gift.”

This is the gift of self. We all struggle and have challenges. As you move ahead in this new year, on this new day, bring the best of who you are to the party. Your positive energy and thoughts will attract others’ positivity. That will refuel your tank to keep you moving towards the organizing goals you seek.

Fortune #5:  Possibilities

“Be prepared to accept a wondrous opportunity in the days ahead!”

When we take the time to organize and clear our physical and mental clutter, we open up space for new opportunities and thoughts. It’s your time to move forward and get ready for things you may have never imagined. Your willingness to seek change and growth will draw possibilities towards you.

Which fortune resonates with you? What’s possible for you now? I invite you to join the conversation.

What I love about new anything is that it immediately creates the expectation that something will be different, better, or possible. Our old perspective has the opportunity to shift and change.

Our dog, Norton, who passed away years ago, was a great teacher of many things, including expectations. He was a conscientious listener. If we talked about going for a walk, Norton, who loved taking walks, would immediately go to the “leash cabinet,” and sit patiently staring at the top drawer that held his leash.  If we mentioned the word “treat,” another one of Norton’s favorites, his ears would perk up, he’d rush to the “treat cabinet,” and fixedly glare at it as strands of drool dangled from his mouth. Norton knew what to expect. He was joyful, enthusiastic, and organized.

These may seem like small things- knowing where to find the leash or the treats. However, consider the possibilities for you. What if you claimed this year to become more organized so that your surroundings supported your daily functioning? What if you were able to find what you needed when you needed it? What would that look like? What would it feel like? What would become possible? Would your days flow better? Would you experience less stress?

Shift your perspective from perpetual frustration to gradual clarity. Think about starting simply. Create a basic expectation like, “My car keys are on the hook next to the front door,” or “ The bills to be paid are in the open bin on my desk.” What small thing is not working? What might make a difference if you made a slight change?

Dogs are incredible teachers. In my book, The Other Side of Organized, I share more about Norton’s wisdom related to organizing and life balance. Each chapter begins with a “Norton” cartoon, like this one called “Norton Knows.”

It's a new year, a new month, a new day. What tiny thing can you alter? What will you expect tomorrow?

“Norton Knows” cartoon by Richard Rockwell and Linda Samuels

Writing a new blog post for today was one of the items on my “to-do” list. I knew I’d write in the evening because the day was scheduled to work with one of my organizing clients. I hadn’t decided exactly what I wanted to write and was “on the lookout” for some inspiration. This often comes from an image, a fleeting thought, a feeling, an experience, a conversation, or a sound. To my delight, my client’s office mate shared a photo of a sign taken at the Milwaukee airport just beyond the security check area. Her photo inspired today’s post, and I searched for another version to share with you.

Recombobulation Area

The Recombobulation Area is where airport passengers go to collect themselves after going through security. They gather their shoes, belts, electronics, and baggage before heading off to their flights and the next part of their journey. One dictionary defines recombobulation as being “put back the way it was, or into proper working order.” Another definition says, “gathering one’s thoughts or composure.”

As you have probably guessed, the opposite of recombobulation is discombobulation, a word I’m far more familiar with. Discombobulated is defined as “feeling disconnected,” “unbalanced,” “out of order,” or “confused.”

As one year ended and the new one began, I realized how beautifully these two words described aspects of this transition. I felt discombobulated and out of sorts as 2011 came to a close. I had to say goodbye to one of my amazing clients that just passed away. I was struggling to balance work and family, wrapping up the year and planning for the new one. Now that we’re about a week into this year, I’m feeling much calmer. I’ve entered my own personal Recombobulation zone. It’s not that all things are back to normal, but I am feeling more composed. I was aware of the changes occurring and decisions that needed to be made as I moved from the end of one year to the beginning of another. Transitions are not always comfortable. What are they like for you?

Maybe you’re still feeling discombobulated. If so, I encourage you to discover the signs which will lead to your recombobulation area. It’s time for a fresh start. What is possible for you?