Time whooshes by, as evident by the anniversary my husband and I just celebrated. Thirty-three years ago on June 19th I said, “I do” to this wonderful man. Since then we’ve traveled, raised a family, hosted many parties, and experienced the heartaches and joys that life brings. Something we learned from both parents, who were married over 60 years, was to honor, savor, and create treasured moments together. They understood that having shared, happy memories make your relationship stronger and make it easier to navigate life’s challenges.

So in the tradition of our parents and their sage wisdom, each anniversary, Steve and I celebrate and carve out time just for the two of us to play and enjoy. My mom refers to this as “the good stuff.”

This past weekend, we did just that. We made  . . .

Time for Love

From hand holding to conversing to writing each other love notes, we shared our love with one another. Love is an active expression of words and actions, which doesn’t happen unless you devote time to your relationships.

Time for Noticing Details

There was plenty of time to slow down to notice the details. The days were leisurely. I had so much fun taking pictures of cityscapes, country-scapes, people-scapes and more. Removing the schedule and list of to dos, helped us both see the world around us in new ways.

Time for Communing With Nature

Being in nature rejuvenates us. We took time to wander through gardens, walk along the river, smell flowers and trees, listen to birds chirping, and sheep baaah-ing. We felt the strong sun and enjoyed finding shady spots with gentle breezes. We made time to enjoy nature.

Time for Relaxing

From sleeping late to sharing leisurely meals to hanging out on the High Line lounge chairs, we took time to relax and slow our motors down. We removed the rush, rush of our normal days and savored the relaxing moments.

Time for Exploring New Places

While we’ve lived in the Hudson Valley for over 30 years, there are places we’ve never been. This past weekend, aside from visiting some favorite spots like the High Line and Red Hat, we also explored new places we’ve always wanted to see like Wave Hill and Rockwood Park, both with magnificent Hudson River views.

Time for Just Being

I intentionally left my watch at home. This helped me detach from time. Normally I’m hyperaware of time. There are appointments to keep and deadlines to meet. It was such a gift to suspend time, even for a few days. Breaks are essential to our well-being, our relationships, and our lives.

We each have the same hours in the day. We have obligations and commitments. There are ways to savor and honor the beautiful moments. How do you like to savor your time? Do any of these resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!

Sometimes, we discover new things on our own. Other times, we learn through conversing, listening, or reading. In my case, what seemed like an innocent conversation with a friend has become a new way of being. As a result of that conversation and my willingness to try something new, I have gained time management, relationship, confidence, and health benefits. Are you curious? Continue reading, and I’ll share my discoveries with you.

Have you heard of subscription food or meal kit services like Blue Apron or Hello Fresh? These companies deliver fresh food, all the ingredients needed, and detailed, easy-to-cook recipes directly to your home. Several months ago, my husband and I signed up for Blue Apron.

11 benefits we’ve noticed so far:

• Save time by not having to shop for food.

• Save time and stress by knowing what to cook for dinner.

• Learn new cooking tips and techniques.

• Enjoy more time together by tag teaming it in the kitchen.

• Eat at a more leisurely pace.

• I am more confident in our cooking skills.

• I appreciate how well-organized the packaging and recipes are.

• I am more experimental and more willing to try new foods.

• We have reprioritized cooking together and sharing meals.

• We are eating more healthfully.

• We’re having even more fun with lots of high-fiving each time we make a new recipe.

“Save time and stress by knowing what to cook for dinner.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

I love the communal use of time, doing a fun activity that yields a delicious result. Plus, I get to hang out and cook with my husband. This is simple, basic stuff that I had been missing.

If you want to try Blue Apron, I’m happy to offer you a “free” one-week trial. I'll send an invite to the first three people who email me at linda@ohsoorganized.com. I don’t get anything by sharing the offer, only the satisfaction of knowing that you might enjoy the benefits I’ve been enjoying, too.

Have you tried a meal kit service? If so, what has your experience been? Is it a time-saver? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Join the conversation!

The latest installment (v10) of the “What’s Interesting?” feature has arrived with my newest discoveries that inform, educate, and relate to organizing and life balance. I’ve included unique and inspiring time-related finds, which reflect this month’s blog theme.  You are a wonderfully engaged group. I look forward to your participation and additions to the collection I’ve sourced for you. What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? . . .

1. Interesting Read – Time Simplifier

Author and editor in chief of Unclutterer.com, Erin Rooney Doland, promises to help you “simplify your life one minute at a time,” in her newly released book, Never Too Busy to Cure Clutter. It’s written for busy people like you and me. The underlying premise is that by organizing your space, you can make room for what matters most. Erin says, “When you’re able to clear the distractions that are cluttering up your time and space, you can eliminate stress and burdens and focus on your priorities.”  I was honored to contribute to the book a passage about mind clutter, which can effect how we manage our time. I said, “We don’t often consider our mind as being in ‘disarray.’ If I’m not clear about priorities for that week, day, or moment, everything becomes more challenging. My physical space can be completely organized, but without clear thinking, I’m more easily distracted, overwhelmed, and less productive. For me, organizing my thoughts and releasing extraneous mind clutter is essential.”

2. Interesting Article – Timeless Question

SpareFoot conducted a survey to people in the U.S. asking this timeless question, “Why do we save stuff we don’t use or need?” We expend a lot of time and energy managing our things, even thouse we no longer use.Do any of these reasons sound familiar to you?

Here are the top five excuses:

63% - Might need someday

51% - Sentimental reasons

26% - Plan to sell

22% - Guilt

19% - Give as a gift

3. Interesting Resource – Time Saver

On the one hand the Internet makes it extremely easy to source what we need. It can also be a major time waster with the endless searching possibilities. The concierge service, Operator, provides an alternate to shopping at a store or online. Operator provides the best of both options by offering human interaction with online convenience. They promise to “do the research and leg work helping you save time and money.” Download the IOS app, type in what you need, and answer a few questions. You’re routed to an expert that will provide you with two to three suggestions. When you’re satisfied, you can click the “I’ll take it” button to purchase the item.

4. Interesting Product – Time Capsule

Our children grow up way too fast. With the passage of time come many keepsakes that remind us details about who they were and how they’ve grown. There’s a lovely keepsake box set to organize your child’s documents and objects. There are a few options, but I love Savor's The Library: Baby Edition Keepsake Box, which has a unit with small drawers to hold baby shoes, locks of hair, and other memorabilia. There is also a School Years Edition.

5. Interesting Tech – Time Centered

The Stop, Breathe & Think app developed by the non-profit organization Tools for Peace, is a “friendly, simple tool to guide…meditations for mindfulness and compassion, ” in short, 5-minute sessions. Mindfulness is a way of paying attention to the present by observing our internal and external life with a non-judgmental, open mind. Mindfulness training improves focus and our experience of time.

6. Interesting Thought – Time Factor

The past is gone. The present is now. The future in influenced by what we choose to focus on today. How do you use your time?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. What are your interesting finds? Do any of these resonate with you?  Come join the conversation!

I just returned from the NAPO 2016 organizing conference in Atlanta. About 550 professional organizers from around the world gathered to learn about building organizing businesses, learn new skills, think about current and future trends, and discover the latest products and services to help our clients.

There was a lot of note-taking, conversing, laughing, photographing, tweeting, listening, and observing. I loved seeing old friends and making new ones.

Some conference highlights included:

• Attending the IFPOA (International Federation of Professional Organizing Associations) meeting with the leaders from Japan, Canada, The Netherlands, The United Kingdom and the United States

Photo by NAPO President, Ellen Faye taken at IFPOA Meeting

• Going to the President's Black & White Reception with dancing and karaoke

• Talking with current and potential ICD subscribers at the ICD Booth during the NAPO Expo

• Discussing the influence of future trends on the organizing industry, including aging, downsizing, coaching, and technology

• Learning new ways to combine video with social media from Mindy Rodenburg

• Hanging out and talking with Denslow Brown

• Learning about Judith Kolberg's unique "to-do" list, digital estate planning, and her dance break during her session

• Seeing hundreds of old friends and making new ones

The days were packed from morning until late night. Everywhere I turned, there were new people to meet and old friends to greet. I loved that part. In between conversations, I attended sessions to learn about new trends, ideas, and concepts. During the sessions, I took notes and tweeted some highlights. Mealtimes gave us further opportunities to talk, connect and share ideas. Are you getting the picture? It was wonderful. At the same time, there was a lot to take in and process. And guess what? My heart was filled with connecting with all the amazing people, but so was my head. By Sunday morning, my mind felt full and cluttered.

Fortunately, I scheduled a later flight on Sunday. This gave me time to visit the Atlanta Botanical Garden to see the beautiful gardens and Chihuly exhibit. If you live in Atlanta or ever have the opportunity to see Dale Chihuly’s art, definitely go!

Dale Chihuly - Atlanta Botanical GardenIt turns out that one of the best cures for my cluttered mind was to spend several hours being outside in the sun, exploring nature, the gardens, seeing and photographing Chihuly’s vibrantly colored and organically shaped glass sculptures, taking in the wonderfully fragrant scents, hearing the sounds of water and birds, feeling the breeze, and walking along the winding paths.

Returning home, I gave myself time to sit by the river to collect my thoughts and review my notes. There are still many people to follow-up with and ideas to simmer and implement. However, by giving myself the time with nature and art, my cluttered mind has settled.

I’m excited about the possibilities, and calm about the pacing. My heart is full and happy. My mind is calm.

What helps you when your mind gets cluttered? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!