Clutter Support Group to Begin February 25th

Join us for a 6 week educational support group for those struggling with getting and staying organized!

There is an educational module we will cover each week, and participants will benefit from discussion and the facilitation by two Certified Professional Organizers. All members of the group will receive a Success Binder, and learning materials. This is a highly interactive group.

Location: The Productivity Center at Discover Organizing
672 Washington Road, Pittsburgh, PA 15228
Time: 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Day: Thursdays, beginning Feb 25, running through April 1

Facilitators: Jill Revitsky, CPO, and Jodi Eisner, MSW, CPO

Call 412-344-3450 or email jill@discoverorganizing.com for information on pricing and how to register.

Past participants have found this to be a very effective way to learn new ways to conquer their challenges with getting organized in their daily lives. Stop wishing your life could be simpler, start making some changes with the right support!

Economic Organizing, or "When the going gets tough, the tough get organized"

In these anxious times, some home-sellers' (and buyers') dreams were put on hold due to the current state of our economy. My take on this? Let's fall in love with our houses again, and have fun doing it! When the going gets tough, the tough get organized.

Let's think about that basement - you were going to clean it out anyway if you moved, so why not tackle it now, while you are waiting for the market to pick back up? It WILL pick back up. We are Americans - we will shop, eat, and play no matter what! So, to get ready for those new purchases to come, here are some ways to make space in your great, existing, home:

Pick the largest storage areas first: Basement, Garage, Attic
Set up 4 cardboard boxes: Keep, Toss, Donate, Sell (use ebay or local consignment shops)
Work Left to Right, Top to Bottom: Read your room, and clear at least 1 Square Foot per day
Create Zones for Your Things: Home Decor, Seasonal Decor, Memorabilia/Photos, Outdoor Games, Gardening Supplies, Hardware/Tools, etc.
Label and Contain Everything: use plastic bins and apply clear packing tape over index cards, labeled with large print for the contents


Just think how prepared you will be when it comes time to really move!

Those little pieces of paper AKA receipts

Ahhh receipts, those little pieces of paper you collect in your wallet or purse throughout the day that tell the tale of when and where you spent your hard-earned money.

I worked in retail for many years and was always fascinated by people’s wallets, billfolds, purses and bags. Some wallets were very neat and orderly, the big bills separated from the smaller bills, receipts kept neatly together, and every credit card in its designated slot. Others were crammed full of receipts, bills folded every which way, and credit cards somewhere amongst it all. “My card is in here somewhere,” was a phrase I heard a lot! Sometimes a person’s wallet would be so filled with receipts, notes on napkins and business cards that it wouldn’t close.

Don’t get me wrong! I kept every receipt, credit card statement and utility bill I ever had, every year, for almost 5 years! I had just graduated from college and finally earned enough money to have to file a tax return. I vaguely remembered something about keeping receipts and documentation, but no one really explained the entire taxpaying process to me, or told me that I didn’t need to keep my receipt from my latest trip to the local Hamburger joint. On top of all that, I lugged that box of paper from one place to another. I remember the sheer joy of shredding it all once I learned that I didn’t need it anymore. It was literally a load off of my shoulders!

Do you know what kind of receipts that you need to save? How long do you have to keep your bank statements, credit card statements and utility bills? Not sure? Swing by the Discover Organizing Store in Mt. Lebanon, Pittsburgh, PA and sign up for a the “Quick Pay and Put It Away” class taught by our Financial Organizer Heidi Calhoun. It’s a great class that walks you through processing your receipts and your mail, helping you pay your bills on time and strategies for storing only the important papers. Call (412) 344-3450 to reserve your space today!

If you’ve completed your 2007 taxes and have filed away the small forest of paper you amassed*, get ready for next year by checking back here every month for tips to make next year’s tax prep a breeze!

Happy, and helpful, receipt collecting,

*Great job on getting it done it early!!