OCTOBER 2023

Hello organizing clients and friends! I'm pleased to share two recent milestones with you:

100 five-star reviews! Thank you for writing such heartfelt reviews! It is a privilege to be welcomed into your homes.

100 classes at HIIT Lab! Home organizing is about creating environments that support how you want to live, including supporting and protecting your good habits. In my own life, I use the home organizing principles of 'reduce friction,' 'done is better than perfect,' and 'victory laps' to support my good habit of exercise. Going to HIIT Lab (High Intensity Interval Training) three days a week boosts my emotional well-being, builds the strength I need to do my job, and bolsters my long-term health. But! It is also time-consuming, tiring, and physically difficult. To protect this good habit, I use these organizing principles: Reduce friction: If you’ve worked with me, you know that I look for ‘friction,’ meaning any systems in your home that feel overwhelming, frustrating, or overly complicated to you, as those systems are likely unsustainable. Then we 'reduce friction' by changing your environment (declutter, clean, categorize, contain, label) so that your systems feel intuitive and manageable. Similarly, to ensure that I exercise regularly, I ‘reduce friction’ by laying out my workout clothes, water bottle, and keys the night before class; attending early morning classes when I have energy and willpower; and going to a friendly and inclusive studio close to my house. (‘Friction’ for me would be having to drive across town after work when I'm tired to take evening classes with mean teachers.) Done is better than perfect: In home organizing, I go for speed and for efficient results versus pursuing unrealistic standards of perfection. Similarly, at HIIT Lab I measure my success by my attendance (‘done’) versus by my results (‘perfect’). Most of my classmates are decades younger than me and/or hardcore athletes, so comparing my results to theirs would be unrealistic. Instead, I count just showing up as a 100% win. Victory laps: Also if you’ve worked with me, you know that at the end of each organizing session we take a ‘victory lap’ to celebrate the work we’ve done. Similarly, after each HIIT class, I enjoy a hot shower, an excellent cup of tea, and quite literally I put a gold star sticker in my planner. Done! Especially as I'm not even remotely sporty, this 100-class milestone feels big. Here's me with one of my favorite teachers, powerhouse Megan Muhlenkamp:

Home office 'before & after'

This client's home office is a great example of the power of decluttering. After sorting through all of the items in his office (desk supplies, old paperwork, old electronics) the client found that the majority were duplicates, outdated, or no longer relevant. After much recycling, shredding, and tossing, plus relocating items that didn't belong in the office, we found there was no longer a need for so many storage drawers and bins. As the client's job had changed, he also no longer needed the second desk and chair. So we put out the extra furniture in the alley with 'free' signs and they were snapped up that afternoon. (I also took his electronic recycling to the fantastic non-profit organization InterConnection.) As a result, the client's current technology and preferred office supplies fit into the small set of labeled drawers to the left of his desk, and his important paperwork fits in a small file box in labeled files. His home office is now streamlined and efficient, spacious and peaceful.

Art studio 'after'

This client, a multimedia artist, did a beautiful job of creating both abundant storage and ample work space in her small studio.  She installed IKEA Boaxel shelving herself. Note her effective use of space: she installed shelves from floor to ceiling and along the entire length of two walls. We sorted through all of her supplies and tools, containing and labeling each category into IKEA 12- and 17-gallon SAMLA bins and Sterilite 6-quart bins. She pared down her materials so that each category fits within its designated bin. (I took her art supply donations to the non-profit Seattle ReCreative.)  As a result, the client knows exactly where her materials and tools are, plus she now has an open work table and open floor space for making fabulous art.

Ready to schedule an organizing session? Happy to help! I'm currently booking for November and keep a waitlist if you need an earlier date. Returning clients, text 206-932-2939 or email lisajoholtby@gmail.com. New clients, please schedule a (free) consult call. FAQs, photos, how-to videos, and podcast interviews are on my website.

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