Oh my gosh, I haven’t written a blog post alllllll year!

Haha! Don’t you love my “post 2-week break from school, holiday madness, my house is a mess and now where do I put it all or find the energy to do it” sense of humor?

Seriously though, Happy New Year everyone! Did you make it through? Survive the holidays and New Year’s celebrations and family / friend time? Is your house a disaster like mine? Did you have to run to the grocery store last night (like me) because you forgot it was back to making lunches and packing snacks? And more importantly, are you surviving the New Year’s “let’s get organized – it’s time to declutter!” info onslaught? Don’t worry…try not to get overwhelmed by the info coming at you. Keep in mind, you can get organized at any point during the year….not only because it’s January 1st.

This post is going to be all over the place because my mind is all over the place. Actually, funny thing, my mind and my spaces are all over the place too. I have a lot to share and once my office and calendar are back in shape, you’ll be hearing more in depth info. But since I post in real time over here, I thought I’d pop in today and share the current topics / goals rolling around this overwhelmed head of mine as well as some plans for Simply Organized in 2015!

Bullet points, shall we?….

** First of all, I’m not a big resolution gal. Have said this before so this isn’t new. I believe you can set a goal at any point during the year. For example, last year I started working out again after years of not doing any physical activity. Yes, I said years, folks. I started slow by working out with a trainer for 30 minutes a few times a week. In the summer it slowed down because the kids were home. And in October I went completely off the trainer grid in order to have more control of my schedule. I started a workout program and haven’t quit. Because of trips and holiday stuff, I finished week 8 of 12 this morning….but I’m doing it! And it’s a perfect example of setting a goal at any time – you can be flexible. My fitness situation for example – started in October. Not January!

That said, where I feel the need to set goals and think about the coming year in my World? It’s not personal goals. It typically involves my business and this little blog. A lot of companies are reaching out with the holidays behind us and their new year / budgets ramping up. I’m having to hunker down and think about offers / ideas coming my way. Ultimately, this blog is defined by me and my readers…not what companies want it to be. I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about my hopes and dreams for the blog and my actual business for 2015. I’m going to keep blogging and working with companies…but this year you’ll be seeing more of my work with client’s. My little business has been picking up and I have a steady stream of regular’s I’m working with. I’m grateful to work with / for them…happy to help them solve problems and be happier in their spaces…but also very happy that I’ll be sharing real-life stories here on the blog. Not just challenges I’m having in my own home. Everyone lives differently, has different challenges and come from different life experiences. Some client’s need more help than others. I’m looking forward to helping many people this year and sharing it all right here with you! Don’t worry, you’ll still see things around this house and new, fun organization ideas. More on that below.

** You may have noticed in the fall that my blog site address changed…

Or maybe you didn’t notice? I have to admit, it was pretty seamless. I’m still on the google / blogger platform, but I bought my own domain name in the fall and my site developer did his tech magic to make that site address change. A big goal this year will be moving off blogger and onto my own site. He’s going to help me accomplish that big feat, thank you! We have a designer on board that’s going to help me look a little nicer too. Don’t worry – my look isn’t going to change that much. I love my blog header that I created all by myself…not going to get all fancy pants on you guys. Just some simple fine-tuning, which will help with press packets and other things like business cards. With over 3 years of blogging, the amount of images I’ve shared and will continue to share, all those blog posts, and things you don’t see behind the scenes…it’s certain to be a process. Therefore it’s worth paying for someone to help me get it done the correct way.

Oh, what’s the new site address? If you didn’t already see it in your browser, it’s simplyorganized.me. 😉

** You may have also noticed a new image of me on the blog sidebar…

That’s me…with a shower….and not wearing work-out clothes. A rare occurrence around this house…

** This year I have a lot of organization ideas /projects to share (duh – it’s an organization blog, Sam!). I started a list last year…

…and have been adding more ideas with each passing week. These lists are proof that those type of posts will continue! This is also proof that I can find just about any reason to organize anything and make it a blog post it – ha!

** You’ll continue seeing home improvement and DIY projects happening around here. This week, I’m wrapping up the gate / pillar project in the front yard…otherwise known as “the project that will never end”. My mason is here today finishing the stone facing and pillar caps, but the gate has some issues. Can you believe it?! I’ll share more soon! After this project stress and the amount of money spent already, there will be a break for a few months in order to save. Save money and my sanity.

** There are plenty of big projects to plan for and share however – like my plans for a new kitchen, the remodel in front, the addition of a second story on the left side of the house, an outdoor BBQ / patio area, a garden, and getting all of the landscaping done on the property. Need money for these projects and the chances of all of it getting done this year are highly unlikely. But they will be talked about…and a few may be completed by years end.

** This year I’m planning to make more videos / tutorials for my YouTube Channel. Many of us learn visually. I do my best to get a lot of images loaded up in here, but sometimes video works better. So look for more of those! Oh, and they are going to be a whole lot shorter in length too!

** I’ve mentioned in here that I’m a member of NAPO. This year I’m going to continue my work with them and have hopes to share several interviews with my peers as well as hot organization topics…think a “how would you solve this issue?” type of thing.

** And I want to dig a little deeper this year too. Sharing a before and after is so fun – I love the immediate satisfaction of those types of projects. But I want to dig deeper into tough topics, like how to deal with sentimental clutter. I’ve started a week-long series with info, tips and ideas on Instagram. However, the nitty gritty will always be shared here on the blog….because this is the place I can add more text and not just a few lines as I do on Instagram…

Alright friends…I struck a nerve a few weeks ago when I mentioned the emotions behind purging – aka sentimental clutter. I told you I’d be sharing more. So, for the next week *this* is what we’re talking about. I’m certain in the new year you’ve seen a whole bunch of tips and images about decluttering. Don’t get me wrong, those are great, motivating and inspiring. But I think what’s missing in those posts and images = the fact that there are people with feelings involved. We all want that pretty, organized space but many of us struggle to declutter. Feel paralyzed with where to begin. Why? Because that involves you having to get rid of something (or a lot of something’s) that means a whole lot to you. Let’s get a layer deeper this week by finding out why we hold onto it and how we can work to move past it. Think of it as laying a solid, healthy foundation for that organizing you’re going to do this new year ?. It won’t stick unless you get a little deeper, friends. Old habits die hard. Today let’s start with your trigger. Not everyone has the same emotional trigger or reason for keeping items, but everyone has one. What’s yours? Is it because your child made it or wore it? Is it something a family member bought for you – maybe they are still living so you feel pressure to keep it or maybe they have passed on and you’re keeping for that reason? Did you buy it when you were younger? Did you pay a lot of money for it and can’t stand the idea of selling it for a significantly less amount? Is it something you wore when you worked years ago in your first job? Is it something you think you’ll wear later? I had a client last week who was keeping a long brown coat because she had the idea that “one day” in the winter she’d wear it downtown to go shopping. By the way, it had been in her closet for 5+ years and she never went downtown shopping in the winter. Are you too struggling with that “one day” trigger? Take a moment to reflect on what type of clutter seems to cause an emotional reaction for you. We can’t move forward until we know what that is. #professionalorganizer #sentimentalclutter #selfcare #organization #motivation

So plan on digging a little deeper into the psychology behind the reasons why we struggle to really get organized…and stay organized.

** I am writing for a local Mom’s club and contribute articles occasionally for other bloggers / blogs. This year I’ll continue doing that. Maybe a little more…and maybe some bigger reads, locally and nationally.

** I have hopes to attend a blog conference. There are several to choose from and while I’d love to attend them all, I have 3 kids and everyday life…and a limited budget. But this year I’ll definitely attend one….maaaaaaybe 2. Connecting with my blogging community is important, so it’s time to branch out and meet some of these peeps in real life.

** I’m leaving some room in here for the unknown. If there’s one thing I don’t want to do this year is inundate myself with too much and end up wearing blinders. I want to see everything in the periphery and in doing so leave myself open to new ideas, partnerships and new happy things / experiences. For example, I never guessed I’d find myself at Martha Stewart’s headquarters in NYC last fall. That wasn’t in the 2014 plans, but I’m so glad I opened myself up to it!

I know, a lot to take in. But remember, I have 12 months ahead of me. It’s all about one day at a time, one project at a time.

Most importantly, I want to thank you for reading along and following on social media. I love this blog so much and it’s amazing how much I have cherished this little outlet and connection….but it wouldn’t be where it is and I wouldn’t have the drive to continue without your loyal readership. Thank you! And Happy New Year!!…