Articles & Hints from In Its Place

Organizing Articles and Tips by Jody Adams

Each of these articles are PDF Files.  You must have the freely available Adobe Acrobat Reader to view the files. 

• What's in Your Closet
  Take advantage of the fall season to prepare for more time indoors and to get a jump-start on the upcoming holidays.   If you haven’t looked in your hall closets for ...
   
• Diagnosis: Clutter ... Rx: Get Organized
  The “stuff” in our lives can bring us joy and comfort, make performing some tasks easier, and provide us with a sense of accomplishment.  But when the “stuff” begins to ...
   
• Get Organized So Tax Time Doesn't Have to be Taxing
  Ready to file your taxes?  Is your paperwork in order?  Still trying to track down last year’s expenses?  You just know that pile you set aside is there.  Somewhere. Perhaps it’s buried...
   
• Summer + Back to School Planning  = Less Stress
  Do you believe it’s August already?  Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time for barbecues, picnics, and vacations before cooler weather sets in.  It’s also time to start...
   
• It’s Never Too Late!
  Your New Year’s Resolution to get organized faded by Valentine’s Day.  “Spring cleaning” time has come and gone.  You’ve spent the last few months enjoying outdoor...
   
• Holiday Gift-Giving "Food for Thought" . . .
  Gifts don’t always have to be things that you wear or that sit on a shelf.  They can be “consumables” and experiences that enhance the lives of your recipients without becoming...
   
• Healthier Living
  As summer approaches, outdoor activities and fresh produce from your local farmer’s market make healthier living easy to do. Here are some suggestions for a healthier...
   
• Get Organized for a Fresh Start in the New Year
  Happy New Year!  It’s a time of renewal, clean slates, and, of course, resolutions.  One of the most common of these is to get organized.  But before you hurry out to buy stacks of plastic...
   
• Make YOUR Family’s Heritage Come Alive!
  Tired of looking at dust-covered old photos, piles of paper, or seemingly meaningless mementos?  Why not get them out and bring them to life in a way that involves ...
   
• Downsizing Doesn’t Have to Be a “DOWNER”
  Transitioning to a smaller living space can be a scary, overwhelming, and even depressing prospect.  It can be especially difficult for elderly homeowners who have ...

Newspaper Articles Quoting Jody Adams, Professional Organizer

• Getting rid of clutter -- one pile at a time - Daily Courier
• Don't let routines turn into ruts - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
• Planning is key to an efficient a.m. routine, parents say - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
• For many, garage is last bastion of clutter - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

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Helpful Hints & Resources to Reduce Clutter
and Become More Organized

Little things done everyday to reduce clutter and become more organized add up to noticeable differences.  Here are some helpful hints and resources you can use so you don’t create clutter for your friends and family as well.

Give Gifts That Don’t Create Clutter

Here are some gift-giving alternatives that bring joy to the recipient while supporting your local and international community:

Gift Certificates

• From restaurant meals and dancing lessons to movies and white water rafting, your recipient can enjoy almost any activity with a gift certificate from you.  (And gift certificates don’t add to paper clutter!)

Give Donations in Someone’s Name

Your recipient will know that their favorite cause or someone less fortunate has been helped in their name.  Here are some suggestions:

• Westmoreland County Food Bank
• Second Harvest - Type in zip code to locate a food bank near you.
• Habitat for Humanity - Click on local affiliates link and search by zip code
• Toys for Tots (Westmoreland County) or www.toysfortots.org - Click on Find a local campaign office
• Local Animal Rescue/Humane Societies - Click on Locate shelters and rescue groups in your area, then type in zip code or city/state
• Heifer International - To work with communities to end hunger and poverty and to care for the earth.
• Trees for the Future
• Pewter Ornaments/Plant a Tree efforts
• GlobalGiving - Online marketplace for international giving
• Guidestar, Charity Watch, and Charity Navigator are charity watchdog services dedicated to helping donors make informed giving decisions.
• Donors Choose - Posts requests from teachers in underfunded public schools for donations to cover supplies
• EarthShare - Nationwide network of the country's most respected environmental and conservation organizations

Consumables

• Where We Like To Eat n’ At!  by Gail Nesbitt Jones & Marsha Dugan Kolbe contains names and descriptions of 57 eateries in and around Pittsburgh.  Ideal for those who love good food and exploring Pittsburgh area neighborhoods – combine with a gift certificate to one (or several) of the establishments listed for the perfect gift!  Visit www.eatnat.com.
• A gift basket of items from your local farmer’s market, or a season’s share of healthy
  organic produce from your local CSA (community supported agriculture), such as Sarver’s Hill Farm in Greensburg, PA www.localharvest.org/store/M3280
• Delicious organic gourmet cookies & biscotti from Truly Wise, made with the finest fresh ingredients and shipped to your door. www.2sweetkidz.com

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Service Area

In Its Place provides professional home organizing and office organizing services.  Our service area includes but is not limited to: Westmoreland County and the Pittsburgh region, including the communities of Apollo, Churchill, Delmont, Derry, Export, Greensburg, Hempfield Township, Irwin, Jeannette, Latrobe, Ligonier, Lower Burrell, Manor, McKeesport, Monroeville, Mount Pleasant, Murrysville, New Kensington, New Stanton, North Huntingdon, Penn Hills, Penn Township, Pittsburgh, Salem Township, Scottdale, Somerset, Squirrel Hill, Trafford, Uniontown, Vandergrift, White Oak, and Youngwood.

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