The early morning or late afternoon walks along the Wabash Trace are wonderful for counting blessings, solving life opportunities (no problems, just opportunities), and soaking in the wonderful fall sensory pleasures.

There are so many layers within the wooded trail. Year after year the leaves fall, the branches and brambles break, an occasional tree becomes more horizontal than vertical. Layer upon layer of material piles up. What was once on top of the pile sinks to the middle, or even to the bottom of the material.

As I walk I think about the wide and varied interests of the fascinating people we have encountered. For some, one new hobby or interest falls on top of the other interests. Overwhelm sets in as there are not enough hours in the day or room in the workspace or home to accommodate all of the material. Things seem to pile up in the brain with the most recent interest falling to the top, obscuring what was important yesterday and the day before.

Come along on a walk with me, and we will talk about your opportunities for addressing your layers of life! We can also talk or email. Let's talk about those layers of life and how you can prepare for the important things ahead in your life!

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 Milestones are an important way of measuring our progress on the goals we have set for ourselves. As I completed the nearly two year process for being named a Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization (CPO-CD©), the journey seemed full and rich. As I reviewed everything I had learned and done in those months, it seemed as though I were putting hinges on once separate learnings. With the hinges, now the myriad of learnings came together in a very useful way.

My CPO-CD© counterparts are noted on the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization list. Our specialized training in organizing for the chronically disorganized included skill-building in areas including emotional techniques and boundary setting.

My goal is to better serve my clients. She or he may be an individual in a residential setting, a business person in a corporate environment, a child needing some help with organizing, or a participant in one of my workshops or seminars. We can help you become more productive and organized!

What milestone have you set for yourself? I would like to hear from you!

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An octogenarian family member is very good at watching where she walks. Concerned with taking a tumble, she uses handrails and a helping arm as a precautionary measure.

One of every three people 65 years old and older will fall during the next year. The fact that falls among the elderly can limit independent living is a concern to many.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention gives some ideas for preventing in-home falls. One of these is to reduce in-home hazards that can cause falls. Some areas that we see with our professional organizing clients that present a trip-and-fall hazard include the following:

• Piles of papers or objects on the floor
• Narrow passageways with clutter on both sides of the aisle
• Nonworking appliances
• Loose or worn rugs
• Electrical cords
• Inadequate lighting
• Clutter
• Crowded garages, basements or attics

Take a good look around your living space as well as that of someone you care about. Are there some changes that can be made to prevent a fall? If you need help or ideas from a professional organizer, consider that option as well.

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Procrastination is a challenge for many. Psychology Today says one in five people identify themselves as Chronic Procrastinators. Procrastination can be compared to a huge red stop sign that pops up every time there is a decision to be made or a task that needs to be accomplished.

While there are many reasons for procrastinating, or putting things off until later, here are a few reasons that might resonate with you.

• Lack of information. Janine delays getting a flu shot this year because she hasn't had time to research the most cost-effective place to get the immunization. Should she go to the drug store, her doctor's office or a new store that offers the flu shot? The months fly by. Janine never did get the flu shot. In this information-based world, we never will have all the information we need for every decision we need to make. There is simply not time!
• Inaccurate perception of time required for tasks.It's a fact that we tend to overestimate the time it takes to do the things we enjoy doing and underestimate the time to do the things we enjoy. Doug delays taking out the garbage because it will "take too long" but can spend "just a few more minutes on Facebook."
• Overwhelm. People who are chronically disorganized may find that it is difficult to find somewhere to start with big projects so they delay starting and finishing the task at hand.

If you want to make overcoming procrastination a priority, I recommend It's About Time: The 6 Styles of Procrastination and How to Overcome Them by Dr. Linda Sapadin. Learning more about how and why you procrastinate will help you become more productive and organized. 

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As a professional organizer, I continue to take classes and learn how to help my clients lead more productive lives through more effective personal and workplace organization. Compulsive buying was a topic of a recent telecourse I took through the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD).

Do you think you could be a compulsive shopper?  Take this brief seven-question quiz  published in the Journal of Consumer Research to help to determine if you are a compulsive shopper.

According to April Lane Benson, Ph.D. the compulsive need to overshop is often triggered by emotional needs that are unmet, It may not be a new shirt that is needed, but rather a relief from boredom or loneliness. It is easy for a person to become overwhelmed with the sheer volume of the results of overshopping. A professional organizer can help address the space issues but it is vital that the cause of the overshopping be addressed as well.

We are surrounded with countless opportunities to shop--malls and shops, glossy catalogs, the internet, shopping channels on television and fund-raising efforts for many organizations. If you suspect you or someone close to you may be a compulsive shopper, take some time to learn more about overshopping and its effects.

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