I have noticed that many of us waste time looking for lost items or moving clutter from one place to another. We collect things we might need some day, let paperwork pile up and keep stuff we no longer need. Being challenged in these areas, I have gathered a few ideas to help.

Keep in mind that, if you have a really big problem, there is help. Check out www.clutterersanonymous.net. Answer the twenty questions and find out if attending a meeting might be for you. Check this site out if your clutter keeps you from having visitors to your home or if the problem is making your life unmanagable. Therapy can help you uncover the source of a need to hang onto things you no longer need.

Below are some ideas I have found useful.

• Use your calendar to schedule days to clear paper (weekly is good), file it or recycle it
• Keep a recycle bin and waste basket where you go through the mail. Go through your mail daily and organize it right then.
• Keep magazines for no more than a year. Use the winter rains or holiday time to look through one last time and recycle. If you must keep them longer, invest in good storage to organize the info you need.
• Clean out closets seasonally. Promise yourself to go through and donate when you buy new things to wear. Don't get to the Goodwill on December 31st when they are too full to take your donation.
• Work with kids on cleaning out old belongings and too small clothes before new ones come into their rooms. Help them out by providing appropriate storage for things.
• If you have a garage or outside storage, calendar a day at least twice a year to get it organized.
• Start small. Don't wait until a job is overwhelming. Pick a corner to clean up and spend an hour.
• Do take the donations, recycling etc away. Don't let it pile up somewhere in your home.

One of the best books I have found to help deal with all the papers, things to remember and appointments is Getting Things Done by David Allen. Allen's book has two main premises that I like:
Increasing personal efficiency and organization improves creative results.
There is a direct relationship between productivity and our ability to relax with a clear mind.

When we have something to do, even if it is not for a few days or weeks, our minds keep coming back to it, reminding and reviewing, without prioritizing. This keeps our thoughts cluttered and interferes with what we want to do NOW. By writing things down in a reliable place, creating To Do or In boxes that function properly and delegating, we unclutter our thoughts. If I know I will get a reminder that I need to call the dentist, I eliminate that little nagging thought from coming in when I am working.
Allen's suggestions work for the electronically minded and those who prefer paper. Files are files and any calendar works, if you use it. I encourage folks to just start somewhere. Consider buddying up with a friend and dedicating a day to each of you to unclutter your home or organize your files. With the right person, you can make it fun and gain some perspective through the eyes of another.

By uncluttering our homes and offices, we unclutter our minds, making space for more quality of life. Slowing down and simplifying is one of the keys to living Your Authentic Life!

Parenting teens can be a fun and memorable part of raising kids. So many parents and teens that I meet are just not having a good time with each other. Here are just a few of the tips I have used and taught folks. I am committed to helping parents find and express the love and appreciation they have for their almost adult family members.

• First, decide that you like teens and plan to have a positive relationship with them.
• Leave room for them to be experimenting and finding out who they are. Remind yourself that they are still growing and changing.
• Reframe their "rebellion" in positive terms such as, individuation and exploration of values.
• Make contact with some twenty somethings you like and ask them what they were like in their teens. Find out what they think is helpful.
• Let go of YOUR expectations and find out what is going on for them, their goals, challenges and dreams.
• Learn to empower teens to make changes in their lives. Get clear about the difference between empowering and enabling.

If you think your teen has a problem with substance abuse, share your concern from a place of love and caring. Don't jump to conclusions out of fear. Spend time with your teen talking and finding out about their current challenges. Offer to be a listener and then listen! Threats, ultimatums and traps don't build connection. Help troubled teens find ways to help themselves without cutting off communication. Offer and support treatment when appropriate. And remember to take good care of yourself and nurture your other relationships.

Remember that, when they come out the other side of the challenges of adolescence, you want to have a loving connection. Avoid the pitfalls of dehumanizing them. Make sure the message of love gets through! Remind yourself that we are all human beings, deserving of dignity and respect.

I have supported women on their unique journeys to create a spiritual path that they can resonate with. I offer individual support and consultation for those on an unfolding spiritual path. Presentations, groups, workshops and ritual making are all available to those who feel curious or called to honor the feminine in their lives.

I now offer phone sessions by appointment. Sessions are available Monday through Thursday. I accept MasterCard and Visa as well as checks and Paypal. Geography need no longer limit your access to working with me!

The next 6 Week Be Well Spoken Class runs September 26 through October 31, and meets in Santa Rosa, CA on Tuesday evenings from 7 to 9PM.
The cost is $225 Sign up with a friend and you each save $20.