Procrastination + Chores

Hey Collectors!

What's going on?! You putting some things off? Are you procrastinating on your chores as usual? What makes you put them off? Are you distracted? Would you rather be doing anything else?

I get it it. You associate your chores with negative feelings. Feelings that stemmed from childhood, old feelings. Household chores = yucky. You might be reminded of being made to pick up as a child, or as many of my clients, you were never shown to pick up, so you don't really know how. Maybe your parents hated chores and you are imitating them subconsciously. Maybe your stomach turns at the thought of doing chores because your entire being associates chores as being painful.

It's time to shift the way you think. Chores = happiness. You can finally have people over, you can find things easily so you are not late, you save money so you are not buying duplicates.
Messy = yucky. Messy equals guilt, embarrassment, shame, always running late, having to buy duplicates.

Let's define the word "chores":

Dictionary.com definition of the word "chores", 

the everyday work around a house or farm.

The word "everyday" is super important, as being organized requires a conscious steady effort. You have to maintain your routine in order for it to last.

Instead of moving towards happiness we stay in the land of procrastination, watching tv, surfing the net, and doing anything else possible. Avoiding. Procrastinating. Staying in a rut. Stagnate. No forward motion.

Do you want to be unhappy not doing chores? Or actually be happy by maintaining your nest?

At what point does being unhappy sitting in a mess become worse than actually picking up?

Ask yourself these questions Collectors. Stop procrastinating! You deserve to be happy!!

Rachel Seavey
Professional Organizer
Blogger

Do you need help getting back on track?

Do you want help establishing new systems and routines? 

Hire a Collector Care Professional Organizer today! 

Reclaim your happiness! 

www.collectorcare.com

925-548-7750

help@collectorcare.com  

Collector Care Rant:TV Set Stages and How They Mislead Us

Hello Collectors! What is your favorite TV show? Take a moment and think, what does the home of the characters on your TV show look like? Large home, green grass, white picket fence? How about inside this (TV set) home? Is everything neat and orderly? Ultra organized?
 
As someone who frequents others homes a lot, I must say, most homes do not look like this inside. These TV sets have been staged, decorated and designed. 

This is the background of one of my favorite shows, Breaking Bad.

If you have pets or kids, you know they come with clutter. How did Alice from the Brady Bunch do it?! She didn't. This was a TV show. All of those kids were not trained to be tidy and she was not a Superwoman.

If you have crafts and hobbies that you like to do - this creates clutter. When you watch your crafting shows  (like Martha Stewart), a crew comes out and cleans up all of her mess before she moves on to the next project. She is amazing, but she has HELP. She is not racing around cleaning during commercials.

If you find you are in need of help, it's OK to call a Professional Organizer, that's what we do. We help you create a space that you want-based on your needs. 

Still looking for that Better Homes and Garden look? We work hand in hand with Interior Designers in the event you want your home staged after we have helped you with the clutter. 

Collectors, it takes an entire team to help you create that TV set look. The first start is to clear the items that no longest serve you out of your home. Donate them to a local shelter as soon as you can. 

Collectors, let's give our selves a break, lower our expectations and begin where we can. A lot of our clients while striving on perfection, allow nothing to get done.  

Collector Care Professional Organizers

Servicing Northern and Central California.
925-548-7750 www.collectorcare.com rachel@collectorcare.com 

Not ready to let someone in? We offer Skype appointments!
Licensed. Bonded. Insured.

 

Collector Care: 4.5 Holiday Travel Tips for Collectors, Savers and Preppers

Happy Holidays Collectors! Thanksgiving is traditionally the busiest travel weekend of the year. Traveling during Thanksgiving often requires patience and a lot of preparation.

Here are 4.5 Travel Tips for Collectors like yourself who are information junkies, prepppers, clutterers, and savers. Enjoy the humor, absorb the good tips and travel on!

1. Plan ahead. Collectors, we know you like a good deal. Take advantage of lower rates in the early fall by using social media. Sign up for sale notifications from your airline of choice on Facebook and Twitter. It’s never too early to start your holiday travel planning. 
2. Pack light/travel light Most of our Collectors have multiple travel bags, before your trip designate one specific travel bag.  Do NOT buy any  travel products, look inside your many existing travel bags and purses for what you need and consolidate. We know you have many toothbrushes, toiletries, and hand sanitizers laying about the house. Take a day to corral them all for your trip. It will save you money and a trip to the store.
3. Find your ID's and Passports. Every week our team recovers passports, ID's, social security cards, checks, check books, gift cards. Collectors, you are going to have to designate ONE safe place for these crucial items. They do not belong in the kitchen pantry under a computer. I'm just saying. If you need help finding something our Tony Leonardini is a recovery specialist and he is more than happy to come help.
   
4. Print your boarding pass at home, or have the link on your phone. We know you battle with losing papers, try your best to keep these in your "current" purse or in sight. I find keeping them in a bright orange folder helps. If all else fails, leave enough time to wait at the counter for check-in.
5. Plan a day to unpack after your trip. I have emptied countless travel bags filled with

We wish you happy travels Collectors! Do your best to not collect too many shampoos and soaps while you are traveling. Note pads and pens can be left in the hotel room. You have everything you need at home, enjoy your clutter free trip!

Collector Care Professional Organizers specialize in custom solutions for clutter, chronic disorganization and hoarding. If you need help locating documents, important identification, or money in order to travel, we can help! Our Organizers are thorough, efficient and honest. We are licensed, insured and bonded. What do you have to lose ... besides the stuff we can find?! www.collectorcare.com

4.5 Reasons You Should Hire a Collector Care Professional Organizer

Hello Collectors! A bit nervous about hiring a professional organizer? Worried about letting someone in? Being judged? Pressured to throw things away? I know this all too well, I hear it all the time.
What I hear after we have worked  is "why didn't I call you a long time ago?!".

Would you trust your neighbor do your dental work? No, you would go to a dentist.
Would you let an 8 year old drive you home? No, you would call a taxi.
Would you hire a school teacher to do your plumbing problems?! Of course not, you would hire a plumber. So when clutter has got you down, why would you not call a professional organizer? It makes sense folks.

We are trained to be extremely thorough, efficient and professional. We handle your stuff with the most delicate of care. We are smart, funny, energetic and non-judgmental. Collector Care Professional Organizers are NAPO members and ICD subscribers. We train our staff on managing client expectations, working with clients with disabilities, and teaching OSHA standards. We pride ourselves on our work, and are always learning new methods and techniques.

Need more encouragement? Here you go Collectors!

1. Misc. clutter builds up. You find yourself overwhelmed and don't know where to start. We come over, with a methodical plan and we organize your belongings in a functional way.
2. You have a bunch of stuff in your garage/attic/kitchen/basement and you want it gone through, organized and/or hauled away. We have all the tools and skills to help you do this efficiently.
   Bye bye clutter!
3. You can't have repairs done in your home due to clutter. We will help you get your place up to par so those repairs can happen. We are not state mandated. We won't call your landlord.  We won't call the police. We won't post your pictures on the internet without your consent. We really want to help you.
4. You are limited by your disabilities.  We work side by side with our clients to develop custom systems that work. We have clients with Chronic Fatigue, Lyme Disease, ADHD, and Clinical Depression (just to name a few). We create a pleasant and healthy work space to help you feel comfortable during the entire process.
5. You don't want someone bossing you around and being in control of your stuff. Wonderful Collectors, YOU are in charge of the entire process. You say what stays and what goes. We donate to the charity of your 

Did I mention we are licensed, insured and bonded? Ok Collectors, I hope that gets your wonderful minds going. Thank you for reading this blog, most of our clients are knowledge collectors and I love hearing that you follow us on our blog and social media (hugs!).

Rachel Seavey, Owner & Blogger of Collector Care
Collector Care specializes in hoarding disorder, chronic disorganization and professional organizing. We  love what we do, and  provide realistic expectations and timelines. Please visit our website at

www.collectorcare.com  or call 925-548-7750

Tweet us on Twitter : Like our Facebook page : Pin with us on Pinterest

Collector Care: 4.5 Products That We Love

Hello Collectors! Want to know what our favorite products are? We want to share them with you! These are products that we use all of the time from our minor #clutter jobs to our major #hoarding jobs.

It's always nice to get free samples, so if you are one of these companies, no pressure!

1. Husky Contractor Bags. I fell in love with these years ago at Home Depot. They can carry a LOT of garbage and donations! These bags are in no means flimsy and are WAY heavy duty. 
2. Lysol Disinfectant. Spray, spritz, pour whatever it comes in, it gets the job done. And it does not leave spots on your clothing like bleach. For someone who wears black a lot, this is important. 
3. 3M N95 Respirators and masks with particulate filters. Ow! Keeps dust and odors out while decluttering.
4. Dickie's Pants. We can't get enough of the multiple pockets and the long lasting wear.
5. Hand Sanitizer from Bath and Body Works. Small enough to fit in your pocket, with many fragrances to

Random Rant On Plastic Bins - from a Hoarding Specialist's Prospective

Howdy Collectors! It's time to corral up all of your plastic bins. They could be clear, many of them are a solid color and some of them have patterns.

The one thing I will tell ya, is they all have DIFFERENT SIZED lids! What is up with that??? Why are lids not UNIVERSAL?? Lids should not be PROPRIETARY! How am I supposed to be efficient while searching through lids for that perfect fit?

Much love to our #hoarding and #ocd clients who know exactly which lids goes to what with the quickest glance.

4.5 Things You Might Not Know About Collector Care

Hello Collectors! We get asked all sorts of things on the job, so I thought I would make some information readily available for any potential clients reading our blog. Please feel free to use this as a forum to ask any other burning questions you might have!

1. We do cleaning as well. Light cleans and deep cleans based on your specific situation. This includes bathrooms and kitchens, dusting and vacuuming. You should ask us!
2. Is safety a concern for you or a loved one? Let us come in and do a free risk assessment. We install fire alarms, carbon monoxide alarms, and do small handyman repairs to assist in your safety.
3. We are not going to come in and throw all your stuff out. We are trained to go item by item upon your discretion, and nothing leaves your home without your approval. We are hands on, meticulous and thorough. We recover valuables daily.
4. Hablo español! ¿Conoces a alguien que necesita ayuda, pero no habla Inglés?  
5. We have a dance that we made up called the Collector Care, first you bend your knees and then you

Collector Care Professional Organizers in the San Francisco Bay Area. We serve the entire Bay Area - we travel often, we don't mind driving - so no excuses! We provide honest timelines and pride ourselves on our efficiency and skill. Whether you have people coming to visit, have always been disorganized, have hoarding disorder, or you just moved - we can help. Closet control and garage organization - we love it.  Can you not have repairs done due to clutter? Have you been turned down from a house cleaning service? Are you tired of living in chaos? These are things we hear all of the time. We understand how you feel, and want to help you regain your living space. Go ahead, give us a call... we offer free estimates. 925-548-7750

Rachel Seavey, Professional Organizer (and blogger) For Collector Care

Collector Care specializes in hoarding disorder, chronic disorganization and professional organizing. We  love what we do, and  provide realistic expectations and timelines. Please visit our website at

www.collectorcare.com  or call 925-548-7750

Tweet us on Twitter : Like our Facebook page : Pin with us on Pinterest

Collector Care: 4.5 Tips On Handling Mail Clutter

Hello Collectors! Are you overwhelmed by mail? Not sure what to keep or save? If you are located in the San Francisco Bay Area, then give us a call today!

Tony Leonardini offers a "Mail Sorting Class" included in our services. Let us create a system that works for you. Save money on late fees and lost paperwork today.

If you are not able to have us over, here are 4.5 tips that can help you reduce mail clutter right away.

1. Do you have piles of mail around? Start by weeding out the junk and recycling it. Junk mail is bulky and by the time you get to read it the coupons may be expired.
2. Do you receive catalogs you don't need? Call the number listed for them and ask them to stop sending you mail.
3. Surrounded by bills? A lot of bills are available online. See what sort of paperless options your providers offer.
4. Set a timer for 30 minutes a day to tackle back logged mail.
5. Worried about your name? Tear it out and shred it. Recycle the rest of the remaining

Don't let mail keep you down any longer!

Collector Care offers custom solutions for clutter. Clear clutter and be happy!

Collector Care - Dogs love us! Professional organizers and pet lovers in the Bay Area!

Collector Care Interviews Organizing Extraordinaire Peter Walsh

You may have seen this handsome Australian American on the TLC hit show "Extreme Clutter", or heard his enchanting voice on the radio. He is a compassionate helper, an amazing organizer and absolutely the kindest for allowing me to interview him on our blog. Folks, let's get a round of applause for Peter Walsh!

Rachel:  At this moment in time, who would you most like to get (free) advice from and why?

Peter: Hmm - great question! I'd like to get free advice from any social media guru and I'm sure there are things in that domain that I could be doing more effectively.

Rachel:  Define success and name a few people you think are successful.

Peter: I think that many people forego success and happiness because when it arrives it doesn't look the way they expected it to look. I think success has to be defined as being firmly in the present with a balanced and reasonable set of expectations. From this perspective, then, success is something that is first achieved internally and not assessed by external criteria. So, for me, another person's success is determined by them, not by me.

Rachel: I'm a new business owner trying to grow my organizing business. What are 3 things you wish you'd done differently when you first started your organizing business?

Peter: I wish I'd spoken with more professional organizers to get some broader perspectives on the profession. I wish I'd embraced social media earlier and more aggressively.
I wish I'd realized that 20% of a job usually takes 80% of the effort.

Rachel: By my standards you are a very successful person; a brand. Would you share some of the types of support you have in place to keep the Peter Walsh brand going strong?

Peter: Sure - I have a very clear vision for my brand, what it is, what it represents and how it presents itself. I call this 'brand intention'. I don't do anything that doesn't align with that. I answer every email that comes to me myself. I delegate wherever possible. I make every effort to work with and to employ people who are much smarter than I am.
As well as his work on TV he has written a few best-selling books about clutter and organization. His first (and favorite) is “It’s All Too Much: An Easy Plan for Living a Richer Life with Less Stuff”. He is now also designing some cool organizational products and hosting a national radio program. This all keeps him busy when he is not travelling or helping people turn their clutter and chaos into calm.

Rachel Seavey, Professional Organizer At Collector Care
Collector Care  serves the San Francisco Bay Area. We specialize in clearing clutter, hoarding disorder, and chronic disorganization.
We  love what we do, and  provide realistic expectations and timelines.

Please visit our website at www.collectorcare.com  or call 925-548-7750
Tweet us on Twitter : Like our Facebook page : Pin us on Pinterest

Manja the hamster needs to get organized! She needs Collector Care Professional Organizers!

Even this tiny little hamster knows who to call when she needs her home or office organized!

Collector Care Professional Organizers Serving the Bay Area! Call us today and make that step to get organized. We love paper, overflowing closets, hoarding, and helping!
More Services:
Home Organization
Office Organization
Storage Units
Tax Help
Handyman work

Check us out at www.collectorcare.com
or call 925-548-7750 today!

Need Help Getting Organized? Collector Care Commercial

You heard the man! 

Call us today at 925-548-7750

or visit us at www.collectorcare.com

www.facebook.com/collectorcare

www.twitter.com/collectorcare

www.pinterest.com/collectorcare

Collector Care Goes Muppet - Professional Organizers In The San Francisco Bay Area

Collector Care Goes Charlie Chaplin Style - Organizing Fun

Hello Collectors! If you know me, you know I have a sense of humor. I have collaborated with some talent and we came up with this video. Do you ever feel like you are always searching for items in clutter? You are not alone. At Collector Care, we understand!

This video may not be sold or redistributed - Copyright Collector Care 2013
However please feel free to share using the social media links provided on this blog, thank you!

Got Clutter? Call us today! 925-548-7750. Clear clutter and start enjoying your new space in no time.
Now offering hauling and on-site shredding!

 

Collector Care Interviews Organizing Expert Regina Lark - A Clear Path

In doing research on the upcoming 7th Annual NAPO Organizing Awards, I came across the name Regina Lark. Holy cow, what a remarkable human being. Just like the songbird, her name sang quietly in my head over the last month. How could I approach this amazing woman for my blog? What would I say? How would I do it?! 

The words came right to me when I was left with an extra ticket to the actual event. Knowing no one in the NAPO LA Chapter, that beautiful name sang once again "Reg-iiin-aaa". 

I decided I would reach out to Regina in hopes to find a good home for my ticket. One week away from the awards, on a Saturday afternoon, Regina responded immediately. What a relief! Besides being prompt upon her response, she was pleasant and kind, finding the perfect home for my ticket.

While I had her hooked, she kindly obliged to be featured on my blog ... but first a bit about Regina!

Regina Lark is founder and president of A Clear Path: Professional Organizing for Home, Work, Life. 

Regina Lark, Ph.D., CPO®

As a Certified Professional Organizer she specializes in working with people with chronic disorganization, ADHD, and hoarding disorders, as well as the folks with way too much stuff!

She chairs the Education Committee for the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and serves as Professional Development Director for NAPO-LA.  

Dr. Lark is a nationally recognized speaker and trainer on issues ranging from hoarding to time management. Her book, Psychic Debris and Crowded Closets: The Relationship between the Stuff in your Head and What's Under your Bed is due out February 2013.

Collector Care Interviews Organizing Expert Regina Lark - A Clear Path

Rachel: What is your favorite thing about working with people with chronic disorganization?
Regina: What I enjoy most about working with the chronically disorganized is helping clients believe that change is possible.
A lot of my CD clients are women with ADHD. They have fallen victim to the "super mom" or "super woman" myth of what it means to be female in the U.S. As a result, really smart, well-educated, successful women are shamed, embarrassed and bewildered by the fact that they have a really hard time getting it together at home. I get a lot of pleasure "meeting people where they live" so I can come up with systems to organize for their brain type (and not mine!).

Rachel: What is your ideal client?

Regina: My ideal is client is the person ready to commit to making big changes in their lives -both behaviorally and cognitively. I want to help them picture their ideal life so we can get there together. My ideal client is also working with a therapist who is knowledgeable about CD, or least understands the relationship between how one thinks about their "stuff" versus their relationship with their stuff.

Rachel: Can you tell me a little bit about testing for ADHD and ADD? Some of my clients are concerned that they may suffer from one of these, how can they find out?

Regina: The only way an adult or child can learn if they have ADHD (see note about ADHD below) is by testing with a mental health professional who can assess, through a series of in-depth questions about time-management and relationships (with people, stuff, environment). It's a relatively simple process. Knowledge is power, for sure, but what one does with the knowledge is where the power really comes into play. The acronym ADHD is the what is used for the diagnosis, not ADD (which became the 'short-hand' over time).  The official diagnosis is Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder with Hyperactivity or Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder without Hyperactivity.

Rachel: What do you do to relax after a long job?

Regina: Oh jeez... I'm such a type-A personality (without the high blood-pressure!) so after a long day in clutter I can usually be found at my desk creating the next workshop or tele-seminar. I love marketing and I'm usually networking at least 3-4x/week.

Rachel: What hobbies do you enjoy?

Regina: I happened to be born with a good singing voice and sang tenor with a chorus for a few years. Now I'm learning how to country-western dance. Working out at Curves, and riding my bike to the beach are also fun and good for my overall emotional and physical well-being. And, while not really a "hobby" - I journal every morning about, well, everything!

Rachel: Local knowledge - What are your 3 favorite restaurants in LA?

Regina: Gaby's Mediterranean Cafe; Kabuki Sushi, Maria's Italian Kitchen

More fun facts about Regina!

Regina ran for the office of Lt. Governor in California in 1998, and she earned a Ph.D. in history from the University of Southern California. Her doctoral research will be published this winter. For fun, she teaches U.S. History at Los Angeles Pierce College.

For more information, visit her website: http://www.AClearPath.net

Regina Lark, Ph.D., CEO

A Clear Path: Professional Organizing for Home, Work, Life

PO Box 241941 Los Angeles, CA 90024

	Watch Dr. Regina Lark on A&E's Emmy nominated show "Hoarders" - Select episode 44 - Billy Bob/Jean

Rachel Seavey, Professional Organizer
I am located in Pleasanton Ca, and serve the San Francisco Bay Area.I specialize in Hoarding Disorder, Chronic Disorganization and helping the overwhelmed with clutter. I love what I do, and I provide realistic expectations and timelines. Don't suffer in chaos any  more. Every breath is a new beginning! Please visit my site at www.collectorcare.com
Tweet me on Twitter : Like my Facebook page : Find me on Pinterest

Dr. Kathleen Crombie - Buried In Treasures Workshop 2013

Is clutter getting in the way of how you want to live your life? 

 Are you feeling overwhelmed with too many possessions?  

Are you embarrassed to have people over?

 Sign up today for a "Buried in Treasures" Workshop in San Francisco Bay Area 

When and Where

Tuesdays from 7:30 PM to 8:30 PM PST starting February 5, 2013 for 15 weeks
286 Santa Clara Ave                                         Oakland, CA 94610
OR
Thursdays from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM PST starting February 7, 2013 for 15 weeks       
700 Ygnacio Valley Blvd., Suite 320         Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Add to Calendar

Contact

Kathleen Crombie, M.A., M.Ed. Counselor & Professional Organizer
Summit Center
510-390-8187
kathleencrombie@summitcenter.us

Many people struggle with clutter. The causes of excess clutter are unique to each person and common among bright, creative people. We are excited to offer a low cost and proven method to learn skills to gain back the control you crave.  Based on the book "Buried in Treasures" the 15 week workshop presents step-by-step, practical solutions to improve your relationship with stuff.  Join us for this unique action-oriented workshop based on proven cognitive-behavioral techniques.  Each week there will be homework of readings and exercises to complete along with setting reasonable goals.  A maintenance group will be offered at the conclusion for all participants.  The workshop is limited to 10 participants at each site. 
Chose the location or day that works for you and make the commitment to change today!  The "Buried in Treasures" workshop will be held:

• Tuesdays from 7:30-8:30 pm starting February 5 Grand-Lake district of Oakland, CA 
• Thursdays, 6:00-7:00 pm starting February 7 in Walnut Creek, CA

The fee is less than $40 per meeting if you take advantage of the early registration fee. Payment must be made for the entire 15 weeks to secure a spot in the workshop.   BONUS:  Included in the fee for all early registrants is a copy of the required book "Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving, and Hoarding" by David F. Tolin, Randy O. Frost and Gail Steketee. 

 Make this the year you create a more organized, functional home!

Register Now!

About Kathleen Crombie

With over 18 years of mental health counseling experience and 4 years as a professional organizer, Kathleen brings a unique blend of skills and compassion to help with clutter issues. She is an experienced group facilitator with a focus on practical solutions. Kathleen is also an active member of the San Francisco Mental Health Hoarding Task Force, a member of American Psychological Association, California Association for the Gifted, Institute of Challenging Disorganization and National Association for Professional Organizers.

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Rachel Seavey, Professional Organizer
I am located in Pleasanton Ca, and serve the San Francisco Bay Area.
I specialize in Hoarding Disorder, Chronic Disorganization and helping the overwhelmed with clutter. I love what I do, and I provide realistic expectations and timelines. Don't suffer in chaos any  more. Every breath is a new beginning! Please visit my site at www.collectorcare.com
Tweet me on Twitter : Like my Facebook page : Find me on Pinterest