Hazel Thornton

WHY I Love Chores

By Hazel Thornton | May 7, 2018 |

                WHY do I love chores? OK, I don’t. Not really. But hear me out…. I LOVE having someone else clean my house. But, for the most part, I prefer to clean it myself for various financial and Zen reasons. I’ve often thought of housework and exercise as…

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Why do I take before and after photos?

By Hazel Thornton | May 1, 2018 |

One of the first things I explain to a new client is why I take before and after photos. I’ve also recommended them as a “photo trick” to DIY organizers. They are a simple and effective way to enhance your organizing, redesign, or staging project. And they benefit everyone — the organizer, the client, the DIY-er,…

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Is your kitchen counter messier than mine?

By Hazel Thornton | April 16, 2018 |

← This is my kitchen counter. If you think it looks like THAT at all times — not a bit of clutter; complete with fresh fruit and flowers — you will either be disappointed, or relieved, to learn that it also looks like THIS on a regular basis →              …

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Managing Memorabilia: 5 questions to ask before you start

By Hazel Thornton | April 2, 2018 |

              We’ve all inherited and collected keepsakes and memorabilia. Are yours a legacy, or a liability? A blessing, or a burden? Are you afraid to open the boxes that have been languishing in your garage or storage unit? Do you feel overwhelmed by piles of your own photos, letters, kids’ artwork, and other…

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5 ways Keepy can help organize your family history  

By Hazel Thornton | February 14, 2018 |

I am a new Keepy user, not an experienced one. I am personally child-free, but I have recommended it to organizing clients as an option for managing their kids’ paper clutter. Meanwhile, I am intrigued by the possibilities of using Keepy for genealogy purposes, and the more people who agree, the more likely it will be…

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A Valentine for Your Family: Planning for Your Legacy

By Hazel Thornton | February 9, 2018 |

If you got hit by a bus tomorrow, what would your loved ones be left with? Happy memories, or sad ones? Clutter and uncertainty? Or clear instructions and valued keepsakes? What will your legacy be?  

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connect resolution

My New Year’s Resolution

By Hazel Thornton | January 4, 2018 |

I don’t normally make New Year’s resolutions, per se, much less advertise them. This one came from being hard on myself right out of the 2018 gate for goals I already felt behind on in the new year. One of the several things I had not done yet, that I had planned to do, was…

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Mom’s Boxes Part 5: The Old Man of the Mountains

By Hazel Thornton | December 18, 2017 |

READERS: This is the sort of story I intend to write more of over the next few years to share with my family. It’s also the sort of story I encourage you to write about your own family! It doesn’t have to be fancy, with footnotes and such. Just capture the memories for future generations. This…

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Six Organizing Systems Everyone Needs — System #6: Getting Stuff Done

By Hazel Thornton | November 27, 2017 |

How well are your organizing systems working for you? In the introduction to this series I shared the following: What is a system? What 6 organizing systems do I think everyone needs? What 5 questions can you ask yourself to see if your systems are still working for you, or if they need tweaking? Now…

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Six Organizing Systems Everyone Needs — System #5: Clutter Flow

By Hazel Thornton | November 27, 2017 |

How well are your organizing systems working for you? In the introduction to this series I shared the following: What is a system? What 6 organizing systems do I think everyone needs? What 5 questions can you ask yourself to see if your systems are still working for you, or if they need tweaking? Now…

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