Peace of Mind Organizing

Worth repeating (again): Lessons learned from a painful thumb

21 July 2026

I wrote this post almost exactly ten years ago today. When I re-read it, I nodded along with the insights. I was glad for the reminder so I thought I’d share it again today. I’m happy to report that my thumb remains pain-free, ten years after that cortisone shot!

I was diagnosed with trigger finger recently (trigger thumb, actually). Trigger finger happens when the tendon in a finger or thumb becomes inflamed, causing the finger to catch in its sheath. The finger then locks in the bent position and then releases with a snap.

As soon as I noticed severe pain in my thumb and experienced that tell-tale snap after waking up, along with a constant dull pain in the thumb, I made an appointment with a hand doctor. (My husband has had surgery for trigger finger twice, so I was clued in.) The doctor confirmed my self-diagnosis and suggested a steroid shot. I’d heard that the steroid shot was really painful, but I decided to give it a try.

What does this have to do with organizing? It brought to mind two things that I see in clients while decluttering and organizing.

First, the fear of the pain of the shot was worse than the pain itself. And while it was quite painful for about 10 to 12 (long) seconds, it wasn’t by any means unbearable. Once the pain of the shot was gone, the pain of the condition slowly started to fade away.

It got me thinking about the fear some clients feel about hiring an organizer or the prospect of going through the decision-making process of decluttering. It seems scary, but the pain is over pretty quickly. And once you’re past the pain of getting started, you can start getting relief.

After I got my steroid shot I was (unrealistically) expecting instant relief. That wasn’t the case. It took probably a week, but every day there was less pain in my thumb. Then one day there was no pain at all. I could grip items without pain and the constant dull ache was gone. And mornings were much easier, since I woke up pain free.

It probably took me a week to notice the absence of pain. That was a real a-ha moment for me. Once I noticed that my thumb no longer hurt, I was delighted. The shot had worked! I was amazed that it took so long to notice.

Isn’t that true of a lot of things in life, including organizing systems? We notice what isn’t working. We feel the pain and frustration of failing systems or the absence of systems. But when things are going well, we often don’t even notice. We’re missing an opportunity to feel good about ourselves!

I encourage you to think about the things in your life that are working well. Notice the absence of frustration. Think about what you’re doing right and apply those lessons to the frustrating aspects of your life.

Noticing the absence of pain isn’t easy. But it can be rewarding!

Photo by Tash Williams on Unsplash

Our 300th episode!

1 July 2026

The podcast I co-host, Getting to Good Enough, hit a milestone a couple of weeks ago. We published our 300th episode! I co-host the podcast with my friend, life coach Shannon Wilkinson. We started it in 2018, published weekly for five years, and took a two-year hiatus before reviving it in 2025.

The 300th episode is special because Shanon and I were together when we recorded it. We typically record it over the internet from our homes in Portland, Oregon (Shannon) and St. Louis (me). Since the reboot, we’ve also recorded video for our YouTube channel. The 300th episode shows us sitting side by side, rather than in a split screen. If you’re interested, you can watch it below. (Feel free to click over to our YouTube channel and subscribe!)

The theme of the podcast is letting go of perfectionism so you can live with more ease, less stress and a lot more laughter. It’s a theme can apply to so many topics. Early on we identified a truth that underpins all our discussions. It comes up in our conversation almost every episode. And I wanted to share it here:

The key to letting go of perfectionism is identifying what’s important to you.

Once you are in touch with what’s important to you, decisions become easier. When you let what’s important to you be your touchstone, things fall into place.

Shannon and I started the podcast because we thought it would be fun. And it is. (Though it does require some work.) We certainly don’t do it to make money. But I get to talk with a seasoned and talented life coach every week, which is not only fun it’s beneficial. Exploring themes around perfectionism has made me aware of when I’m letting perfectionism get in my way (despite considering my self a “good enough” person). It’s helped me make improvements in my life and productivity.

If you’re not listening, I encourage you to check it out wherever you get your podcasts.

And if you have a dream of starting podcast (or really, doing anything that might feel outside of your comfort zone), I encourage you to give it a shot! If we can do it, you can too. The tools available in 2026 make it much easier to start a podcast than it was in 2018. Just don’t let perfectionism get in your way!

Worth repeating: Figuring out what to watch on TV

15 June 2026

I wrote this post back in 2017 and I when I stumbled on it this morning I was struck by how the struggle has not gotten any easier over the last decade. In fact, I think it’s harder for me to figure out what to watch! There are so many excellent choices that it can be paralyzing. Rereading this post made me want to try a little harder to stay focused so I maximize my quality TV time.

I’ve learned over the years how easily overwhelmed I am when I have too many choices. I blogged a few years ago about how I prefer buying Apple computers because they limit your choices. I know that one of the reasons I love my tiny wardrobe is that I don’t have to choose from a lot of options when I get dressed.

My most recent struggle with too many choices is television. I love TV and usually watch some TV while I knit or color in the evening. But I find myself yearning for my childhood days when I had a choice of about four things to watch. I cut the cord on cable five years ago but now there’s more to watch than ever before.

With all the choices available to me on Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, plus various other channels on my Roku, I can’t settle on anything! And it’s making me a little crazy. Last night I found myself killing an hour watching a new game show for heaven’s sake (The Wall, not worth my time)!

For some reason I’m turning TV watching, which I do to relax, into a source of stress. That’s ridiculous. I think I have to do something to narrow down the options, so I’m not stressed out by deciding what to watch. Here’s what I think I’ll do:

• Pick two shows (a comedy and a drama/action show) with the intention of watching each in its entirety, because I love doing that. I’m selecting two so I can choose depending on my mood.
• Give the shows on the current lineup at least three episodes each before abandoning.
• Keep a list in Evernote of shows I’ve tried watching, shows I’d like to check out, and shows I’ve seen before that I’d consider streaming again. (2026 comment: I now use my Bullet Journal for these lists.)

I just found this Rolling Stone article on the 100 best TV shows of all time. I’ve seen many of them (and would rewatch some) and it reminds me of some renowned shows that I’ve been meaning to watch. I think it will help me create a few lists to narrow things down so can get past this frustration.

How about you? How do you handle deciding what to watch on TV? Also, do you have any shows you think I should add to my short list?

The power of incremental progress

4 June 2026

I just achieved a big fitness goal and I’m thrilled. Back in October 2025 I set a goal of being able to walk from the ground floor of my high-rise apartment building up to my 35th floor apartment. I thought of it as 35 floors, though I realized late in the game that it’s actually 34 to my apartment. So I changed the goal to being able to walk from the first floor to the 36th. (That’s a photo of my building on the left. In case you’re curious, there are 18 stairs per flight for most of the flights. A few have 20 stairs.)

Why that crazy goal?

• The initial inclination was a practical consideration. I wanted to feel comfortable walking to my apartment if the elevator went out. The building has three elevators but there have been times when we were down to one (crowded) elevator. Knowing I can walk up if I need to is liberating.

• I wanted a fitness goal that is achievable with measurable progress toward success.

• I wanted it to be as easy as possible. I didn’t want to have to leave the building to train and I didn’t want to spend a lot of time doing it.

I’m proud to say that on Tuesday, May 27, I walked from the first floor to the 36th floor!

I started with 15 flights. Initially I walked down 15 flights to the 20th floor and then back up to 35. But once I got to about 19 flights, I noticed my quads were hurting from walking downstairs. So I curtailed walking down and focused on walking up.

In January, I was at 19 flights and got serious about a schedule. With the help of my AI assistant, I created a schedule that had me walking the stairs twice a week, adding one floor per week. I was able to add more flights before resting. By the time I got to 35 floors, I was down to two rest stops per workout.

I made a little chart in my Bullet Journal to keep track of my progress. I noted the number of flights, the number of rests, my average heart rate and my maximum beats per minute. I also noted the time of day (and discovered that the earlier I walked the stairs, the easier for it was for me) and how long the workout took.

Looking at the data, my heart rate patterns remained steady as I added floors. And of course, the time I spent went up but the average time per floor went down, partly because I was taking fewer rest stops. It took me 11 minutes, 15 seconds to walk 35 floors earlier this week.

It blows my mind that I can do this. I’m a a 63-year-old dyed-in-the-wool couch potato. I am working out with a great trainer weekly, which has made a huge difference in my fitness. But I think the key to my success with the stairs challenge is the incremental progress.

By adding just one floor per week over the course of seven months, I was able to achieve my goal of walking up 35 flights of stairs without dread.

Now that I have achieved my initial goal, my plan is to keep walking the stairs twice a week with a new goal: I want to walk from 1 to 36 without stopping. Of course, my first interim goal is to do it with just one stop. Then I’ll make my stopping point a higher floor (perhaps one higher per week) until I can walk to 36 without a rest. This week, I walked from 1 to 15 without stopping for a rest. (Back in March, I was only walking six floors until I had to rest and I was taking four stops on a 24-floor trip.)

For me this workout is a complete package that helps strengthen my legs and heart and has a practical application. I can do it without leaving home, without seeing others (except in the elevator down) and it’s less than 15 minutes out of my day.

When it comes to exercise goals (or really any goals), making the activity as enjoyable as possible and making slow, steady progress really sets you up for success. I’d like to apply this to many things in my life!

Podcast guest spot on the role of organization for folks with chronic illness

14 May 2026

I was interviewed last month for the podcast, Life at Pancake Rocks, which is hosted by Christina Schulze, an advocate for people living with chronic disease. Christina has cystic fibrosis and had a double lung transplant almost 20 years ago. Her podcast covers a variety of topics that folks who are grappling with chronic disease.

I enjoyed our conversation and her thoughtful questions around organization and how it can be helpful for her audience. I provided some ideas about keeping a manageable home a little easier (like letting go of “should” and giving yourself grace).

Watch below or on YouTube:

No excuses series (part 3): "It was a present"

11 May 2026

This is the third in a three-part series of posts about the three excuses we hear most frequently from clients for wanting to keep items they no longer use or love. The series originally ran in January and February 2017 and I rerun it periodically. This time around, Part 1 (But I might need it some day ) was published on April 15, 2026 and Part 2 (I paid a lot for that item) appeared April 23, 2026.

The third common excuse we hear for keeping an unloved or unused item is that it was a gift. This is a tough one. People tend to have a difficult time parting with items that were given to them. (As an aside, this has completely changed how I give gifts, knowing that my gift may some day become clutter for the recipient.)

What do I say to clients who tell me they can’t let go of something because it was a gift? The first question I ask is:

• Do you think the gift giver would really want you to keep something you don’t use, just because they gave it to you? If they knew you were investing time and money in paring down your belongings and getting organized, would they care if you let it go?

Usually that’s enough to help the client release it. If that doesn’t do the trick, I might ask:

• Is there another family member you can pass this on to who would love it?

That can be very helpful, especially when the gift giver has passed away. (I’m the thrilled recipient of some paintings that my grandmother painted, given to me by her nieces when they were decluttering.)

Really, what I find is that often the client just needs permission to let gifts go. So let me do that for you right now: You are not obligated to keep an item you don’t use or love just because it was a gift. I give you permission to re-gift it or donate it. Don’t stash it in a closet. And try not to worry that the giver will ever ask about it. Chances are they won’t.

No excuses series (part 2): "I paid a lot for that item"

23 April 2026

This is the second in a three-part series of posts about the three excuses we frequently hear from clients for wanting to keep items they no longer use or love. The series originally ran in January and February 2017 and I rerun it periodically because we’re still hearing these things. Here’s a link to part 1. Stay tuned for part 3 in the coming weeks.

The second most common excuse we hear from clients who want to keep something they don’t use of love is that they paid a lot for that item. I get it. It feels terrible to let go of an expensive item that turned out to be a foolhardy purchase. But you know what? Keeping it doesn’t make you feel any better. In fact, when you see the item, it just makes you feel worse.

There are two important things to remember when you’re tempted to keep an item you don’t use or love just because you paid a lot for it:

1. The money is spent. Keeping it won’t bring it back. Selling it will recoup some of the money. And donating might get you a tax deduction. Keeping it doesn’t help.
2. There’s a cost associated with keeping items that you don’t use or love, especially if clutter is an issue in your life. There’s an emotional cost (that reminder of your bad purchasing decision); there can be a physical cost if the item contributes to clutter that poses a tripping hazard or you’re unable to clean because there’s so much clutter; and there can be a financial cost if there’s so much clutter that you have to rent a storage unit or you can’t make repairs or do maintenance in your home.

For those expensive items you don’t use or love, I suggest pulling off the Band-aid. Take a deep breath and decide to let it go. If it’s easy to sell it, do so. Otherwise, donate it or make yourself feel better by giving it to someone you love. I’m pretty sure it will be a relief to get that thing out of your home!