Month: January 2006

  • Ditch Your Muddle, Mess and Stress While Cruising the Mexican Riviera

    Index_r1_c2_2 If Richard Simmons can have a "Cruise to Lose" Ocean Liner Voyage– and Knitting aficionados have their time in the deep blue sea, then why not a cruise on "cutting the clutter?"

    Just back into the Port of San Diego comes just that– a Clutter Cruise.

    Nationally-recognized organizer Christy Best, and Katherine Gibson, bestselling author of Unclutter Your Life, Transforming Your Physical, Mental and Emotional Space, invited organizing aficionados to board Holland America’s Oosterdam cruise ship for a week-long adventure in learning.

    When not exploring Cabo San Lucas, Mazatlan or Puerto Vallarta, vacationers attended professional presentations and learned firsthand how to unload closet freeloaders, become a one-bag traveler, and tackle the tricky issues of inherited possessions. The hosts enabled attendees to make more quality time in their lives, and even ditch draining relationships.

    Guests were able to book a "Personal Consultation" with one or both of the hosts. The goal of the trip was to have fun refreshing spirits with exquisite cuisine, stunning scenery and evening entertainment.

    Prices for the cruise started from $624 and included uncluttering seminars– they just came back last Sunday, January 14th so attendees seemed to be unavailable for this story.  One call to a ticket holder said he’d call us back after he "purged" his entire Palos Verdes media room.

    Sorry folks, we missed the boat on this one– wish I was there.  But if Richard Simmons came up with a cruise for you to "shed unwanted pounds, ditch your muddle and mess, and knit yourself to eternal happiness, I’d be all over it.

    Listen, has anyone ever attended (or would attend) a themed-cruise?

    John1sig_123

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  • Detroit Home Buyers Getting Super Bowl Bashes—What They Really Need Is To Get Organized

    You’ll always win by being organized.  Football

    Sunday’s Los Angeles Times picked up a micro-article penned by Mary Umberger of the Chicago Tribune.

    Gas prices have hurt the Detroit real estate market and in turn, local home builders have been forced to be creative with their home marketing outreach:

    Buy a house at a particular development and get a shindig for the February 5th Super Bowl to include:

    • Catering for 25 of your friends
    • A big screen TV
    • $2,000 gift certificate for furniture

    My friends Betty Frasier and Denise DeCarlo of As You Like It Catering and Grub Restaurant in Hollywood say the catering may cost around $4500.  That would bring the value of the home-purchase incentive to around $8500.  Sounds like a good deal, but maybe not.

    Imagine if the home builders gave the buyers this kind of cash for home organization and space planning services, like ours.  If this were true, your garage, tool shop, workbench, home office or wine cellar could be ready by the big game.  You’ll be able to find those pesky placemats, coasters, remote controls, punch bowls and bottle openers in a pinch–without having to double-buy things you know you already have but still buy it anyway ’cause you can’t find it.

    And the organizing efforts can be long-lasting, much longer than that heartburn that may develop from Detroit’s Ford Field— win or lose.

    John1sig_122

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  • Put Brad & Angelina Aside for a Moment & Set Your Goals for 2006

    It’s hard to get ANY work done these past few weeks.  With all the hot news about about Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s new bundle of joy in Malibu, the Golden Globes this Monday, People’s Choice Awards last night, last weekend’s Palm Spring’s International Film Festival along with the Los Angeles Auto Show, the 2006 Los Angeles Organizing Awards and Govener Schwarzenegger’s Mandeville Canyon Road motorcycle accident, who can sleep in Tinseltown?

    But don’t let all the fun with Brangelia and Arnold’s visits to St. John’s Hospital in Santa Monica get you distracted from all your organizing dilemas.  It’s already the Ides of January, have you done your planning for the New Year?  According to my colleague Debbie Gilster who runs the Center for Growth and Productivity in Laguna Niguel, CA, you still have time.  But read ahead for some tidbits that will move you and your business forward.

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