Month: January 2007

  • Eric Stromer Gives Us His Home Tool Must Haves

    Eric_sEric Stromer, the hunky carpenter from TLC’s television show Clean Sweep, visited the Rachel Ray Show today to showcase do-it-yourself tips for non do-it-yourself’ers.

    He’s also hawking his new book, Do It Yourself Family.

    Eric’s must-have for your home:

    • A power-drill.  Ditch the screwdriver.
    • A tool bucket.  Store your gear ’round a barrel

    Tool_bucket_2Clean Sweep would help hurried homeowners de-clutter their junky mess, in a two or three day process, with a three-person team including Stromer, a host, an organizer and an interior designer.

    • Rachel Ray Show website
    • Clean Sweep website
    • Eric Stromer’s official website
    • Check out Stromer’s Do It Yourself Family: Fun and Useful Projects the Whole Family Can Make Together

    Related Posts:

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  • Halle Berry: Giving Them Hell – or Sick as Hell?

    We’ve gotten a terrific amount of traffic and comments about our post on Halle Berry’s issues with her painting contractors and our thoughts about security and discretion with outside service professionals IN your home or business.  So much so we thought it would be interesting to set up a poll and see some results.

    Please read this week’s post Halle Berry Repaints Her Kitchen Cabinets – And Asks Workers to Sign A Special Clause and vote below- our first poll.

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  • Organizing Emergency: Can You Recommend an Expert Outside of Los Angeles?

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    "I’ve been absorbing great tips from your blog, but I really need hands-on organizing support.  I need a ‘pro to help manage the project.  Do you have staff in towns outside of Los Angeles? Please help me become the de-clutter Queen of my Cul-de-sac! — signed, Daria Dilemma"

    Dear Daria Dilemma,

    We’re so excited to have you with us, thanks for joining-in on the conversation!

    From time-to-time, we do receive e-mails asking if we have staff in other cities besides Los Angeles County, Long Beach, Santa Barbara and Orange County.

    Until we’re nationwide, we can provide you with a referral.  Here’s how it works:

    (more…)

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  • Riverside County Judge About to Lose His Job Over Messy Work Habits

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    Riverside County Judge Robert G. Spitzer is in deep, disorganized trouble.

    According to Tuesday’s Los Angeles Times, his chambers are so stacked with paperwork he often cannot find or file documents needed to resolve cases:

    "Most of the problems, he said, stemmed from an "extraordinary" caseload and disorganization. "It’s hard to describe how messy my chambers were," Spitzer testified. "I recognize that the level of dishevelment and apparent disorganization made a lot of people uncomfortable."

    The Commission on Judicial Performance has charged Spitzer with willful misconduct, persistent failure or inability to perform his duties and conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice.

    "We’re not talking about a carelessness or laziness problem," Reginald Vitek, Spitzer’s lawyer said. "[Spitzer] has horrible, horrible organizational skills … the obsessiveness with getting things perfect is really a problem."

    Hat Tip to Donna McMillan of McMillan and Company Professional Organizing for the story tip!
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  • Orange County Mother and Daughter Face Eviction Because of Clutter

    Eviction_because_of_clutterI have been home sick since last Sunday.  My doctor says I have the flu.

    So I have been watching a huge amount of television, and catching up on news and talk shows I haven’t seen in a while.

    What I did catch yesterday, strangely enough, was a Channel 2 KCBS news story about a woman in Stanton who is getting evicted because of her clutter, piles of junk in her apartment she shares with her 88-year-old mother.

    Last September, when I was at a wedding in Italy, 1-800-Got-Junk contacted my organizing colleague Chris McKenry to see if he could gather organizing colleagues to help Los Angeles-area resident Rebecca Zanville and her mother, Ruth (pictured above, right) clear the junk.

    The Professional Organizers did help.  I was just sorry I couldn’t physically be there.  6-8 organizers worked a full day pro-bono to help this woman clear her house, and successfully tackled part of the living room.  You can see the touching video of the day’s events on the KCBS-2 website by clicking here.

    So the news piece I caught last night was an update on this woman.  And it was really disturbing.  She hasn’t changed and now she has an Orange County Superior Court date on February 23, when she will ask for more time to find a new home.

    There’s only so much we can do for clients.  Participation, maintenance and homework assignments are a large portion of our success.  She was given a year’s free attendance for a Clutter Support Group in Torrance, helmed by Ann Gambrell, a founder of the National Association of Professional Organizers.  But the woman couldn’t go because her car broke down.  Neighbors offered to drive her there, and she refused.  Now it’s time for the courts to decide what the future has in store for her.

    • View the Sept. Video on the KCBS-TV website
    • Read the OC Register’s article in yesterday’s paper

    Picture above courtesy of Paul E. Rodriguez of the OC Register

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  • Winning Pitch Calls Our Blog “Fresh and Fun”

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    We have a nice mention on the Winning Pitch today, a beautiful blog focused on products primarily targeted to women of style.  Here’s a snippet from our mention:

    "I highly recommend you spend some time on John’s blog.  He offers a wide variety of tips that anyone can put to use. The site is fresh and fun, and even serves up the occasional nugget on the organizing habits of celebs (it is LA, you know). You might even have fun while learning. (Dare I say it.)"

    Winning Pitch has also invited us to participate in an interview.  So watch for that in upcoming days.  We can’t wait!

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“John Trosko offers creative solutions for clearing cluttered spaces while spilling Hollywood habitués’ domestic obsessions.”

– Cristina Tudino, Self Magazine

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