Last week, we decided to start our summer adventures a little early. We pulled our son out of school for a whirlwind road trip from Seattle, Washington to Austin, Texas. We drove 32 hours straight there with very few stops! I know it may sound crazy (especially considering we even took our dog) but it was fun. And we survived. And in this episode I tell you all about it. Now keep in mind, the ideas I share with you can be applied to ANY space in your life, particularly in your home. Not...

When you get up in the morning to start your day, do you have a good game plan? I'm sure you have your day planned out and you know where you need to be and when you need to be there. But when it comes to your to-do's, do you know EXACTLY what needs to be done? And if you do, do those things actually get done? If you feel like your mile long to-do list is paralyzing and you're totally overwhelmed with too much to do, then this episode will help. On today's show I share with you a very...

I honestly can't believe we haven't done a single show on how to organize your car! On today's episode, not only do I give you all my thoughts, tips, and tricks on how to organize your car, but I also talk about how to KEEP it organized. And since I toss a lot at you, I created a new freebie checklist for you to download.   Links Mentioned in this Show: Free Download: "5 Steps to Organizing Your Home"  Or send a text to 44222 with the word ORGANIZE   Free Checklist: "Essential Items...

Shopping and acquiring new things can be fun and VERY therapeutic. But having too much stuff that you have to organize, manage, and store is NOT always fun. What if we can somehow tap into the therapeutic aspects of letting go of things? What if we could get equal enjoyment from purging things as we do from buying them? Wouldn't that make simplifying and organizing a lot easier? On today's show I revisit a unique perspective that can help you clear out the clutter in your home to reveal...

Over the years, I've learned that simplifying your home isn't just about where you put things or what nifty little storage bins you should buy to put things in. There is actually soooo much more to it than that. Organizing your home and simplifying your life has a lot to do with your mindsets, not just storage tips. Which is why, I always say that I specialize in the psychology behind home organizing. For today's episode, I share with you a "mindset strategy" that I use for certain clients....

Ever get to the very end of a huge organizing project and then all of a sudden you feel STUCK? You have a bunch of little piles and things that need to be put away, but you feel overwhelmed? Today, I chat about one of the hardest, most challenging issues that many of my clients face when organizing their homes. And it's actually something I even struggle with on occasion.   Links Mentioned in this Show: Share this Episode: CarlaRaeArneson.com/episode228 Share this Podcast:...

After listening to our last couple episodes about whether or not you should finish what you start, are you finally ready to tackle a few of your unfinished projects cluttering up your house? Get ready to take notes! On today's episode I give you a 6 step action plan to help you finally finish those good intentions.   Links Mentioned in this Show: Episode #225: Should You Finish What You Start... Or Not? Episode #226: What Is Your Real Road Block? Episode #88: Paint Or Get Off The...

Sometimes, while in the middle of a project, it's easy to get stuck. You lose steam. Or you get discouraged. Or you lose interest. Then you stop. And then you never get around to finishing it. It just happens. And sometimes you don't finish what you started because it's no longer a priority, which is totally ok. But, sometimes, you stop because something very specific is blocking you. On today's episode, I talk about why it's important to figure out what your real roadblocks are so that...

For today's episode of Life Made Simple, I continue with the topic of good intentions... as in something we keep with a good intention to DO, MAKE, FINISH, or FIX. We all have those kinds of projects in our life. Things that we start, we intended to do, but for whatever reason we just haven't finished yet. But what happens when those projects pile up? When those good intentions begin to clutter our home, and weigh on our minds (because you know they do). So often, those good intentions -...

For today's quick and brief episode of Life Made Simple, I share with you one simple health habit that I've been working on for the last few months...  and it's a total game changer!   Links Mentioned in this Show: Share this Episode: CarlaRaeArneson.com/episode224 Share this Podcast: LifeMadeSimplePodcast.com   Simplicity University: SimplicityU.com   Free Guide:  "9 Ways to Simplify Your Life"   Or send a text to 44222 with the word 9SIMPLIFY   Free Download: "5 Steps to...

We all know that here are a lot of negative connotations associated with the term "hoarder" or even "packrat".  They always seem to get a bad rap. And while I know that there are for sure negative effects and consequences of hoarding behavior, for today's episode I offer you a slightly different perspective on the topic.   Links Mentioned in this Show: Episode #53: Pack Rat or Hoarder? Is there a difference? (Ask CarlaRae) Episode #55: (PART 1) How To Live With Someone Who Won't Change -...

There is nothing wrong with having multiples of things... especially when you use them regularly. Or if you really just love them. But, over time, a few things somehow multiply and they turn into too many. And when you have too many of an item they tend to take up space, time, and energy. On today's episode, I give you a list of things that you may have too many of in your home.      Links Mentioned in this Show: Episode #15: Do You Have A "Just In Case" Mentality? Episode #10: Can You...

After listening to the first few episodes in this series, I hope by now you have figured out what your primary love language(s) are. Today, I explain how to better speak other people's love languages that may be foreign to you. I also explain why it's so hard for some people to learn new languages and easy for others. And if you have a hard time expressing love in a different language, I give you some very specific examples of easy and effective tips and tricks that you can use for each...

Today we go back to the basics of home organizing with one simple rule that you need to know to help keep your home clean, clear, and clutter-free.   Links Mentioned in this Show: Free Guide:  "9 Ways to Simplify Your Life"   Or send a text to 44222 with the word 9SIMPLIFY   Share this Episode: CarlaRaeArneson.com/episode220 Share this Podcast: LifeMadeSimplePodcast.com   Simplicity University: SimplicityU.com   Free Download: "5 Steps to Organizing Your Home"  Or send a text to...

So... have you figured out what your love language is? Last week we looked at the five different love languages from Dr. Gary Chapman. For today's part 2 episode in this series, we dive even deeper into understanding each of those love languages and how to figure out your own primary love language. I also explain why that can be a little complicated for some people.     Links Mentioned in this Show: Episode #217: Understanding The 5 Love Languages (PART 1)   Share this Episode:...

When trying to figure out your loved one's love language, it's important to pay attention to how they express love to you and to others. But, like I explain in today's episode, another thing you need to pay attention to are things that they complain about.   What complaints do you hear most often from your loved one? What do they nag you about? What do they grumble about? And what do they really want and need from you?   Links Mentioned in this Show: Share this Episode:...

Have you ever heard of the 5 Love Languages? If not, then I'm pretty confident you're going to find this concept to be quite fascinating and it just might change your life in a really big way. And if you've already heard about the 5 Love Languages before, then this will be a good review. It comes from a concept from Dr. Gary Chapman who came up with it after many years of marriage counseling. He says that there are five specific ways that people speak, show, and understand emotional love....

What little things in life make you happy? Lately, I've been making more of an effort to indulge in simple pleasures... little things that I love. Things that bring me joy.  And I find ways to sprinkle them all throughout my day. On today's episode I share a handful of my favorite simple pleasures in hopes to encourage and inspire you to find little moments of joy in your own life.   Links Mentioned in this Show: Share this Episode: CarlaRaeArneson.com/episode216 Share this Podcast:...

Have you ever noticed that the unexpected always seems to pop up when we least expect it? The solution is to always anticipate unanticipated situations... which is, of course, easier said than done. On today's episode I share with you a great example as to why you should schedule intentional empty space in between your to-dos, tasks, appointments, and activities.       Links Mentioned in this Show:   Episode #19: Always Late? Here's What To Do About It (CarlaRae Confesses)   Free...

Have you ever organized a space in your home and all of a sudden you come across a random doodad? Maybe a thingamabob? Or a strange doohickey? Whatever you want to call them, what do you do with those little misfits? Especially if you're not ready to let them go because they might be important. On today's episode I give you a very simple solution.   Links Mentioned in this Show: Share this Episode: CarlaRaeArneson.com/episode214 Share this Podcast: LifeMadeSimplePodcast.com   ...

Believe it or not, even though I am a Professional Home Organizer, my house is not always PERFECTLY organized. While I can confidently say that everything has a logical home, and most things are in their homes, I have to admit that there are many areas of my home that need updating. Organizing is a process. It takes time. And it's ongoing. On today's episode I explain exactly how I am taking inventory and updating my entire house by going back to the basics of home organizing.   Links...

When wanting to reach true happiness, success, and fulfillment in life, it is definitely important to ask yourself WHAT will make you happy. It's good to ask yourself HOW you can get there. But perhaps sometimes it's more important to ask yourself WHAT is holding you back from being where you really want to be in life?   Links Mentioned in this Show: Free Guide:  "9 Ways to Simplify Your Life"   Or send a text to 44222 with the word 9SIMPLIFY   Share this Episode:...

Do you feel so caught up in being busy and feeling overwhelmed that the ordinary fundamentals of life get neglected? Then maybe it's time to slow down and go back to the basics of life.   Or maybe you feel overwhelmed for other reasons... maybe because of a huge life change. The rollercoaster of feelings and emotions can distract you from important priorities in life. If so, then maybe it's time to simply go back to the basics. Or, maybe you're in a place in your life where you feel stuck....

Happy 2019... I've missed you! Sometimes you just need to pause, reset, refocus, and go back to the basics in life. Which is exactly what I have been doing for this past month while on a short hiatus. Now that the holidays are over, I am officially back and hitting the ground running! I am so eager to share with you our exciting lineup of all new episodes coming in these next few months... so stay tuned!   Links Mentioned in this Show: Share this Episode: CarlaRaeArneson.com/episode210 ...

Merry Christmas! Since this episode will be released the day before such a special holiday, I wanted to invite an extra special guest to join me on the show.   Links Mentioned in this Show: Share this Episode: CarlaRaeArneson.com/episode209 Share this Podcast: LifeMadeSimplePodcast.com   Simplicity University: SimplicityU.com   Free Guide:  "9 Ways to Simplify Your Life"   Or send a text to 44222 with the word 9SIMPLIFY   Free Download: "5 Steps to Organizing Your Home"  Or send a...