Learn how you can get your home organized with my easy step-by-step organization course. My course is full of organization ideas as well as home organization tips and tricks to get your life and home organized and keep it that way.
ONLINE DECLUTTERING COURSE
For the past several months I have been putting together my Online Organization Course, The Balanced Home. I am excited to teach you my decluttering and cleaning process. These processes also teach you how to create simple routines and cleaning schedules which allow you to naturally maintain your clean and organized home.
No need to hire a professional organizer, or live with the clutter because you will have the skills and learn how to overcome any mental barriers or fears you might have to get started!
WHAT DOES THE ORGANIZATION COURSE COVER?
The Balanced Home Organization Core
($1,000 Value)Contains my core Decluttering and Organization Processes, which shows you how to:
- Learn how to declutter and organize your home–by learning processes and techniques that really work!
- Deal with stuff you don’t know how to get rid of
- Understand what qualifies as hoarding
- Understand how to overcome hoarding tendencies
- Deal with your junk room or junk drawer
The Tools
- Workbook, Resources, Labels, and More ($250 Value). Contains everything you need to help guide you through each lesson, including:
- An easy-to-follow workbook to guide you step-by-step through the lessons
- Printable Labels
- A vision sheet for your home
- A working checklist of tasks you can accomplish in 30 minutes or less
- Shopping and To-Do Lists
- Monthly Calendar and Weekly Schedule
The Mental Foundation
The best processes to overcome mental barriers from Tony Robbins and Dean Graziosi’s Mastermind Course ($200 Value). Helps you to find the time, the energy and the motivation to organize your home by:
- Discovering your “true, internal why” -> what motivates you to want an organized home
- Helping you clearly identify what is holding you back from success
- Teaching you how to organize your schedule to create new pockets of time
- Helping you discover what is most important for you to accomplish with your time, as opposed to just urgent or habit
- Helping you cut out the things that aren’t important and identify gaps in your schedule you can dedicate to working on your home
Your Ideal Home
The best processes to set and achieve your vision by breaking it down into actionable steps ($300 Value). Teaches you how to break down an overwhelming project into small, manageable steps, by:
- Clearly defining your goal and vision for your home
- Learning how to evaluate specific rooms and identify what you want to be improved
- Identifying specific, easy to complete tasks in each room that will contribute to your overall goal without overwhelming you
- Getting your family or others involved in the process
Cleaning and Maintaining
The best processes to clean and maintain your home after it has been organized ($200 Value).Teaches you how to maintain your home once it is clean and keep it organized, by:
- Providing you with the basic cleaning routines you need to naturally stay in control of your home
- Teaching you my amazing “Ten-Minute Clean-up” process, which allows you to clean an entire floor / room in ten minutes or less!
- Showing you how to establish routines with your kids and other members of the family
- Sharing important resources such as chore cards, favorite cleaning products, and a deep-cleaning checklist, and more
- Explaining the laundry routine we use in our home to get our laundry done every week without even thinking about it
- Teaching you how to deep clean your home after it has been decluttered and organized
- Showing you how to help the other members of your household be on the same page and not “unclean” your home
During the course, we will:
- Show you the process of how to go throughout your home decluttering, cleaning, and organizing. Then you can take this process and go throughout all the rooms in your home–including the bathrooms, kitchen, craft room, home office, basement, entryway, playroom, garage, attic, and all other rooms in your home–cleaning and organizing.
- Clean out and organize not just the rooms themselves, but organization spaces such as closets, shelves, drawers, and bookshelves.
- Learn how to properly use organization equipment, such as bins, drawer organizers, storage bins, food storage containers, lids, and baskets.
The Private Balanced Home Community
(BONUS – Priceless). Provides a community that you can go to whenever you need a place where you…
- Seek inspiration and ideas from others
- Receive support and motivation from others
- Share your successes and see the successes of others as we all work towards finding balance and clarity in our homes.
- Can ask questions and let me know what you may still need help with so that I can continue to cater the course to your needs
What Do People Have To Say About My Organization Course?
“This course was instrumental in helping me organize my space as well as my time. As a busy mom, I have a better grasp on what my days need to include so that I can enjoy my family rather than spend my time spinning my wheels cleaning up after everyone.”
“The Balanced Home Course helped me to be the “professional organizer” for my family! Simple steps to follow, check lists, printable labels, suggestions and worksheets will keep you on track to successfully maintain your own balanced home.”
“I am pretty sure I have solved more issues with the seven layers and clarity tool than I have in 6 months of therapy!! I think this course is going to help much more than my home. Thanks Amy!!!!”
When I realized I had been overcomplicating the idea of organization, that simplifying was a key component, then things really started to fall into place!”
When I realized I had been overcomplicating the idea of organization, that simplifying was a key component, then things really started to fall into place!””
HOW TO GET MOTIVATED TO ORGANIZE YOUR HOME
HOW TO OVERCOME FEARS AND MENTAL BARRIERS
I asked and these are the things that are holding you back from getting started! I made sure my course helped you overcome your specific fears and developed processes to address each of the concerns below. Have you ever had any of the same concerns?
- “I don’t have the time.”
- “I don’t know how to break it down into manageable chunks.”
- “How do I balance other activities?”
- “I don’t have enough energy / motivation.”
- “I’m overwhelmed and don’t know where to start.”
- “I’m scared / unable to commit.”
- “I don’t trust myself.”
- “I don’t have the confidence I will finish.”
- “How do I maintain / keep on top of it?”
- “I have a hard time with inconsistency / finding balance.”
- “I’m afraid of quitting too soon and having it be a mess.”
- “How do I build the habits and routines?”
- “Keeping it clean and organized”“Staying focused and not getting distracted.”
- “What if I have physical limitations.”
- “I don’t have the supplies / resources / money (i.e. containers etc.) / storage space.”
- “I don’t want to part with things.”
- “What Do I do with all the stuff? Donate? Kids?”
- “What if I need it later?”
- “My family has stuff they want to keep.”
- “Family is not being helpful or even counterproductive… How do I get my family on board?”
- “No sense of design / vision for what I want.”
- “Lack of knowledge.”
- “Afraid of not doing it right.”
- “Being okay with not having it perfect.”
STILL NOT READY TO BUY?
Because I know that sometimes it can be difficult to take that initial leap of faith, I wanted to give you something that would allow you to get your feet wet a little, something that you could access RIGHT NOW. I think you’ll like it. I’ve opened up a “sneak peek” section of my course, where you can access one or two of the lessons that are a part of The Balanced Home Course. If you click the button below you will be able to create your own personal account / log in for the course and access the “sneak peek” videos.
OTHER ORGANIZATION PROJECTS
If you are interested in taking a deeper look into some of the spaces in my home, check out the following posts!
LOVED this POST! Great information on photography; I'm always looking to learn more about this. Thanks!
This post is great timing for me. I am in dire need of a good camera for my "after" pictures from my color consultations. I will look into this one!
Thanks so much for the GREAT post. I've learned a LOT, and you made it sound so simple. I'm heading out to try it now. THANKS!!!
Thank you! I am interested in photography and loved reading your post. I feel like I know a little bit more about it now.
Great post! I shoot mostly in Aperature Mode, but I've been trying to venture deeper into shooting full manual. Thanks for the post! Tips are always helpful :)
Thanks so much for this easy to understand,concise, and useful information. I'm still saving up for my SLR, and I've been a bit intimidated by the thought of getting it, but I feel a lot more prepared now!
Just what I wanted!!! MORE MORE MORE. Learned a lot today. Thanks
Thanks for the useful information. I love that you explain the relationship and whys of your settings. I understand the individual elements such as the aperture the f-stop, ISO but I have been having trouble getting them all to work together and fine tuning my settings. I think your tips will help me come up with much more creative shots in the future. Thanks a bunch
This was a priceless post!! Thank you for the great information. And what amazing photos. I may just take advantage of your offer to ask you some more questions…I have a DSLR- love it! But know that I am not using it to it's fullest potential!
Thank you, thank you, thank you! I am so excited to try this out. I have only had my camera for a few months, but still feel like I don't know anything!! This is totally helping. Now to practise. We shall see how it goes. Thank you!
I will have to practice this! Im learning a lot. Thank you! Sad face about having a rebel. I think it will be good to learn on. shh- Dont tell my husband my sights are set for a different camera though ;)
I'm so excited to see your excitement! If you don't have an slr, many pocket cameras also have manual settings, check and see if yours does. And Rebels are great, don't feel you have to upgrade your camera to do this, I was just stating that higher end bodies can do higher ISO's, but in most cases, you rarely need a high ISO. Also, I edited the info under the line of images I put because I couldn't even read it.
I loved this post as well. I LOVE photography and am always looking for ways to improve my "art". Thanks for sharing and I look forward to more.
I took a digital photography class 2 years ago and I learned more from you in this post than all of my classes.
Love this information – so clear and so practical Thanks so much
This is AWESOME! just what I need to figure out my new camera. I shoot mostly indoors with my baby and was wondering if you suggest the 50mm 1.4 lens over the 1.8 for that. Just curious :)
I've been shooting everything on "auto" for ages. Excellent post. Heading outside now with subjects in tow…
Better Life Bags~I did end up getting the 1.4, and I don't think there is that much of a difference between 1.8 and 1.4. If I remember correctly (and I could be wrong) the 1.4 just might be a bit better glass, but I'll go look that up to verify. I think the 1.4 is $300 vs. the $100 1.8.
Thanks for all of the tips. I am excited to start practicing.
ok, here is a good link
http://photo.net/equipment/canon/ef50/
I'd say still go for the less expensive, as as you find you like that and want a little more, you can sell it and upgrade. I like to recommend teh 50mm 1.8 because it is an awesome lense for the price.
This was so much easier to read and understand than the copius books I have on photography going to print out inwardly digest and practise. Thank you
So how much do I owe you? :) Seriously this was the most help I have had since I bought my camera 3 months ago. Love it, I almost want to cry I am so excited. I have so much interest in photography and I keep struggling to know how to get started. I shoot basically in aperture, so I am excited to take your challenge and go out today and shoot in MANUAL. Thank you!!!!
I have on my 2010 TO DO list to learn ISO, aperture and exposure and your post helped a light bulb go off in my head. The diagram of your 5D (I have only a 40D…and now it's showing an error 99, ugh!) is just awesome. I plan to print off this post and make it into a little booklet to keep with me in my back pocket when I go "shooting." I will also practice on my middle child, who is the most likely to pose for Mommy while she practices, ha, ha.
For a question, what is the best way to get a custom white balance for indoors. Our LR walls are painted a tan that is on the yellow side and everything looks yellow, especially when it is lit by lamps. Any pointers?
Hey I know you too! (Nicole's friend Blair :)
I am with everyone else – thank you so much for all the help! My sister is a photographer and even after her explanations I was still confused – you cleared up so many of my questions! I got the Canon Rebel xsi for Christmas and I have to admit I get frustrated with the aperture options on the lenses that came with it. I don't have a mounted flash (need to save for one) so I can't bounce off the ceiling when I'm shooting indoors with my lowest f-stop of 4.0 (and I hate the shadows cast by the standard flash). Maybe I'll add the 50mm 1.8 lens to my wish list. :o) It's a LOT cheaper than getting one with that f-stop that can zoom!!!
Wonderful post! I just received a Nikon D3000 for my birthday so it was nice to read something that wasn't so technical. After shooting with a P80 for the last year and a half it was time to upgrade. Your post will be printed and tucked away in my camera bag. Thanks!
Ditto what everyone else has said. Thanks for all the info in an understandable, concise format!! This is probably a dumb question, but you've got me wondering, how do I know what f-stop my lens is? The lens that I most often have attached is a Nikon 18-55mm lens. It has "1:3.5-5.6G ED" on it. Does that mean the F-stop ranges from 3.5 – 5.6 as I zoom? If so, do you recommend investing in a mounted flash to get better indoor shots?
Thanks again!!!
Holy cow! I didn't know you lived so close! My hubs is stationed up here at Fort Hood!
Thanks for the camera tips! Going to have to maybe try some of these out!
I am so grateful that I was able to assist in the lightbulbs going off in your heads! I hoped it would all make sense, and glad that it does.
Kara and Kevin~Owe me? I like blog comments:) I am a big advocate of blog love. I like to give and I like to receive.
Joan~I plan to cover cameras and lenses in my next post, but yes, it is typed on the lens its' range. I will do more research b/c I'm not 100% sure on this, but on the lens, it usually puts its lowest fstop (either 3.5 or 5.6 in your case) but not the highest. Turn your dial and see its range as you do so. Most 18-55mm lenses are kit lense and don't have the greatest ranges.
THANK YOU for explaining this so clearly!! I loved that you explained the relationship between all of the settings.
I am an amateur photographer http://nataliedalpiasphotography.blogspot.com/ … and totally relate to you. I took photography classes in high school (6 years ago, black and white FILM) and even though I know what ISO and aperture mean, I do NOT know how to use them and am SCARED to death to take my camera off of auto, especially when I'm being paid to shoot. I always think the camera knows better than I do.
Anyway, I am shooting preschool pictures tomorrow and thanks to your tutorial and hopefully lots of practice with my 2 year old today, I will be shooting completely manually!!!
Thanks for the help! I look forward to learning more!
I've been so scared to try manual as I could never figure it out:) So thanks!! You've given such great information that I think I'll be able to pull shoot in manual with a little practice. Thanks!
Hey Blair! Good memory, I even have a different last name and you still recognized me…impressive. I saw some of your recent pics on Nicole's album–fun gathering of old friends.
This was VERY informative and easy to follow. Thank you! I really like your rule of thumb for aperture settings.
I shoot with a Canon Rebel XSi. When I dial it up to 1600 ISO or even sometimes 800 ISO I turn on the High ISO Speed Noise Reduction. It doesn't take away all grain but helps dramatically. I have tried a Ti (I think that is the right model #) and the ISO goes up to 3200 and looks crisper than mine at that high of an ISO. I think that is a more afforable camera body too. Just a thought. :) I hope you keep posting! I really enjoyed this article.
Thank you for this post! I bought my very first Digital SLR camera A YEAR AGO, and I still shoot on Auto. I have been meaning to learn the ropes, and this post will kick me in the pants! One question though. Is there anyway to ever shoot a clear, colorful picture that doesn't need any editing from photoshop?
I just want to say THANKS! I have not really gotten myself back into photography for 6 years. 6 years ago I was developing film, not doing digital. About 6 months ago my husband told me to just go buy us a fancy digital and get back in to it. I did buy a camera, but and needed someone to re-explain things. It is amazing how quickly you can forget things. Again, thank you. I am going to go have my own little photo shoot right now!
Brindy
THANK YOU! I shot a bunch of outdoor shots today, cloudy day, with an ISO of 400, F4.6 or 5, and the shutter speed was as low as 60. UGH, so bright! Wish I'd adjusted the shutter speed. Is there a way to counteract our chronically gray skies in the Pacific NW? Everything looks so washed out :(
Stacey, digital photography doesn't produce as colorful images SOOC as film slr's do. I heard it once said that images are "foggy" and photoshop (or another editing program) gives them the boost that they need to bump them up to the quality that is produces SOOC with film slr's. In my opinion, a properly exposed image is not enough, it needs to be enhanced slightly (and each photographer's formula is different) with some editing on the computer.
Myrnie~Skies are a tough one and something I don't focus on too much because I am more concerned with the people. A lot of photographers will take 2 shots–one focusing on the sky, the other on the people and merge them to one in photoshop. I'm not that advanced yet:)
Maybe this question was already address, but I would be interested in how to decide what camera would be best to purchase. Or at least your opinion. I've been looking into an SLR for a while, and love to hear everyone's ideas. I'm struggling a little deciding. Thanks!
Nic, I'll cover camera's/lenses in my next post.
This was such a great post. I've been studying a little bit and have been so confused. You explained it step by step which is what I needed. Thank-you so much! Just curious, would you recommend a Nikon d90 SLR camera? I've been looking into that one and just wondered what your thoughts were. Thanks again!!!
I just bought a Canon and was so excited to see this post. It is going to help me sooooo much!! Thank you bunches!!
Thanks for all the great tips!!
~Morgan
Meet Virginia!
Meet Virginia!
Meet Virginia!
Wonderful Post! I am SOOO excited to read more! Thank you for sharing! As far as other questions go, can you tell me what you do in Photoshop to "pump up your images?" Thanks again for this great post. LOVING it!
Amber~I'm Canon and don't know much about Nikon's, but I do know that Nikon/Canon–both great choices.
Jessica~photoshop will be covered soon:)
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Just what I needed.
WOW. this was ridiculously helpful! I, too will be printing this off.
I'm shooting with a Fujifilm Finepix S700 at the moment on manual and still feel like I'm guessing on the settings but now I can be smart about it!
Also, I'm getting a DSLR (and shooting my best friends engagement pictures) soon and was wondering what you would recommend -specific model numbers would be great too! :)
Hopefully I get quite a few suggestions!
THANKS! this is awesome!
Thanks so much for this post! I have a great camera, and am learning a lot with it, but really needed someone to give me a better place to start with my manual settings than just "play around with it". Thanks for the specific ISOs, etc! I'm going to go outside and play around with it tomorrow!
This is an AWESOME post!!! It's just what I needed!! I have a Nikon D40x…love the camera but don't use manual mode ever! Now I can try! :)
Amazing. Have never heard or read to keep aperture at humber of people in shots. that should improve my blurriness alot! :) thanks so much for awesome post. cant wait to print it out and try the last "assingment" when this rain stops today! so glad I found your blog. i am a new fan!!!
Stephanie~It's tough for me to recommend camera bodies because I really don't know much about models besides the ones I have. I will do my best to go into a good explanation when I talk body/lenses in my next post.
Keri~That aperture for groups is my personal rule of thumb, not sure it is foolproof, but it seems to work for me. I don't necessarily shoot at f20 when I have 20 people, but at least an f8 with a big border of trees around. Tell me more about the blurriness you are experiencing and what fstop you've used. It may also have something to do with the shutter speed you had set. Email me an image and tell me your settings.
Thank You for the great post!! I have played with my camera a lot lately and i have stayed on "P" and really like it. I would like to know what you do in photoshop as well…i have read a few blogs and its so overwhelming. I am like you with books…dont do so great!! Thanks!!
Oh my gosh these tips are so helpful thanks for posting!
I have a Canon xTi. I've been playing with it for some time, but you make it sound so simple. thanks! I usually keep mine set on aperture prority, but now I can try some more. Thanks so much!
Thank you for posting this. PERFECTLY done!! I have so many friends that know I have a great camera, then they get a DSLR & don't know where to begin. I am always willing to help & encourage… but now!! I'm directing them to this post. Once they get all this down, it's cake the rest of the way- – well sort of. Until they begin in Photoshop. Umm… lifetime learning. :)
Blessings!
-Sarah
Great article! Thanks for sharing and looking forward to the next ones! Thanks!
Thanks Kristen for this awesome post!! I got my firs dSLR last mother's day…and I'm LOVING it!! I took it out of auto right away, I bought the camera to learn and have control of those settings….it took a while, but I'm amazed at how much more I understand all the settings because I simply USE them, and try them!!
I'm currently working on a 365 project(on flickr – under tidymom) and I have to say, it's been an EXCELLENT learning experience…especially putting them on flickr and getting a lot of support and inspiration there!!
I LOVED your tip about aperture and the number of people in the shot!! I'm going to try that!
I'm a Nikon girl, and have the D40 – and after a year, I'm already wanting to upgrade….mainly because of the ISO issue you mentioned, and I the inexpensive 50mm wont AF on the D40….so I went with the 35mm 1.8 for $200 and have been LOVING that lens…I may get the 50mm 1.8 and learn to manual focus with it…then I can still use it if/when I upgrade!
Can't WAIT to read more posts!! Thanks so much to you and Amy for doing this!!
You are amazing, you've summarized what I've attempted to learn in book after book. Thanks for these very practical tips!
Just a quick question, because I just began a weblog, but I don’t know how to create one! O:
Thanks for the help! Just bought a Canon Rebel and I’m excited to get away from Auto mode!! I think your tips will be amazing! Looking forward to getting started!!
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so glad i came across this article! !! THANK YOU! I’m a newbie & I have been struggling with proper focus when photographing my two boys. Bumping up the aperture is exactly what i need to do! :-) I know you said to focus on the eyes when shooting one child. Where do you put your foucs point with two children who aren’t sitting super close to each other (like your subjects are in the above photos)? Any help would be greatly appreciated. :-)