I am just such a ham! View From The Bay, our local San Francisco Bay-area show that’s on the Hour before Oprah, came to my house during a Clothing Swap that I was doing, as outlined in Chapter One of my book.  (You have it, right? So you can just go check it out…right? (wink))

We had a BLAST, and all the clothing that wasn’t taken (which was thousands of dollars worth) went to a charity, Image for Success, that dresses women (and their families) with two weeks’ worth of business and personal clothing. Check it out! 

In this Coffee Chat with Experts, we meet Erin Doland from Unclutterer.com.  We Learn:

* How the Unclutterer Got Started, including all about Mazes of Stuff and the Bud Lite Bottle rising from the Dead/Rubbermaid Coffin (cue scary music);

*  How to terrorize soon-to-be-husbands (N.B.: Mazes of stuff will do it);

*  Dealing kindly with a Packrat;

*  How to start the decluttering process, be dispassionate, and communicate;

*  Two great ways to diminish the “mine v. yours” struggle;

*  How to discuss what “Simple Living” means to each of you and how to imagine living together as one;

*  Your Toaster or Mine: How to deal when the space won’t hold it all (especially two of everything);

*  Who are You, Really: What new and exciting thoughts you could entertain about decluttering and how not to drag the anchor of the Old You, along with all of her dead/post energy and stories, into your new life; and

*  A whole lot more!

I hope you enjoy this podcast, and please let me know if there are other experts you might like to hear interviewed on our Coffee Chats. We sure had fun doing it - you might just listen to give you a smile!

Here are the links to Erin’s two interviews on the Precision Change podcast: Tired of the Crap? Become an Unclutterer! and What is Clutter Costing You? Just to have it all in one place, here is the summary link to all the uncluttering entries I’ve made on the website.  If you have my book, you know that the entire Chapter 1 is dedicated to this topic… You can’t release your Inner Bond Girl if you can’t find her under the Piles of Stuff!!! 

If you have comments on this episode, call the Listener Comment Voicemail at +1 (206) 350-3537, e-mail sandy [at] beabondgirl [dot] com or leave a comment below.

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 Erin Doland, Unclutterer.com - how not to get divorced before you get married: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Yesterday, had a few fun emails from friends and acquaintances I have not heard from in a LONG time. Turns out View From The Bay re-released my first appearance (the “Decluttering Episode”) over Memorial Day — and a lot of folks saw it.  Loved hearing from them!  So here it is again, in case you missed it when I posted it the first time. Click here.

Hey Bond Grrrls!

I read this great article on Emily Wilska’s website, OrganizedLife.org.  She recommends getting rid of 50 things in the next 3 weeks - whether they are a book you haven’t re-read (or never read at all), a mate-less earring, or even bigger.

This is a great way to look at “cleaning out” - as long as you get to 50, you’re all set. Big or small, love this idea, because it’s kinda a game - and more importantly, a fun way to rid yourself of 50 things you don’t need!

Here is the link: http://www.organizedlife.org/tip.html

And don’t forget we have the De-cluttering View From The Bay, and a number of Podcasts (here is the link to Podcast 2, our first clutter/clearing related one), in our archives for you!

I receive The Organized Life ezine - I wish I could link an RSS feed, but either I am an idiot or I just can’t find it - so the link here is to their latest article on Mother’s Day gifts.

Emily Wilska gave some great ideas for Mom’s Day gifts that can help, as she said, ”bring more organization and less stress to the lives of the ladies you love.”  Here are The Tips:

1.  Tastebook is a new service that lets you create personalized cookbooks that include both recipes from your own collection (or your mom’s) and from the voluminous online archives of Gourmet and Bon Appetit magazines. Choose a cover and a theme (you can even upload your own photos), select and organize recipes, and customize your book.

2.  If Mom is overwhelmed with junk mail, sign her up for 41 Pounds or Green Dimes, both services designed to significantly reduce unwanted mail. Because both of these require a little bit of work (such as filling out Do Not Mail postcards to send to direct marketing services), you might include in your gift an hour or two of time to help get Mom up and running. (While you’re at it, go to Catalog Choice and help her stop unwanted catalogs from cramming her mailbox; the service is free.) Another clutter-clearer is Shoeboxed, a service that will scan any and all of your receipts and upload them to an account on a private, secure website.

3.  Last but not least, consider giving Mom something only you can give: your time. Most people I know (including myself!) have at least one or two organizing projects they’d love to tackle if only they didn’t have a dozen–or more–other things on their To Do list. Giving your mother a hand with the project of her choosing is a simple but powerful way of saying thank you.Remember that, with any project, it’s smart to keep things on a reasonable scale (don’t try to attack every closet in the house or 20 years’ worth of photos at once). If Mom’s project of choice is a large one, you might spread your offer of time over a few weeks or months to keep things moving forward without burning out. And at the end of the project, why not take Mom out for a celebratory lunch? You’ll both have earned it.

Great Tips!!!

Hey Grrls!

Can I tell you one thing? I’m in LOVE with Lisa Quinn (host) and David Corona (cameraman). I am honored to have been asked to come back to View From The Bay (ABC) to chat about another portion of my book - on feng shui. As you know, I’ve done two podcasts on feng shui (I actually just linked them on my Home Page to make it easier) - but this was my 3 minute “down and dirty” feng shui episode.

Now, if someone could teach me to MENTION THE NAME OF MY WEBSITE when I say “go to my website” - I would be Golden!

If you’d like to see the video - click here!

In Episode 4 we discussed Feng Shui as a method for ordering your life and how your life can be diagnosed as being out of balance using Feng Shui techniques. In this Episode Sandy runs through the mechanics for doing a Feng Shui clearing and energy realignment on your home. These two podcasts expand upon the topic of decluttering that she discussed in her first View From The Bay (ABC) episode last month, and the topic of using Feng Shui as an ordering method for your physical surroundings, to be discussed in View From The Bay (ABC) on May 5th. (The San Francisco Bay Area lead-in show to Oprah.)

Click here for a printable Bagua map (from www.wsfs.com).

I know it’s difficult to “imagine” the bagua square just from my talking about it, so this should help.

If you have comments on this episode, please call the Listener Comment Voicemail at +1 (206) 350-3537, e-mail sandy [at] beabondgirl[dot] com or leave a comment below.

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 010 - Feng Shui and Energy Realignment In Your Home: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

I received some information the other day from the DailyOM that I’d like to share with you. I think it goes very well with my Decluttering and Green podcasts.

The article described the Native American tradition of the “potlatch.” It is a tradition that values generosity above all else.  A potlatch, which is a very grand ceremony, is an exercise in giving away material possessions, food, and money.

Apparently, it is not uncommon for the host of a potlatch to give away so much of their own resources to guests that the host ends up with nothing. However, the host can regain this wealth by attending potlatches as a guest.

 In this way, a potlatch validates generosity and encourages the flow of resources in a community, while at the same time continually reaffirming the importance of community ties.

This paragraph really made me sit up and take notice, because it reminds me of what I learned from “John Jr.” in my car ride with him, as detailed in Podcast 9 on “Living Green”:

“When we are held in a web of trust and connection, we can give generously, knowing that when it is our turn we will be supported. In this way, our whole sense of ownership becomes less individualistic and more communal. Resources are in an acceptable state of flux, moving within the community through the vehicle of the potlatch, which serves the additional function of strengthening community ties. This seems clearly preferable to isolating ourselves from one another and hoarding our resources.”

Isn’t it time to create a community in which a flow of resources happens in this way, in which we support one another to be generous?

The “Give Away Girls’ Nights” listed in my book is an example of a potlach - having fun, and giving away an object that is dear to us. By doing this, perhaps we can inspire someone there to throw their own potlatch. And so on, and so on - by starting this out, trusting, and loving, perhaps we could find ourselves with a tradition that supports and validates generosity even as it creates a safety net for leaner times.

Don’t just think about it - do it.

This podcast has some tricks to help you save Energy which is really what Earth Day is all about. These include green tips for around the house that are easy to implement. The beginning of the podcast also introduces you to a real fishing family in Sonoma County that are being devastated by the impacts of our current global situation.

The video podcast that I refer to in this podcast is The Story Of Stuff by Annie Leonard. You can go back and find where I blogged about it a few weeks ago, or just click the link here. It’s a bit long, but it definitely explains the whole manufacturing process and Planned Obsolescence — I think this would be great to show kids.

If you have comments on this episode, call the Listener Comment Voicemail at +1 (206) 350-3537, e-mail doubleohsandy [at] yahoo [dot] com or leave a comment below.

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 Episode 9: Earth Day - It Can Be Easy, Bein' Green [1:02:10.625m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Oh my goodness. Yesterday was the best day. I was on View From The Bay—I tried to upload the link for their viewer here, but I can’t get it to take… so here is the link to the show. (I am still going to list it under “Podcasts” — and maybe my sainted James can figure out how to actually make it post here so you won’t have to “go get it.”)

Make sure to watch both halves of the interview. They gave me 4 minutes, and then decided to give us 4 more after the commercial! We were having so much fun. This is my parents’ house, and a friend had come over to watch it Live with my mom. She said my mom basically freaked out when suddenly we were down in her closet! She said that she “Hadn’t had time to clean it” (As if!)

When you follow the link, you can see lots of tips that I gave them that I could talk about. If you’ve read my book, you know there are about 50 pages of tips! They picked some of them for me to show on the air, and have others posted on their website.

If, after you read this, you could put a comment on their website, I would sure appreciate it! I’d love to get invited back!

This “Coffee Chat” podcast is with Eve Abbott of Organizer-Extraordinaire.com. She has graciously offered that if you visit her website and purchase her book, tell her that you found out about her here, and she will send you an autographed book and another free goodie! (NOTE: I don’t get any “kickbacks” from any of these interviews—these really are my experts, and I want to share them with you… no strings attached!)

I mentioned (in this Coffee Chat and I believe my Chat with Scott Smith) the book by Oprah’s Organizer, Peter Walsh. The actual title of that book is Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat? Like Eve, Peter Walsh states that clutter is basically symptomatic of an unresolved issue in your life. I saw him on a recent episode of the Oprah show, and his specific quote was that “eating more and buying more is an attempt to fill the need for something more. Until you get those underlying issues dealt with, all the rest is a waste of time.”

I hope you enjoy this podcast, and please let me know if there are other experts you might like to hear interviewed on our Coffee Chats.

And, yes… next podcast will be a “regular” one—I promise! I’ve been working on the V.I.P. Podcasts and having a great time with them… but Regular Podcast 9 is on its way soon.

If you have comments on this episode, call the Listener Comment Voicemail at +1 (206) 350-3537, e-mail doubleohsandy [at] yahoo [dot] com or leave a comment below.

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 Interview with Eve Abbott, Organizer Extraordinaire [34:30m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

One of my readers sent this link to me — and you thought I was the only one harping on feng shui!?

 The restaurant’s owners say “the designs are aimed at creating a soothing setting that will encourage diners to linger over their burgers and fries, and come back again.”

It has waterfalls, red accents for good luck, etc.  Too much!  Aaaand, the owner says that business has picked up.  Aha!  Abundance! :-)

As you’ve probably surmised, today is a day for me to post a bunch of stuff I have been holding onto. Here is another link, to The Story of Stuff, with Annie Leonard.  It’s 20 minutes long, but I think it’s a very good reminder… especially if you’re feeling a little down and want to cure that with “Retail Therapy”!

 I was particularly interested in some of the quotes about “planned obsolescence.” I also had to ruefully smile when Annie points out that, after 9/11, the President could have asked us to grieve, to be compassionate, to come together… instead, what he told us to do was Shop. (True!)

I’m not particularly political, but I do have a strong feeling that we’re getting to that Al-Gore-Nobel-Peace-Prize “point of no return” when it comes to our resources.  This should lead to a change in priorities… and to having a good, long look at our lifestyle. One of the things that Annie points out is that the two biggest leisure activities in the U.S. are watching TV, and shopping.  And if you’re watching TV, you’re getting exposed to commercials, which are basically telling you that “You Suck” (her words, not mine) and that you need to buy their products, to “Not Suck.”  So you go to work, or maybe work two jobs, to buy the Stuff that the advertisements say will make you Not Suck, and then you’re so exhausted when you get home, all you can do is watch TV… when tells you that You Suck (dot dot dot)

I was also very interested that the whole “planned obsolescence”/concentration on Consumerism thing started in the 1950s — which was the “peak” of our Happiness Graph as a society (it’s fallen since that time).  Gee, maybe because instead of using stuff until we’re done with it, having extra time to spend with our families, etc. we are being bombarded with advertising that says We Suck, news that says The World Sucks, and feeling that the only way for it all to be fixed is — surprise! — to buy more!

Have a look — I think it would be great to watch this with the kids, too, and be ready for some hard questions from THEM, about how YOUR household fits into this mix.

Hey grrrls!

 I am REALLY excited to post this! I just received “before and after” photographs from a Bond Grrl who read my book, and took Chapter 1 to heart!  This is the sort of thing that TOTALLY keeps me going! Any of ya’ll out there reading the blog, or listening to the podcasts, that want to call or send these sorts of “testimonials,” please please do.  It just makes my day, week, month!  Send to doubleohsandy[at]yahoo[dot]com (has to be written that was so nasty spammers don’t steal the address) or call me at 206.350.3537.

 SO, here is ABG (Anonymous Bond Grrl)’s “before” photo.  Note that you can see the bed (behind the pile of stuff) and the lamp (in the right corner of the photo).  ABG said that she had been just piling up stuff for years in a not-so-big house — and she was inspired to dig “out from under.”  So take a look at what she was dealing with….

AND, here is ABG’s after!

I know, “Get Out!” huh? How jazzed am I? Love to make a difference!

We have a show here in San Francisco called View From The Bay.  I love it — it comes on after Oprah, and it’s a great, local, can-do show that gives you all sorts of great little tricks, cooking tips, and the like.  Spencer and Janelle  (I get to call them by their first names because they are in MY living room, right? :-) ) are really super hosts. I love Janelle especially — she will pretty much do anything, and always has a smile on her face.

 I’m a little behind in episodes, but this past weekend, I tried to catch up on VFTB and Oprah. VFTB had an episode on cleaning out your makeup brushes. Their makeup/fashion host, Audrey Mansfield, shows you how to clean your makeup brushes — and to Janelle’s horror, has grabbed a few of Janelle’s makeup brushes, and has Janelle clean them on camera.  Janelle asserts that she cleans them “every week,” but Audrey asserts that everyone should really do this every DAY.

 HELL-OO……I had NO IDEA that I should be cleaning out my makeup brushes.  And I’m a “bacteria fanatic” (I’m constantly throwing my sponges, etc. into the dishwasher, using and washing tons of towels to keep things clean, etc.) — and it NEVER occurred to me to clean my makeup brushes.  As I watched Janelle’s water turn a not-so-pretty shade of brown, I slinked off to the bathroom, sudsed up a bowl, and started cleaning MY brushes.  (As you can see from the clip, they actually have a very easy method that you can use — just put a little shampoo into a bowl and swish them around and spread the brush out with your fingers to get the makeup out). Oh…my…LORD!  Ick ick ick! I turned the water TOTALLY dark brown, started over, brown again…started over…

 Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaugh!!!!  So I’m sharin’ this with you, Bond Grrls — maybe ya’ll all knew this already and it was just me, but if not, CLEAN your MAKEUP brushes!  They are full of dead skin, bacteria, and just i-i-ick.  I have a new routine now — thanks to View From The Bay.

But… I kinda wish I hadn’t known.  GEE, and I was wondering why I get clogged pores?!

This podcast is about this wonderful period from Winter-to-Spring. It’s a great time to look at your life, and see what is going to need a little… you guessed it!… Spring Cleaning.

I also received some Listener Feedback on our Listener Feedback line — I love it! Please call, keep me company! :-) This was from Clementine (her Bond Grrrrl name) on the Yankee portion of the East Coast somewhere. Her Mom has a GREAT method of sorting through all the bits of personal “stuff” that we all gather each year, and Clementine shared. Kudos to her and to her Mom, a Bond Grrrrrrrrrl family!

Finally, I talk a bit about bringing Ritual into your life this year. Rituals are so wonderful, and they are very much a part of the human culture. It could be thanking your teeth as you brush them, a Grace at every meal that you really pay attention to, or something of your own. If you have your own Rituals or make up one that you love, please share!

xoxoxo Solitaire

P.S.: So now, my James has to figure out how to post the Podcast. It seems highly likely (as, since you can see, we are on a new server and “such” now) that it’s not going to be pretty. I better go and shake a martini or three! :-)

If you have comments on this episode, call the Listener Comment Voicemail at +1 (206) 350-3537, e-mail doubleohsandy [at] yahoo [dot] com or leave a comment below.

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 Episode 8: Initiating Life-Affirming Rituals to Welcome Spring [41:07m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Man.  I am soooo far behind on my blog, it’s making my head hurt. I could blame it on trying to get the podcasts out; coaching; the weather. Instead, I just think that a lot of things ganged up on me at once!  So!  I’m going to post a passel of blog postings, to get ideas out of my inbox (where I store them)… and away we go!!

Bernanke signals more rate cuts in testimony
Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said during testimony to the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday that the central bank would consider more interest-rate cuts. “He didn’t say the word recession, but if you read between the lines, all this talk about further downside risk is dealing with the risk we may already be in one,” said Scott Anderson, a senior economist at Wells Fargo. Bernanke said the slowing economy posed a greater threat than rising inflation.  ClipSyndicate/Bloomberg (2/27), Bloomberg (2/27), Washington Post, The (2/28), Wall Street Journal, The (2/28)

I heard this covered on KCBS right after Bernanke spoke.  The drive-time team was stating that he used wording that sounded “cautious” but in Fed-speak basically means The Economy Is BA-AAAAD.  Then they interviewed a number of economists, and what their “take” was about this.

One of the economists stated that the “first thing to go” would be “Brand buying” — and that folks would then “just feel poorer.”  That when folks aren’t able to “buy their Brands,” they feel deprived.”

Well, let’s start right here, Bond Grrrrrrls.  We know, right, that Bond Grrls are not “Brand Flashers”?  That’s the thing here.  Bond Grrls live amazing lives, and look great, NOT because they have Chanel on their glasses or Armani on their jeans… but because they are confident, chic, fabulous women all by themselves!

With the economy heading South per all the experts, it’s the time to take a look at your life.  If you have my book, you know that involves going through your ENTIRE house, office, etc. — and taking stock.  What do you have that you shouldn’t?  Can you sell it?  Can you put on a yard sale, or just start doing little bits of sale on eBay? If you itemize your deductions, how about getting some charitable deductions or giving away some of your possessions for a charity you love to auction off in a “silent auction”? 

The best part about this all (paradoxically) is that EVERYONE is going to be tightening their belts.  We keep hearing it/hearing it/hearing it — and so you can intelligently say that you are “paying attention to what the Fed is saying” (sounds good, huh?) and NOT go Mall-bopping or shoeshopping.  Open up all your bills.  Take stock.  Then use all this as an EXCUSE not to go and spend.  Because so many people are in trouble now, you need to help light the way. Be an example. Get your bills paid down. Stop spending needlessly. Heck, start brown baggin’ it! And once you’re out of your hole, and once you realize that your worth is in your awesome SELF, not in the umpteenth BrandBling purse you buy, you’re going to be sooooooooooooooooooo much better for it!

This podcast follows on from podcast 5, and discusses more tricks to help you clear your schedule and your mind, to make room for your New Bond Grrl You. Let us know what you think of the new intro and exit!

If you have comments on this episode, call the Listener Comment Voicemail at +1 (206) 350-3537, e-mail doubleohsandy [at] yahoo [dot] com or leave a comment below.

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 006-More on Clearing Out: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Click here for a printable Bagua map (from www.wsfs.com).

I know it’s difficult to “imagine” the bagua square just from my talking about it, so this should help. I tried to find one I could insert here — but most of the ones that are available on the internet are “Magnetic School” and more difficult to understand. I think that this one should help to envision “what I’m talking about” in podcast 4!!!!!

Let me know what you think about the podcasts! If you have comments on this episode, call the Listener Comment Voicemail at +1 (206) 350-3537, e-mail doubleohsandy [at] yahoo [dot] com or leave a comment below.

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 004 Feng Shui-A Great Ordering Method: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

Are you ready for Paris? As a follow-on to podcast #2, this podcast details some tricks for being prepared and ready to go on a moments notice! Thats what the Bond Girl lifestyle is all about!

If you have comments on this episode, call the Listener Comment Voicemail at +1 (206) 350-3537, e-mail doubleohsandy [at] yahoo [dot] com or leave a comment below.

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 003-Decluttering Contd-Are You Ready for Paris? [32:02m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download