David Tolan, author of Buried Treasures shares several examples of hoarding. He also highlights potential solutions. This site also shows Dr. Tolan on Oprah and GMA. His book is my most useful resource for my Organizing Business. Any one can find his book useful for gaining greater control over emotional acquiring.

http://www.instituteofliving.org/ADC/compulsive_hoarding.htm

Ring in the new year with a free calendar online or printable version. Develop your own private list such as a personal Walmart grocery list. http://ezinearticles.com/?Stay-On-Track-With-Free-Printable-Calendars&id=773094

Inventory your possessions for free at http://www.knowyourstuff.org/. Quicken also has a $30.00 inventory program to import pictures to assist you if you are a victim of a natural disaster. Start the year off by taking pictures and send to a friend that lives outside your regional area for safe keeping.

Convert your analog TV to digital with a coupon from the government. www.dtv2009.gov or (888) 388-2009 is the site/ number to submit an application. Each household is entitled to two $40.00 coupons which will go towards the $50-$70.00 cost of converting to digital. Apparently this is a first come, first served offer.

Are you tired of tripping over toys that your children have outgrown? Worried about lead in your children's toys? Rent your toys instead of buying them! Check out this innovative site, www.babyplays.com. Grandparents love this concept too. Toys are tested for lead, so you are assured of continuous safety standards.

Order toys online- This saves time and all your selections are online, so you can see at any time what you have coming and what your choice are- no notes to keep up with.
Toys will be delivered to your door via UPS. No shipping charges. Toys all arrive in 1 large box, all toys are labeled with BabyPlays sticker, to help users easily identify BabyPlays Toys. Box may be flattened and stored.
After 30 days, place toys back in original shipping box, tape box up with tape that we provide, place return shipping label on box and take to UPS shipping location. Go to www.ups.com to find the location closest to you.

Customers can cut down on toy clutter caused by toys that are no longer played with. Children can experience up to 72 different toys in 1 year.

Is your e-mail in box ready for inspection? This link explores time saving strategies to keep your e-mails relevant. E-mails need to be deleted or saved to one folder, because you can search in outlook with key words that will simply locate that important e-mail.

http://www.operationcleansweep.com/index.htm?gclid=CJrh2auLppACFRk0awodHCEk8A

Interesting article about letting go of your clutter by making peace about your emotional past. We tend to save everything sentimental, yet we are unable to savor and respect our memories because we haven't prioritized our possessions. Organizing is about mining for gold and letting go of the sand!

http://ezinearticles.com/?How-Your-Clutter-Stops-You-From-Living-In-The-Present&id=863149

Are you travelling over the holidays? The link below offers a pre-vacation check list for your review. www.usps.com is available if you need to stop your mail. It is suggested that you turn off your water main to prevent a pressure surge that could result in coming home to a pipe that has burst.

http://www.realsimple.com/realsimple/package/0,21861,1613870-681521-1,00.html?nid=-1693746

Dusting with a blow dryer? Buying rugs with patterns because it doesn't show dirt? I like the sound of drive by cleaning! Count me in.

http://home.aol.com/organize/article/_a/good-enough-housekeeping/20071120144509990003

Dr. Ragan did the math on the cost of the recent Oprah Hoarding Show and estimated it to be close to $500,000 in labor alone! If cost is a concern, find an accountability partner that you can trade services with. This way you both are providing value for each other without incurring any cost. Hold a possessions party for ten friends. Ask them to bring an appetizer and 10 items to trade. This can be a healthy substitute for shopping.

http://psychologyofclutter.wordpress.com/2007/12/03/the-oprah-effect%e2%80%94organization-costs-a-half-a-million-dollars/

How do I keep the clutter from piling up around us? That is the number one question I am asked as a Professional Organizer. Peter Walsh recommends the in-out rule. If you buy a pair of shoes, the new one is placed in your closet and an old pair is donated or thrown away. Before the holidays have your kids donate several toys to make room for the new gifts they will receive this holiday season. This will result in a calmer, more manageable living environment.

http://www.oprah.com/foodhome/home/organizing/challenge/slide/maintain/maintain_103.jhtml

Is disorganization a choice? Great article on the psychological booby traps in organizing our lives. Are you more comfortable around lots of possessions or do feel more relaxed in a simple, monochromatic environment? Your childhood may provide the answers. Do you choose calm or chaos on a daily basis? That may explain your organizational EQ. Is everything you own memorabilia? Organizing is about quality not quantity. Honor and Respect the five star items that define your life.

http://www.oprah.com/foodhome/home/housekeeping/home_julie_clutter_qui