Purge & Organize Your Closet

As the season changes we usually have a pretty good idea of the items in our closet that we just haven’t worn in the previous months, now is a good time to pull them from your closet.  If you didn’t wear them this winter/summer you won’t wear them next winter/summer.  Not sure? Create one pile for questionable items – you can store these with a list and reconsider later.  Also children grow – weed out items that won’t fit next year, or were heavily worn this year.

First time doing a major closet organization? To help you purge your closet going forward, hang or store items as you wear them in one area, (one section or end of your closet), or tag them with a rubber band or sticky.  You will quickly start to see the 20 / 80 trend – people generally only wear 20 percent of their closet 80 per cent of the time, and then can whittle out never or little worn items.

TIPS: Only keep clothes that FIT, FLATTER and fulfill your FASHION style needs.

• Our bodies change; we lose / gain weight and by some phenomenon I don’t quite understand weight can relocate itself!
• Our clothes can lose their shape; shrink or become saggy with wear and cleaning.
• We are constantly evolving; that fire engine red blouse that we bought 2 years ago might just not really suit our personality or needs now.
• Fashions and styles change! Don’t wait for them to come around again – they are never quite the same the second time around!
• Donate or toss children’s clothes that won’t fit next season or are heavily worn.

Decide Where & How To Store Your Clothes

This may largely depend on your home and where you have space.  Under the bed or a spare closet or bedroom is ideal.  However if you use your garage or basement, dampness could be an issue.  Being able to hang coats, pants, dresses and skirts is ideal to minimize creases.  Always fold sweaters so they don’t get hanger marks or stretch out of shape.  Airtight storage bag systems are inexpensive and very effective and really compress to maximize storage space , and stackable bins for man-made fabrics.

TIPS: TAGGING, BAGGING, BOXING and STORING

• Use humidy control desiccant packets in all storage containers.
• Pack the heaviest items at the bottom, lighter on top and don’t pack too full which will cause creasing and decrease airflow.
• Button and zip up, fold items along the seams or natural folds.
• Create a list of contents tape it inside one end of the bin facing out, or place top side of the bag and name the owner.
• Store by owner, type of garment, color, or outfit – whatever makes most sense to you.
• Consider creating a list of outfits stored – 10 is a good number.
• Creating a list of items needed to complete your wardrobe next season will enable you to pick a deal if you see a sale and eliminate duplications.

Prepare Clothes for Storage

Launder or dry clean all the clothing you intend to store – stains, grease, minute food particles are food for bugs and stains could set in storage as well as weaken fabrics.  Make sure clothes are completely dry, leaving them a little longer in a hot dryer if possible will help eliminate bug larvae. Dry-cleaning is a good option for natural fabrics as the chemicals can help deter moths. Mending items before you put them away will ensure they are ready to go when you retrieve them.

TIPS: Consider MOTH, MILDEW & SUNLIGHT

• Moths and moth larvae do NOT cedar oil, lavender oil, tobacco, mothballs and cloves.  The scent of most deterrents fade after 4 – 6 months and needs to be refreshed – sanding cedar planks can reactive their scent.
• Moth and cedar balls or planks will only be effective in a reasonably airtight container in high concentration according to David Stone, director of the National Pesticide Information Center.
• Moths and moth larvae LOVE enjoy moderate temperatures and darkness!  Extra heat when drying or even freezing an expensive sweater for a couple of days will ensure you are storing larvae free clothes.
• Even minor dampness can encourage mildew and produce a musty odor; sunlight, changing temperatures and plastic can discolor clothing, and make natural fibers “sweat.”  Throw in some humidity control desiccant packets.
• DO NOT seal natural fibers in airtight containers / plastic.  If you are storing natural cashmere, wool or other natural fibers from winter to winter, shake them out every 3 months in the sunlight and air!  Rattan or cedar chests or natural cotton clothing bags make perfect storage.

This is a perfect time to vacuum your closet, shelving or inside drawers; get in all the cracks and crevices as the moths are tiny but the larvae are even smaller!  Moth larvae, carpet beetles and caterpillars other household bugs can lurk in dark corners and eat many different fabrics.

If you find evidence of moth damage vacuum a few times a week for a couple of weeks to try and eliminate all the larvae, then you can reduce to every few weeks and so on.  Brush and shakeout clothing in the sunlight before returning to your closet.

These are some of the Facebook questions you asked.

Let’s face it, Moms are the CEO of their homes; they are expected to run the household with precision and are replied upon to create and organize “systems” to accomplish that. But what if your husband and your children have different ideas about what organized looks like and how they need to organize their “stuff.”

A client shared a story recently with me about cutting her finger while preparing lunch. She immediately reached for a drawer that she knew contained a mini first aid kit only to find it empty, and had to run upstairs to another “stash” of Band Aids.  That night her husband explained that he had organized all the first aid supplies, that were all over the house to one single location!

Your husband, children and you, may all have different organizing systems.  Obviously my client’s husband thought “like” should be with “like” altogether in one place.  Whereas my client thought that having things where you might need them, no matter, how many different places, was more logical.

You can test your children very simply – by playing a game to see you who can sort a large pile of toys into 3 separate piles most quickly.  Similarly you could even dump a couple of “junk” drawers and you or your husband could do the same! Sorting the toys or drawer contents without thinking will reveal how each of them instinctively organizes.

• Like with like – all dolls, all cars, all legos; paper clips, pens, hi-lighters; cold medicine, aspirin, toiletries.
• Size with size – a pile for small, one for medium and all large items.
• Colors – all red toys, project – all scrapbooking supplies or frequency of use – maybe a certain screwdriver or kitchen appliance is used more often than another.

There are many ways to group items, but this test will reveal what is most logically and easily maintained for each person in the home.  And can be applied to clothes, kitchen utensils, tools and hobby or school supplies.

This process can reveal hoarding tenancies as sorting items will allow you to discover duplicates or large “collections.”  If you or your children have a tendency to collect or hoard items, by purging often you can set a good example for your children to follow. You can also ask why a child feels the need to hang onto to certain items and might be surprised to learn that they are attached to something because of an emotion or accomplishment.

Creating a system of “homes” for things will help eliminate “catch-all-corners.”

• A set of hooks for keys – either upon entering the home or in the kitchen.
• A mail and message center – upon entering the home, in the office or in the kitchen.
• A vertical file or pocket calendar system for bills, lists, to-do’s, current coupons and receipts.

The Rules: Having a set of House Rules that everyone follows is a great way to systematically stop clutter from collecting where it should not.

• If YOU get it out – YOU put it away. If YOU take it out of a cupboard, drawer, room, house, garage – YOU put it back where it came from.
• If YOU start a project – YOU finish it, and clean up after yourself.
• The whole family participates in seasonal purges – Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter. Put it on a communal calendar – one day, one weekend, every three months.

For more detailed information about organizing systems in the home, ways or get better organized, or how to recognize hoarding tenancies and nip them in the bud, check out Dr. Robin Zasio’s book, “The Hoarder in You” – in which I contributed a ton of ideas and systems.  Also the Chicken Soup for the Soul’s Life Lessons for Busy Moms, which I co-authored with Mark Victor Hansen, Jack Canfield, Debby Bitticks and Lynn Benson.

Can sugar / food be addictive?  Research from The National Center for Biotechnology Information says that “Food addiction” is plausible; especially sugar or foods that contain high levels of sugar because they affect our brains – namely our opoid and dopamine receptors. (Components of addiction are analyzed as bingeing, withdrawal, craving and cross-sensitization.)

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) also seemed to be high of your list of “no-no’s!” You’re probably not surprised that most Americans consume massive quantities of it – not only in juice boxes, sodas, syrups, and fast food pies – also in most fast food sauces / salad dressings, many breads, potato salads and most types of processed ice creams.  (Here’s a list of HFCS free foods by Brand.)

Some of you even pointed out the “hidden” lactose / sugar in milk and other dairy products. However, it is important to note that lactose is a naturally occurring sugar and milk is a very good source of calcium, which if eliminated from our diets should be substituted with other healthy choices.  

However, the 2010 Dietary Guidelines Advisory Committee suggests the biggest contributors to the increase in calories in our diet come from SoFAS (Solid Fats and Added Sugars).

Solid fats are unhealthy fats such as saturated fat and transfat.  Added sugars come from an ever-expanding variety of sources such as high fructose corn syrup and sucrose. These solid fats add “empty calories” in our diet but offer minimal nutritional value.

Calories from SoFAS should be limited to between 5 and 15 percent of total caloric intake.

The top five contributors to added sugars in our food supply are:
1. Sugar-sweetened soda
2. Grain-based desserts and snacks
3. Fruit drinks
4. Dairy-based desserts
5. Candy

The top five contributors to unhealthy solid fats are:
1. Grain-based desserts and snacks
2. Regular cheese
3. Sausage, franks, bacon, and ribs
4. Pizza
5. Fried potatoes (French fries and hash browns)

When organizing your food intake the bottom line according to the USDA 2010 Dietary Guidelines Report

• We need fuel “food calories” for energy. Because we were “hunter gathers” and often had days with less food than we needed our bodies necessarily stored energy “fat.”  Eating regularly helps to regulate our metabolism.

• Energy balance refers to the balance between calories consumed through eating and drinking and calories expended through physical activity and metabolic processes.

• Energy consumed must equal energy expended for a person to remain at the same body weight.

• Excess calorie intake and/or inadequate physical activity will result in excess weight.

• Weight loss will occur when a calorie intake is less than calorie expenditure, which can be achieved by eating less, being more physically active, or a combination of the two.

Electronic waste is a growing problem—one that most of us are committed to solving. After lots of research, EcoSquid found that most consumers do not resell or recycle their old electronics because they just don’t know about all of the convenient options that are out there. EcoSquid solves this problem by presenting you with one easy-to-use platform that integrates electronics repurchasing and recycling programs from major retailers, resellers, and recyclers.

On EcoSquid, you can quickly find the product you wish to dispose of and then choose from a number of options to resell or recycle that product. If your product has value, you can select a deal based on a number of factors, including the amount of cash offered for the product and user reviews of the service. If your product has no value or you are not interested in selling it, we will recommend the best way to responsibly recycle or donate it.

We hope that by simplifying the process and providing you with objective information, you are convinced to either prolong the life of your electronics or responsibly dispose of them. The service that EcoSquid provides is free, so I hope that you will check it out!  http://www.ecosquid.com/client/index.jsp

How It Works

EcoSquid makes it easy to resell or recycle your electronics.  Start by watching their quick intro video.

1)      Find Your Product -  Use EcoSquid’s “Easy Search” to find your gadget by name or model.

2)      Select the Best Offer – Click “Find Matching Offers” to see numerous offers from buyers and recyclers of your product. Select the best deal to sell or recycle it.

3)      Send in your Device & Get Paid! -  EcoSquid takes you to your selected buyer’s website where you simply print out a pre-paid mailer, send in your device, and get paid. If you opt to recycle or donate, follow the service’s instructions to mail in or drop off your device.

Why EcoSquid is different

Because EcoSquid does not provide a repurchasing or recycling service of its own, it is 100% objective. They know how frustrating it can be to research all of the options for disposing of electronic waste online, and they want to make it simple. Additionally, they want to make sure that you feel comfortable with the services that you select. So, they’ve provided you with the ability to rate services and read reviews from other consumers that have experienced those services firsthand.

Other Recycle Options include:

Earth 911 is a comprehensive communication medium for the environment. Earth 911 has taken environmental hotlines, web sites and other information sources nationwide, and consolidated them into one network. Once you contact the Earth 911 network, you will find community-specific information on eCycling and much more.

My Green Electronics is provided by the Consumer Electronics Association, this site is a resource for consumers wishing to purchase green products and/or searching for local opportunities to recycle or donate used electronics.

To Conduct Your Own Research

http://www.epa.gov/osw/conserve/materials/ecycling/donate.htm

Are you Spring Cleaning to shake out and wash off the winter dulls, do you have company coming to your house for the Easter or Passover Holiday, or are you aiming to get into a new routine to stay better organized and less stressed?

The best way to determine anything is to write down your goal, so grab a notebook and start writing.  Once you’ve determined your objective, you can decide how much time you want to spend, how often, and what’s most important for you to accomplish.  Download a Priority  ToDo List and fill it in daily or weekly.

Cleaning is always quicker and easier to accomplish in a less cluttered environment… so maybe a couple of quick decluttering sessions will start your Spring Cleaning in the right direction.  Winter weather can be confining, we spend more time in the house – and we have gathered new “stuff” as a result of he holidays, homes can get a little cluttered – here are some items you might need to deal with:

• new clothes and extra warm clothes
• new toys and half finished puzzles or art projects
• new appliances, new charges and manuals
• new tools, packaging and warranties

Take some time and use the 3R’s to deal with some of the older stuff, duplicates and paperwork that can end up just creating clutter.   Determine whether something is Rubbish and needs to be tossed, can be Recycled or donated or needs put away – Relocated.

• Weed out broken or worn out items and put them in the RUBBISH. (If they’ve only just broken determine whether they are realistically ever going to get fixed – if not – toss them.  If they might be fixable, set a time limit on keeping and fixing them.)
• Separate outgrown and lesser used toys and clothes and RECYCLE them to a charity or friend. (Always check in with your children to make sure they are on board with what’s getting downsized – so that you don’t accidentally throw away a favorite!)
• New appliances and tools? Do you now have duplicates? Outdated models? Extra or new chargers? Now you have the latest gizmo, gadget or model, bring joy to someone else and RECYCLE the old one!
• Find homes for things can be more challenging… but if something doesn’t have a home it usually doesn’t get put away.  So RELOCATE anything new or previously homeless.
• File warranties, manuals and receipts – while you’re there maybe you can weed out some outdated ones too.  Flatten boxes if you have decided to save them for a period, but set a reminder to toss them after a month or whatever time period you normally test electronics.

Next up – Some ideas for your Spring Cleaning List:

• windows – letting in the light can brighten the whole house
• cleaning up the yard or porch and putting in new plants – is a great facelift as visitors approach
• the pantry, fridge and freezer – often overlooked when routine cleaning

The most challenging step when decluttering is the first – beginning.  But once you can begin, you’ll be surprised at how much obvious trash you can eliminate, and what a “dent” that can make.  Just beginning and making that first “dent” will give you a sense of relief and accomplishment that can encourage you to continue.

“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”  So, as the Chinese Philosophy Lao-Tzo says, begin gradually, with a single step.  Some days you will do better than others, you may even miss a day and that’s OK.  But everyday be proud that you have made the decision to begin.  Gradually you will be able to achieve your goal.

Decide what your goal is! Do you want to create a safe, happy, stress free environment for you and your loved ones to live in and enjoy? Do you need to create a more efficient home office? Do you need to organize closets or bedrooms to create a smoother day to day life for the whole family? If you are decluttering a loved ones home – your goals may need to be determined with other family members.

What you need to accomplish in order to live and/or work in your home, alone or with those you love, creates your goal. Having a goal shaped by your life values and reinforced by your intentions will give power to your actions. Your goal will become your greater good and when you struggle with decisions you can check your answer in relationship to achieving it.

TIPS:  Begin decluttering your home.

• Make an appointment on your calendar every day, or every week to declutter.  If daily set a timer for 15 – 30 mins, then stop.  If weekly, set a timer for an hour or so, and then stop.
• Create 4 or 5 bags/boxes:  trash;  donate/give away;  put away;  sell;  look-at-later;  not sure.
• Pick one area – a drawer or counter corner, table top, closet in one room. Stay focused only on that area.  If working in a closet, work only on like items say shoes, or blouses each session.
• Do not try to read or take things from an area to put them away, simply place them in the box or bag designated “put away” or “look-at-later.”
• Try using the “3 second rule” and the “handle only once” rule.  Make quick decisions and don’t second guess yourself once you have decided. Your initial intuition is usually right and the more you declutter the more you will exercise your intuition.
• When your timer goes off – immediately take trash outside and throw it away, and immediately put your “donate” items in the truck of your car to drop off as soon as possible.
• “Put away” items in that bag.  If there is no home for an item, either remove something to make space for it, or rethink whether you really need it. (See ELININATION tips at the end of the post.)
• Now pat yourself on the back!! Be proud – you made a start… take a walk, call a friend, relax.

Starting slowly like this, in small time increments, will help to eliminate the possibility of overwhelm and frustration.  Setting short appointments for yourself everyday will create a good habit for the future to have a regular, quick, decluttering sessions.  Making decisions about what to do with “stuff” will gradually become easier, as you realize that you can throw away, donate and recycle items without any repercussions, and the worst case scenario is that you can always replace it if and when you need it.

ELIMINATION TIPS:

• Does it fit? Have you or husband or kids outgrown it, or lost weight since you bought it?
• Does it work? If it’s been broken for months, chances are you’re not going to fix it and haven’t missed using it.
• Do I love? Sometimes we hang onto gifts because we feel guilty about getting rid of them.
• Does it have a home? If not, can I get rid of something else to give it a home?
• Do I need it? How many of this item can you realistically use?
• Is it in good shape or tatty? Sometimes we have favorites and simply wear them out!
• When did I last wear or use it? If you have used or worn it in 6 months chances are you won’t unless it’s gown or piece of emergency equipment.
• Can a friend help me? Setting a time for a friend to help is a commitment that is more difficult to break.
• If you or no one in your home is using it – donate it so that someone else can!
• Got large household items? Consider a rent/lend it to a neighbor program.

MAINTENANCE tips:

• Going forward find out what kind of organizer you are, like with like, color with color, size with size – this can make it easier for you to stay organized.
• Spend 15 minutes every day picking up and putting away – 4 things in the morning and 4 things in the evening.
• If you get it out – put it away, that goes for the kids and your husband too!
• Check out my previous post about creating a message center in the entrance way to deal more efficiency with mail and school notices.

This is a commonly cluttered area because it’s the first place you walk into – it’s where you take off your coat and put down your things after you walk in the door – it’s where stuff tends to accumulate and get disorganized.  Everyone has different “drop zones” in the house (sometimes it’s the kitchen table,) but the entryway often contains a random array of things such as rain boots, pet supplies, mail, keys to unknown locks, clothes, handbags, shopping bags, and various other items that are on their way in or out of the home. Keeping an entryway organized is challenging especially if you have kids!

While entryways are often small spaces, they have high potential to increase your emotional clutter, because so many of the things we need on a daily basis get lost there.  And because we must pass through that area several times a day in order to go about our daily lives, it’s especially important that it’s organized.  Perfectionism and procrastination often play a part in a cluttered entry way, because we think, I’ll just put it here for now, as a means of putting off finding our items the right home.

Rethinking the way you approach this important area of your home can go a long way toward reducing your daily stress level.  I recommend reconceptualizing the space from one that you simply walk through and throw your stuff in, to treating it as a family “message center,” a space where family members can check in with one another and easily get the items they need to go about their day.

Here are ways to organize your entry way and cut down on clutter.

• Install hooks.  Consider a hook for your keys so that they’re always in the same location each time you enter and leave the house.  Labeling or color coding keys can also make it easier to identify them on a daily basis.
• Assign hooks for children’s jackets and bags: it can help your kids to create the good habit of hanging their items up as soon as they enter the house instead of dropping them “any where” in the home, and make them easy to “grab” in the morning rush.
• Consider using hooks for other items you use daily, such as dog leashes, reusable shopping bags, sunglasses, and coats.  Or, if you have a coat closet using a necktie or belt hanger, or a multi-hook over the door rack if space is limited on the rail.
• Create a family message center. Using an inexpensive cardboard vertical file and marking a slot for each family member.  Any mail or flyer or classroom permission slip that enters the house, any photograph that you want your husband to look at, and any note you want to pass along to your child goes into that person’s slot.
• Keep a small, attractive trash bin near the family message center.  It should serve as a constant reminder that rash doesn’t need to come any farther into your home.  Flyers stuck under your door, receipts that were in your coat pocket, junk mail, and other unneeded items that can cause clutter go straight into the bin.

It may take a little while for you and your family to create new habits utilizing your new system, but if you create it and consistently use it, everyone will soon appreciate it and enjoy knowing where everything they need is when they are rushing to leave the house for school or work.  If your closet space is small you might also consider purchasing some additional organizing storage for the area, such as a coat rack or a bench with additional shoe storage, or installing a shelf to organize your message center.

There were some vastly different answers, obviously all of your circumstances vary, and what you need to get organized is different. Some of you are single, some married, some have children some don’t, and your home and work environments differ.  But when we tallied up the responses, there were three definite “winning” areas.  And you may be surprised to learn which is at the top of the list when it comes to organizing your life.

The winner was – your car! Second place was the main entrance / exit door or hallway and, closets and dressers, tied for third place.

Let’s tackle organizing your car! First I’ll give you a few tips to purge it and then a few more to help keep it organized going forward.

Before you even begin to tackle the clean up, I suggest you book and appointment on your calendar.  Cleanups and organization are not on our top ten list, so chances are if you don’t actually set aside a time slot it will be on your “to-do” list and keep getting rolled over to another day.

Also before you actually begin I suggest you give a little thought to how you use your car.  If you use it mostly for work, how many hours are you in it? Do you have to transport clients? Do you have to carry change of clothes or files?  If you are a Mom or use your vehicle only for pleasure your usage will be different.

Once you have assessment your vehicle usage needs you will be better able to decide on the good organization storage.  Here are a few ideas – depending on your needs.

TIPS:  Here are a few tips to help you clean up your car.

• Set up a trash can or bag, and have 3 other boxes or bags close by. Depending on vehicle usage you will sort everything in your car into one of those 4 places.
• Pull everything out of the vehicle, the glove box, console, loose CD’s and door storage as well as child seats and immediately throw out obvious trash.
• Sort everything else into the 4 other boxes, piles or bags.  What items go into what piles will depend largely on your car usage!
• Items you need or use often: pen, paper, meter money, glasses, registration, insurance, kids’ books, music, blue tooth headset, hangers, important phone numbers.
• Items you need occasionally: tire pressure gauge, ice scraper, music, workout bag, maps, tissues, snacks, handy wipes, maps, electronic device chargers.
• Items you will need in an emergency:  emergency / first aid kit, flash light, spare clothes, diapers, snacks, jack, roadside flares, jumper cables.
• Items that need to be returned to your home or garage: CD’s you got tired of listening to, workout clothes, books, files, receipts.

As with any re-organization you may put things in a place that turns out not to be such convenient, so it’s always a good idea to reassess after a few weeks or a month.

TIPS: To stay organized – remember bad habits take time to break, and good habits take time to create.

• Practice using new homes for items, see what works and change what doesn’t.
• Never throw anything on the floor of your car.
• Keep a supply of spare trash bags or one trash receptor in the vehicle.
• Create a recycle bag for cans and plastics.
• Empty trash and recyclables weekly.
• If the kids carry stuff to the car – they must carry it out.
• If you take 2 new CD’s to the car – take 2 CD’s back into the house.
• Pay kids an allowance to help you vacuum and keep the car clean.

Next up – Organizing your Entrance / Exit home hallway areas more efficiently so that you and your family can live a more organized life!

Educating ourselves about our ancestors empowers us with knowledge to live more fulfilled lives.

Before 1977, roots were something we had if we lived in one place for a long time. But Alex Haley’s epic TV series, gave the word a whole new meaning for Americans.  Haley’s “Saga of an American Family,” got us all wondering about our genes, heritage and previous generations.

In schools across America this February and March children will hear about Black History and in particular Women in History and the Empowerment of Education.

Wikipedia describes education in broad and general terms as: “the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next.” And that: “it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts.”

“Living a more organized life is like driving safely: we need to be mindful of the traffic and look in the rear view mirror, before we decide what action to take in order to arrive at our destination on time and in one piece.”     ~   DorothyTheOrganizer

TIPS:

• Looking back, taking stock, examining our life and perhaps the lives of our parents, helps us decide what’s important, bringing goals and dreams into focus to help us organize our life values. Our children can also learn how to cope with “today” from how we overcame difficulties “yesterday.”

• Once we realize what’s most important in our life, we are better able to prioritize tasks, make a “to stop” list as well as “to do” lists.

• Time Management comes more easily when we center our actions on our values, the truly important things in our life can take priority and the less important weeded out.

• Our family histories can reveal genetic and hereditary predispositions so that we can modify our behavior and actions for better lifestyle choices, including diet, exercise and stress management.

• Organizing family health histories saves time: in the doctor’s office, tracking follow up appointments, having test results on hand to share and caring for the old and the young in an emergency.

Oprah founded her first girl’s school in South Africa after she learned that “teaching” was in her ancestry.  And In 2004TheUS Surgeon General began to promote sharing family health histories because having that knowledge can encourage us to live a more healthfully proactive lifestyle.

“Education is simply the soul of a society as it passes from one generation to another.”

Gilbert Keith Chesterton, contributor for the Encyclopedia Britannica

Educating ourselves about our ancestors, their genes and heritage can empower us with knowledge to live more fulfilled lives.  DorothyTheOrganizer’s mission is to help you become more organized so that you can achieve your goals, take care of your family and live a happier healthier life!

The Universal Healing Power of Music

Words cannot truly describe the palpable emotions at The Grammys last night!  It was a night that I will never forget!  I felt the sadness surrounding Whitney Houston’s tragic demise. I felt the joyful anticipation of all the honored artists. But most of all, as LL Cool J said, I felt the universal healing power of music prevail throughout the whole event.

Singing was probably in Whitney’s genes, as the daughter of famed Gospel Singer Cissy Houston and cousin of the legendary Dionne Warwick, but Whitney’s heart and soul drove her to organize and perform concerts to raise money for The Whitney Houston Foundation For Children Inc, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, the United Negro College Fund and donate royalties to many other causes.

Since 1989 she has raised money and awareness to fight apartheid, aid sick and homeless children and prevent child abuse.  She has organized concerts to raise money for Gulf War Troops and their families, build inner city playgrounds, and waived royalties to benefit New York City Fire Fighter and Police Relief Funds after 911.  She did so many selfless good works.

This February and March we celebrate Black History Month and Women’s History Month through themes of Black Women in American History and Empowerment.  Whitney Houston’slife story, her unsurpassed talent and beauty, will surely be rem, but we will also remember her as a selfless humanitarian who raised money and social consciousness.

Yes, she had her demons, and yes, she struggled with them, but in spite of that and perhaps because of that, the amazing gifts she shared with all us as a performer and a humanitarian, will always be an empowering inspiration to all young performers.

Whitney Houston – we will always love you!

Celebrate the life of someone you love for Women’s History Month.