A special thanks to our good friends at&nbsp;&nbsp;for sponsoring this episode of This ORGANIZED Life! They have an incredible line of personalized stationery, lists &amp; notepads. Visit&nbsp;&nbsp;and enter the code&nbsp;ORGANIZED&nbsp;at checkout to receive 15% your entire order *Please shop local when you can, small businesses have been greatly impacted by COVID-19 and appreciate your support. For sponsorship inquiries and collaborations      Hi friends! Parents of school-aged kids, you are in for a treat today.&nbsp; Joining me (via zoom) is Dr. Amanda Benolken, Supervisor of Educational Technology and Innovation at New Hope-Solebury School District.&nbsp; Throughout the past 12 years, Amanda has held positions as an elementary teacher and instructional coach, and in addition to her “day job,” she currently serves as an adjunct professor at Gwynedd Mercy University teaching graduate leadership and curriculum courses and a dissertation advisor. So needless to say Amanda is no joke. In addition to her impressive resume, Amanda is mom to a 4th grader, so she is navigating DISTANCE LEARNING as both administrator and parent. So guess what folks? She is in the weeds with the rest of us! I invited Amanda to join me, to help provide some direction, and share some insight for parents who are feeling overwhelmed, and underprepared to take on the role as teacher. Amanda also shares how she is juggling work and parenting in her own home while we’re under quarantine. During our conversation we talk about things like:  What is a reasonable expectation for how long kids should be focused on academics each day? Advice for parents who are panicked that their educational development is resting on their shoulders Overcoming the technology hurdle if you’re unfamiliar with platforms like Zoom, Google Classroom, or Canvas  We also talked about non-traditional learning opportunities, like cooking a meal or writing letters and how they MATTER! We wrap up with some resources for parents and students to help add extra support outside of the classroom, so be sure to check out the links at the bottom of the show notes. This is uncharted territory for everyone, and&nbsp; rest assured that your kids education WILL be ok. Stay healthy. Stay safe.         xo - Laurie&nbsp;         Please support us! &nbsp;to TOL to have new episodes downloaded each week!  .&nbsp; Social influence is the most impactful way to help others find our show!  Struggling with Clutter?&nbsp; Click&nbsp;&nbsp;to take our FREE&nbsp;    Stop feeling like a Hot Mess! &nbsp;is my witty little survival guide that helps you get to the root of your clutter. Learn about the 3 types of clutter,&nbsp;Physical, Emotional,&nbsp;and&nbsp;Calendar,&nbsp;along with how to avoid the&nbsp;5 Clutter Pitfalls.&nbsp; Now is the time to reclaim time, find freedom, and feel empowered from the “stuff” that is holding you back. Available on&nbsp;,&nbsp;&nbsp;or wherever books are sold.  Links Mentioned in this Episode |&nbsp; Links For High School Juniors &nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp; Suggested Vetted SitesS, Tools &amp; App For This School Closure Period     Some Of Amanda’s Favorites    Virtual Museum Tours     Promo Codes for You! &nbsp;|&nbsp;  Connect with Amanda   Connect with Me &nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;

ep 174 - COVID-19 & The Classroom

ep 175 - Earth Day Episode

Hi Friends! Today I am joined by Kristen Manieri who is a writer, mindfulness teacher and host of the 60 Mindful Minutes podcast. I invited Kristen onto our show during this crazy time of COVID-19 to talk about how mindfulness can help to reduce stress (something we are all dealing with during quarantine!). During our conversation, we talked about:  Kristen’s journey into mindfulness How mindfulness has given her coping strategies to become a more patient mom What to do if you struggle with quieting your mind, or even finding the time to get started Helpful tools to keep inside your “toolbox” How to keep from passing your anxiety onto your kids or spouse The link between outer order and inner calm Resources, including books and apps to guide you along the way (see links below)  Kristen shares advice for parents who have younger kids who miss their friends, and are tired of being cooped up at home, but may not have the language or maturity to articulate how they are feeling. Today is a great day to begin your mindfulness practice. Kristen’s recommendation: start with 5 minutes per day and work up from there. Make sure to check out all the links to help you get started, including her free 5-day course!         xo - Laurie&nbsp;       A special thanks to our good friends at&nbsp;&nbsp;for sponsoring this episode of This ORGANIZED Life! They have an incredible line of personalized stationery, lists &amp; notepads. Visit&nbsp;&nbsp;and enter the code&nbsp;ORGANIZED&nbsp;at checkout to receive 15% your entire order *Please shop local when you can, small businesses have been greatly impacted by COVID-19 and appreciate your support. &nbsp;For sponsorship inquiries and collaborations&nbsp;&nbsp;           Links Mentioned in this Episode &nbsp; |&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;   Promo Codes for You! &nbsp;|&nbsp;   Please Support Us! &nbsp;to TOL to have new episodes downloaded each week!   .&nbsp; Social influence is the most impactful way to help others find our show!  Struggling with Clutter? Click&nbsp;&nbsp;to take our FREE&nbsp;     Stop feeling like a Hot Mess! &nbsp;is my witty little survival guide that helps you get to the root of your clutter. Learn about the 3 types of clutter,&nbsp;Physical, Emotional,&nbsp;and&nbsp;Calendar,&nbsp;along with how to avoid the&nbsp;5 Clutter Pitfalls.&nbsp; Now is the time to reclaim time, find freedom, and feel empowered from the “stuff” that is holding you back. Available on&nbsp;,&nbsp;&nbsp;or wherever books are sold.  Connect with Kristen &nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;|&nbsp;   Connect with Me &nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;

ep 176 - Clutter, Covid & Mindfulness with Kristen Manieri

Hi Friends! At the time of this recording, we were Pre-COVID, and although our day-to-day lives have changed, the topics discussed on this episode remain relevant.&nbsp;&nbsp; Joining me today is Diana Gasperoni, a NYC Psychotherapist, Founder of BeWELL Psychotherapy and host of the podcast, BeREAL with Diana.&nbsp; FUN FACT: Diana was a guest on TOL back in episode 14,&nbsp; which I have linked to below. Today we talk about the link between physical clutter and emotional strongholds:  Whether it’s taking comfort in our clutter Using distractions like shopping to make us temporarily feel better Placing an unhealthy value of ourselves based on stuff  Diana shares her thoughts about how to identify the line between healthy and unhealthy clutter.&nbsp;&nbsp; (i.e.: unopened mail b/c you’ve been out late every night, vs. unopened mail for months on end and that’s a pattern of behavior) We also talk about what to do if you suspect that a friend, spouse, child, or parent is struggling with emotional clutter. In the second half of our show we talk about Diana’s new podcast, BeREAL–&nbsp;(who knew at the time of recording that her clinical advice would be so timely in light of our current climate).&nbsp; I have been listening to her show faithfully on my walks, and I suspect you will appreciate her honesty, perspective and vulnerability as much as I do. If you liked this episode,&nbsp; make sure you check out the links below to listen and subscribe to her show!         xo - Laurie       A special thanks to our good friends at&nbsp;&nbsp;for sponsoring this episode of This ORGANIZED Life! They have an incredible line of personalized stationery, lists &amp; notepads. Visit&nbsp;&nbsp;and enter the code&nbsp;ORGANIZED&nbsp;at checkout to receive 15% your entire order *Please shop local when you can, small businesses have been greatly impacted by COVID-19 and appreciate your support. &nbsp;For sponsorship inquiries and collaborations&nbsp;&nbsp;           Links Mentioned in this Episode &nbsp;  Connect with Diana &nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;   Promo Codes for You! &nbsp;|&nbsp;   Please Support Us! &nbsp;to TOL to have new episodes downloaded each week!   .&nbsp; Social influence is the most impactful way to help others find our show!  Struggling with Clutter? Click&nbsp;&nbsp;to take our FREE&nbsp;     Stop feeling like a Hot Mess! &nbsp;is my witty little survival guide that helps you get to the root of your clutter. Learn about the 3 types of clutter,&nbsp;Physical, Emotional,&nbsp;and&nbsp;Calendar,&nbsp;along with how to avoid the&nbsp;5 Clutter Pitfalls.&nbsp; Now is the time to reclaim time, find freedom, and feel empowered from the “stuff” that is holding you back. Available on&nbsp;,&nbsp;&nbsp;or wherever books are sold.  Connect with Me &nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;&nbsp;|&nbsp;

ep 177 - Mental Health & Clutter with Diana Gasperoni

Take a glimpse into my organized, but not-so-perfect world as a mom, author of the book HOT MESS: A Practical Guide to Getting Organized, and founder of Simply B Organized.

This Organized Life — simply B organized's Podcast