Nutella is so good with tart, crisp apples. Yum! I don't think I've ever come across anything that was too sweet for me and beginning to believe such a thing doesn't exist. I guess we'll find out in February if my tastebuds have changed since I'm cutting sugar out my diet this month.

I volunteer to help organize anything and everything on Buffista Island! Cleaning and organizing are things I actually enjoy, especially if I'm angry or stressed. If I were brave enough, I'd start my own business helping people to lead cleaner or just less cluttered lives but I'm not willing to bet my paycheck on it.

My sister finally let me come out and help her get her house under control back in October and it was a LOT of work but we got so much done in about 6 days. Probably heading back to Corinth for part of spring break for round 2.

Oooh, yes, Nicole! Start your own decluttering business. If they can make TV shows about it, then I'm sure it's something you could make money off of. I'll even provide a testimonial.

My sister finally let me come out and help her get her house under control back in October and it was a LOT of work but we got so much done in about 6 days. Probably heading back to Corinth for part of spring break for round 2.

So, is that the trick to getting you to visit, I just have to agree to let you organize my house? Because, if so, consider it done.

I would be happy to let you organize my house if it would help reduce your stress levels, Nicole. Anything I can do to help, you know.

Sail! I forgot about that! Good times. I do wonder if I'd encounter someone that only said they wanted to declutter but then fight me every step of the process. That would be frustrating.

sj, I swear we are talking about heading your way this year. Promise! Probably close to our birthdays at the end of September.

sj, I swear we are talking about heading your way this year. Promise! Probably close to our birthdays at the end of September.

I've heard this before, but I will allow myself to get my hopes up anyway.

I could probably declutter my house relatively quickly if I had an army of minions and a ten-yard dumpster in front of the house. I could start in one corner of the room, point to things and say "Keep/Trash/Recycle", and someone else would be responsible for physically transporting the thing to its new destination.

I could find one or two minions for a couple of hours at a time, but schedules conflict, and when I get started, I tend to snap orders at people, who may not be amenable to being snapped at.

Belgium and a buffista AND organizing?!? My bank account is the only thing stopping me from packing a bag.

I know, sj. We're hoping to avoid some of the cash-sucking pitfalls of years past. I'm so excited to finally see your home!

Yes, my pitfall tends to be not so much the organizing itself but the detritus--getting things to the appropriate places, be that trash, donation, or figuring out where they should be recycled (that's a big one, when I know I"m not supposed to throw it out but don't know where it goes, and then I either forget to look it up, or do look it up and forget where or when it's allowed...)

Belgium and a buffista AND organizing?!? My bank account is the only thing stopping me from packing a bag.

What a coincidence, my bank account is the only thing stopping me from hiring an organizer!

Although, actually, I have made some great strides lately. In the last couple of months I have managed to transform our living room It no longer looks like a daycare center. Grown up people live here, too! And best of all, they toys are all still here, they are just hidden behind the doors of beautiful wood furniture that I have scored for super cheap at thrift stores (because Belgians have an aversion to used, and therefore don't snap up all the good stuff before I can get out of bed).