"Moose" refers to Robert Bly's description of himself

Our Memories are Not in Our Things — They are Inside of Us

Karen Caccavodecluttering, Financial Organizing, Life Lessons, Memorabilia, Possessions, Preserving Memories, Working with Seniors

It’s not an easy lesson. And I learned it the hard way…. One spring evening in London, I went to hear Robert Bly recite his poetry.  He had won the National Book Award for Poetry in the US a few years earlier in 1967, yet the audience was small.  Afterwards, we all went to the local pub for a pint. …

Is your junk drawer a mess that needs to be organized, or a safe haven where you can find items that your think are lost?

Your Junk Drawer: 2 Perspectives

Karen Caccavodecluttering, Organizing Tips

I launched Personal Money Manager in 2008 with a presentation about organizing.  If you live in New York’s Hudson Valley, you might have heard it!  I used the proverbial junk drawer as my model for sharing organizing tips.  But read on. Why a junk drawer? Everyone knows what it is and probably has one (or more).  Organizing it is a …

Trash or Treasure? Downsizing a Lifetime of Stuff

Karen Caccavodecluttering, Memorabilia

My parents moved across the country several times over the years, with second homes along the way.  Each time they moved, they hauled not only the necessities, but also lots of “stuff,” which was … trash or treasure? One item left to us was a rusty and broken child’s bank in the shape of a bank building (see photo of …