Professional organizing tips and decluttering advice from Living. Simplified. Serving Portsmouth, NH to Boston, MA with practical strategies to simplify your home and routines.
From the time John and Jane* bought their suburban Boston home over 25 years ago, they never parked in their detached one-car garage. The garage stored toys for their kids, items for their business, tools and supplies for their lawn and gardens, and extra supplies for their home. So begins the story of why they hired Living. Simplified. to come in and help clear out their 142-year-old garage.
Read MoreWhen it comes to organizing our home, the area that is most often overlooked is the garage. If we’re being honest, it’s probably where all our junk goes after we complete a decluttering project inside our home. Did you know that an estimated 25% of homeowners do not store their cars in their garage? What?!?! Yes, it’s true. People have so much stuff that they often can’t park their cars in their garage! And what’s more, the garage often gets so full of items that the homeowners can’t even find (or remember!) what they have saved.
Read MoreDo you find it difficult to manage your busy family and lifestyle while still trying to eat nutritious foods each day? Are you tired of spending money on takeout meals because you had nothing in the house to eat? You’re not alone.
Menu planning is here to save you time, money and energy. Menu planning doesn’t have to be difficult. Start by making a plan, seeing what works, and tweaking your system over time. Here are a few of my favorite tips to get you started on your meal planning journey.
Read MoreLearning to menu plan for the coming week can have a dramatic effect on your life. Believe me. I’m talking from experience. About 10 years ago, my husband and I started to menu plan. Although our exact process changed over time, the benefits were clear: grocery shopping only once per week; no more stress at dinner time trying to find something to cook; having all the ingredients in our home to cook a nutritious dinner; very little food going to waste because it wasn’t eaten. And my favorite benefit? Knowing that each night at dinner time, we could sit down as a family of 4 to enjoy a tasty dinner and actually talk to each other.
Read MoreSummer is a time for fun in the sun, BBQs, family gatherings, beach trips and lots of sunscreen. When the fun winds down, the kids go back to school, and we get back to a more scheduled daily routine, it’s a good time to edit out summer items that have seen better days. This is a great list to get your started on your decluttering and organizing journey!
Read MoreHard to believe that we have to start thinking about back-to-school preparations! Didn’t summer just arrive? Chances are it’s still summer weather, but with kids going back to school in August, now is the perfect time to set up systems in your home to make the transition back to school a smooth and easy one. Following are a few of our favorite tips to get the school year started off on the right foot.
Read MoreNo time like the end of the summer to start thinking ahead and getting ready for back-to-school. I know. I know. Do you really need to think about this in August? Well, in much of the US, our kids are going back to school in August! So yes, now is the time to think about cleaning up the pool toys, storing the beach towels, and getting rid of those stretched out/worn out bathing suits. It’s also a good time to take inventory of your sunscreen and bug spray, flip flops and other summer necessities and take advantage of those end-of-summer sales to stock up on items for next year. [Just keep in mind the “one-in, one-out” rule, so if you buy three new beach towels, be sure to donate three old ones!]
Read MoreWhether your family room is country chic or ultra-modern, keeping the family room clutter-free can be a challenge. Why? Because most family rooms serve more than one function. From game room to reading nook, from home office to home gym, the family room is one of the most used spaces in our homes.
Following is a list of useful items to help you keep your family room organized. Whatever your décor, you can always find something to coordinate with what you already have. Use these products as the starting point to get your family room organized and looking the way you want it to look.
Read MoreLiving. Simplified. provides professional organizing and move management services for busy families and retirees across New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, Massachusetts, and Florida. Led by expert organizer Lauren Saltman, Living. Simplified. creates personalized systems that bring order, efficiency, and peace of mind—helping you reclaim your space and time, wherever life takes you.
Want to read more on a particular topic? Click on a category in the list below to find exactly what you’re looking for.
Have a question that you’d like to see answered on social media or in more detail in a blog post? Be sure to reach out to Living. Simplified. at lauren@livingsimplified.net.
lauren@livingsimplified.net
561.289.9364
Serving Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Kittery, Maine; Boston, Massachusetts; Vermont; Boca Raton, Florida and surrounding areas.
© 2026 Living. Simplified. LLC
