Face the Clutter

I have always loved to clean and organize messy piles, even as a child. Somehow, I always felt happier and more energetic when things were in order. I grew up on a farm in Iowa with 5 siblings. As an avid 4-H'er for 9 years, I earned a National 4-H Award in Home Management as a result of my involvement in multiple project areas. I am married and have 3 grown children. As a full-time mom with young children, I had fun finding creative ways to keep our home neat and orderly as toys, school papers, sports, and music events paraded through our busy lives. As my church's Archivist, I have devised a workable system for recording and maintaining our parish history by maintaining scrapbooks and documented photos. My 29-year career as a science teacher gave me many opportunities for organizing as I juggled lesson plans, worksheets, parent communications, and meeting schedules. As a retired teacher, my dream is to harness my bustling energies into helping people get their lives in order. I have taught community ed classes relating to organizing and using discarded items to create beauty in both the Anoka Hennepin and Forest Lake School districts. I welcome opportunities to speak to community organizations about my passion of how to go about creating order for a simpler lifestyle.