January - National Birth Defects Prevention Month

Sponsor: The National Birth Defects Prevention Network 

2011 March of Dimes Report Card 

Preterm birth rates improved in almost every state between 2006 and 2009, and in several states the change was more than 10 percent. According to the March of Dimes 2011 Premature Birth Report Card the United States earned a C; indicating the USA has a long way to go in reducing our rate of premature birth. At 1 in 8 babies born too soon, our country’s rate is higher than that of most developed nations.

Prevent Birth Defects

National Birth Defects Prevention Month is a time to raise awareness of birth defects and promote healthy pregnancies.

A birth defect is a problem that happens while a baby is developing in the mother’s body. One out of every 33 babies in the United States is born with a birth defect.

Many birth defects can be prevented. If you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant, these tips can help you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby:

* Take a multivitamin with folic acid every day before and during pregnancy.

* See your doctor or midwife regularly as soon as you think you're pregnant and throughout your pregnancy.

* Make sure your vaccinations are up to date.

* Eat well and stay active.

* Avoid alcohol, smoking, and other drug use.

* Prevent infections from food and other sources.

Healthy Lifestyle Choices

Diet and exercise
Eat healthy and exercise regularly. Health problems are linked to weighing too much or too little before and during pregnancy. Your health is affected by what you eat and by your physical activity.

Here are a few important guidelines for healthy eating:
• Eat lots of vegetables, fruits and whole grains such as whole wheat, oats, barley and brown rice. These are excellent sources of the vitamins, minerals and dietary fiber you need every day to feel your best.

• Eat less of the foods that are high in saturated fat and cholesterol, such as meat, poultry and whole milk dairy foods (low-fat dairy is okay). Saturated fat and cholesterol are strongly linked to heart disease, cancer and obesity.

Regular physical activity helps control weight, strengthen your heart, and give you more energy. It also reduces depression and relieves stress. It’s a good idea to exercise at least 3 times a week for at least 30 minutes.

Alcohol and drugs
Drinking alcohol or taking any type of legal or street drugs during the early weeks of pregnancy can hurt your unborn baby. That’s when the brain and other organs are forming.

If you drink alcohol, so does your unborn baby. Alcohol abuse during pregnancy is a leading known cause of mental retardation. If you are considering a pregnancy, it’s best to stop drinking alcohol before you conceive.

Cocaine, crack, heroin, amphetamines and other street drugs can badly hurt your baby if you use them while you are pregnant. Your baby could suffer lifelong health problems. Get help to stop using drugs before you become pregnant and stay clean.

Join the Beautiful and Bald Barbie Campaign

The Beautiful and Bald Barbie

To help young children who suffer from hair loss due to cancer treatments, Alopecia or Trichotillomania. Also, for young children who are having trouble coping with their mother's hair loss from chemo. Many children have some difficulty accepting their mother, sister, aunt, grandparent or friend going from long haired to bald.

My Barbie is a quadriplegia.
She is in a wheelchair and is a photographer. 

Barbie has become a teaching tool for a variety of professions; eating disorders; body image distortions, etc..

A bald Barbie shows the world that no illness can take away beauty.
Providing resources and accessories gives a bald Barbie the power of

Acceptance for many children, their families and friends.

To learn more, visit Beautiful and Bald Barbie!
and the Bald G.I. Joe Movement

Healthy Weight Week Resources

In celebrating Healthy Weight Week, we looked at Weight Bias, Body Image, Self-Esteem, Lifelong Healthy Habits, Identifying Fad Diets and Beauty Comes in All Sizes and Shapes.


It is crucial to continue research and education. Eating disorder or disordered eating affects up to 24 million Americans and 70 million individuals worldwide.  (Renfrew Center Foundation for Eating Disorders, Eating Disorders 101 Guide: A Summary of Issues, Statistics and Resources, October 2003)

You are so beautiful

Anorexia is the 3rd most common chronic illness among adolescents. (Public Health Service's Office in Women's Health, Eating Disorder Information Sheet, 2000).

A young woman with anorexia is 12 times more likely to die than other women her age without anorexia. (Mortality in Anorexia Nervosa. American Journal of Psychiatry, 152(7), 1073-1074).

Five to ten percent of people with anorexia die within ten years of onset, 18 to 20 percent die within twenty years of onset, and only 50 percent report ever being cured. Without treatment, up to 20% of people with serious eating disorders die. With treatment, the mortality rate falls to 2 to 3%. (American Psychiatric Association (1993), "Practice Guidelines for Eating Disorders." American Journal of Psychiatry, 150 (2), pp 212-228).

20% of people suffering from anorexia will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems. (Renfrew Center Foundation for Eating Disorders, "Eating Disorders 101 Guide: A Summary of Issues, Statistics and Resources," published September 2002, revised October 2003).

It is estimated currently 11% of high school students have been diagnosed with an eating disorder. (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders)

51% of 9 and 10 year-old girls feel better about themselves if they are on a diet. (Mellin LM, Irwin CE and Scully S: Disordered eating characteristics in girls: A survey of middle class children. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 1992; 92:851-53)

42% of 1st to 3rd grade girls want to be thinner. (Collins M.E., 1991. Body figure and preferences among pre-adolescent children. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 199-208.)

81% of 10 year olds are afraid of being fat. (Mellin LM, Irwin CE and Scully S: Disordered eating characteristics in girls: A survey of middle class children. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 1992; 92:851-53).

91% of women surveyed on a college campus had attempted to control their weight through dieting, 22% dieted "often" or "always". (Kurth CL, Krahn DD, Nairn K and Drewnowski A: The severity of dieting and bingeing behaviors in college women: Interview validation of survey data. Journal of Psychiatric Research. 1995; 29(3):211-25).

Resources and Support
National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) provides education, resources and support for those individuals and families affected by eating disorders, and serves to prevent, cure and access quality care. NEDA sponsors events, programs and research on eating disorders, and contains a section on its site featuring recent news articles and information.

Academy for Eating Disorders (AED). The Academy for Eating Disorders aims to provide comprehensive information on the facts of eating disorders, treatment plans and education to prevent others from developing eating disorders.

Alliance of Eating Disorders Awareness was created as a source of community outreach, education, awareness and prevention of the various eating disorders. Their goal is to spread the message, recovery from these disorders is possible, and individuals should not have to suffer or recover alone.

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.  Provides nutrition resources about eating disorders, including an extensive nutrition reading list.

American Obesity Association (AOA). AOA is the leading scientific society dedicated to the study of obesity. They are committed to encouraging research on the causes and treatment of obesity, and to keeping the medical community and public informed of new advances. AOA provides obesity awareness and prevention information.

Andrea's Voice Foundation (AVF) is dedicated to promoting education and understanding toward the prevention, identification, diagnosis and treatment of disordered eating and related issues. The site has a section for poetry, a blog, media, presentations and ways you can help.

Binge Eating Disorder Association (BEDA) is the national organization focusing on increased prevention, diagnosis, and treatment for Binge Eating Disorder.

BodyImageHealth.org introduces a model for a healthy body image and provides a variety of resources to help children and adults develop a positive body image, effective eating habits, nutritional health, fitness and weight.

Council on Size and Weight Discrimination, Inc. An activist group influencing public opinion and policy through education, information and networking.

Eating Disorders Anonymous (EDA). A 12 step self-help fellowship for anorexics and bulimics. EDA offers membership to any person who needs help recovering from an eating disorder. The site has meetings around the United States, publications, recovery information, EDA news and helpful links to other sites.

Eating Disorders Coalition.  The goal of Eating Disorders Coalition is to "advance the federal recognition of eating disorders as a public health priority." The nonprofit organization lists the federal policy on its website, congressional briefings, events, information/resources on eating disorders and a blog.

Eating Disorders Information Network (EDIN) is a nonprofit organization committed to the prevention of all types of disordered eating, from obesity to anorexia, and the promotion of positive body-esteem through education, outreach and action.

Eating Disorder Referral and Information Center (EDRIC) includes links to sites which provide additional information on eating disorders and related topics.

Eating Disorders Resource Center (EDRC) is a non-profit organization that links resources, information and support for eating disorders in Silicon Valley. The mission of EDRC is to increase awareness and understanding of eating disorders for the general public and health professionals; to promote early diagnosis, effective treatment, and recovery; and to advocate for mental health legislation and effective insurance coverage. EDRC offers a comprehensive, online resource directory.

F.E.A.S.T.  Families Empowered and Supporting Treatment of Eating Disorders is an international organization providing support to families and friends of those suffering from eating disorders. The site announces events and conferences, groups around the world, treatment providers, online caregivers and current news.

Fed Up Girl is a non-profit foundation educating young girls on body image, self-esteem and balanced living to prevent eating disorders. Founded in Los Angeles by two women who recovered from years of battling eating disorders, the program is available free of charge to groups of girls age 6 to 17. The program is tailored for each age group and provides access to some of the most current research in creating positive body image and self-esteem.

Healthy Weight Network provides information and resources pertaining to “health at any size”.

International Association of Eating Disorders Professionals (IAEDP) is well recognized for its excellence in providing education and training standards to an international multidisciplinary group of various healthcare treatment providers and helping professions, who treat the full spectrum of eating disorder problems.

Kristen Watt Foundation provides support for those suffering with eating disorders. The site has sections for parents, friends and coaches. They are dedicated to increasing awareness of eating disorders, education and treatment.

Multi-Service Eating Disorders Association (MEDA) is a nonprofit organization working to prevent and treat eating disorders. Their aim is to do this through early detection and increased public awareness. This site has events listed, resources and a place for individuals to join the organization.

National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders (ANAD) seeks to alleviate the problems of eating disorders by educating the public and healthcare professionals, encouraging research, and sharing resources on all aspects of these disorders. Their website includes information on finding support groups, referrals, treatment centers, advocacy and background on eating disorders.

National Association for Males with Eating Disorders, Inc. (N.A.M.E.D.) is dedicated to offering support to and public awareness about males with eating disorders.

National Institute of Mental Health: Eating Disorders provides information on anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge-eating disorder, the affect eating disorders can have on men, treatment options and helpful resources and links.

Perfect Illusions. Discover what an eating disorder is, find help and resources, and look into the lives of several individuals and their families who are struggling with the consequences of anorexia and bulimia.

The Renfrew Center. Residential treatment facility specializing in eating disorders (anorexia, bulimia and binge eating disorders) and related mental health issues. The Renfrew Center is a women's mental health center with locations in Philadelphia and Radnor, Pennsylvania; Coconut Creek, Florida; New York City; Old Greenwich, Connecticut; Ridgewood, New Jersey; Charlotte, North Carolina, Nashville, TN, Dallas, TX, and Bethesda, MD.

Something Fishy.  The website gives detailed information on most aspects of eating disorders, such as defining them, preventing them, finding treatments and paying for recovery.

Womenshealth.gov The National Women's Health Information Center is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The site has information on body image, cosmetic surgery, eating disorders, and a list of links to various informational websites.

Books

Healthy Weight Week Awards for Healthy Body Image and Slim Chance

Healthy Weight Week features the  Healthy Body Image Awards and the Slim Chance Awards.  This is a brief overview of the winners from Healthy Weight Network. 

Winners of the 
Women's Healthy Body
Image Awards

Adele, a young British singer with a strong contralto voice who wows audiences worldwide. Adele is unapologetic about her weight. “I’ve seen people where it rules their lives, how it wears them down. I don’t want that in my life.” Outspoken about loving her body the way it is, she advises, “Be happy and healthy. I like looking nice, but I always put comfort over fashion. I make music to be a musician not to be on the cover of Playboy.”

 Adele - Natural Woman (Traduzido) 

In Favor of Myself continues to evolve as an interactive educational program promoting positive self and body image among youth in Israel. Developed by Prof. Moria Golan, Director of the Management of Eating Disorders,  Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and now in the process of adaptation into the formal school system, it underwent four years of testing. Analysis shows reduced media influence and appearance focus. The eight sessions explore the impact of consumer culture, adolescent transitions, appearance issues and advertising. Participants learn to identify and counter prejudice and structures that contribute to body preoccupation. They role play, practice positive self-talk, resolve conflict and state their own opinions with confidence. The program builds on the earlier Patch program and is supported in part by the Dove Self Esteem Fund, Unilever. 


Nancy Redd’s books Body Drama and Diet Drama redefine beauty for teen girls.  

Diet Drama, Nancy Redd  

Filled with hundreds of photos of real-life girls of varied sizes, they explore real issues and give real answers, such as changes going on during puberty and common sense ways to deal with them. Redd is a dynamic speaker and self-esteem advocate. With humor, authenticity and compassion, she balances the messages of body acceptance and getting healthier, without self-hatred and unrealistic expectations. She says, “I wrote Body Drama so that we could all acknowledge, understand, and celebrate the fact that everybody is different, and no matter what size and shape you are, you deal with body drama, and you are not alone!” Her books have been on bestseller lists at both the New York Times and USA Today and are translated into Russian, German and Italian.

My Pick: The Real Truth About Beauty: Revisited, Dove
Dove Movement for Self-Esteem:
A New Vision

Slim Chance Awards

Awards are presented in the following four categories: Worst Gimmick, Worst Claim, Worst Product and Most Outrageous. 


WORST GIMMICK

The “Pure Energy Weight Loss plus Energy Band.” 

 Pure Energy Bands - Loud Rumor Video Productions  

This plastic bracelet embeds green and silver hologram discs claims to give off vibes that resonate throughout the body and stimulate weight loss and health. Among the alleged results are decreased appetite, balanced metabolism, balanced hormones¸ enhanced energy flow, increased energy levels and the promotion of positive emotions. A testimonial declares, “Since I bought my Pure Energy Band I have lost over 83 pounds and I feel fantastic.” Furthermore a disc does not even need to touch the skin—apparently it can hover at some distance. Supposedly, to be effective it “only needs to be within the body’s natural energy field. For most people, that is within two inches of the body.”


WORST CLAIM
Sensa weight-loss crystals.  The Sensa website states boldly that users can lose an average of 30.5 pounds in six months without dieting, exercise food restrictions or drastic lifestyle changes—by merely sprinkling these weight-loss crystals on their food. It claims that Sensa has been “clinically proven.” Smell and taste receptors supposedly send the brain messages to tell your body to stop eating. It “activates a hunger-control switch in the brain and you “eat less and feel more satisfied… no feelings of hunger or intense cravings.” Class-action suits have been filed in California and Texas against the marketers of Sensa, developed by Chicago neurologist Alan Hirsch, M.D. and sold by California-based Sensa Products. The California complaint states that (a) there is no competent and reliable scientific evidence to substantiate these claims and (b) an expert who reviewed Sensa's main clinical study judged it “beyond worthless.” 

WORST PRODUCT

HCG Supplements HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin).  HCG was first introduced more than 50 years ago by British physician Dr. Albert Simeon who claimed the hormone, found in the urine of pregnant women, would mobilize stored fat, suppress appetite and redistribute fat. He contended that regular injections would enable dieters to live comfortably on a 500-calorie-a-day diet. For a time, these weekly injections were the most widespread obesity medication administered in the US. In the mid-70s the FDA and FTC effectively shut them down by ordering the Simeon clinics to stop claiming their programs were safe and effective, and requiring they inform patients in writing that there was no evidence HCG increases weight loss beyond that resulting from caloric restriction.” More recently infomercial king Kevin Trudeau took up the cudgel. His 2007 book claims HCG is "an absolute cure for obesity discovered almost fifty years ago,” but “suppressed" by medical experts and the FDA. HCG is heavily marketed online and in retail outlets as oral drops, pellets, and sprays, while injections for weight loss continue. Labeling states that each should be taken in conjunction with a very-low-calorie-diet which, the FDA noted, can trigger gallstone formation, electrolyte imbalance and abnormal heart rhythms. (HCG is approved as an injectable prescription drug for the treatment of some cases of female infertility and other medical conditions.) In December the FDA and FTC jointly warned six companies that it is illegal to market over-the counter HCG products labeled as "homeopathic" for weight loss. This is considered a first step in halting sales (Dec 6, 2011). 


MOST OUTRAGEOUS 

Jesse Willms, the Canadian owner of Just Think Media. Willms is a multi-millionaire connected to more than 40 product and company names. The 23-year-old high school dropout is charged with deceiving people who order a free trial of a diet pill called Acai Burn that required only a small handling fee and later found credit cards depleted of nearly $700. It’s a major international problem says Canada's Anti-Fraud Call Centre. The FTC in the U.S. agrees and is suing Willms and his associates—who collected more than $450 million from online consumers in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand. The complaint says Willms sold at least 15 brands of acai berry weight-loss pills, six brands of colon cleansers and supplements containing resveratrol—all marketed with false or misleading claims. Promised money-back guarantees were often ignored. Despite the efforts of credit card companies and banks the money kept flowing through shell companies and manipulation of payment data.


Original article can be found at www.healthyweightnetwork.com. Francie M. Berg, MS, LN serves as chair of Healthy Weight Week. She is a licensed nutritionist, adjunct professor at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and author of 12 books. 



Her latest book "Underage and Overweight: Our Childhood Obesity Crisis – What Every Family Needs to Know” explores the facts behind the obesity crisis and provides a plan for raising confident healthy-weight children.

Francie M. Berg  fmberg@healthyweight.net
Healthy Weight Network
402 South 14th Street
Hettinger, ND 58639
701-567-2646

What is Beauty? A part of Healthy Weight Week

Healthy Weight Week was created to increase awareness of positive body image, build self-esteem and recognize Beauty cannot be measured by a scale.

The video is a composition created from three sources,
each sharing a message about Beauty.

The first looks at the efforts women have gone through to be "beautiful"

The second is a fashion show raising awareness
 that beauty comes in all sizes. 

The final segment is from the Dove campaign on "Real Beauty".

What is Beauty?

Credits

What is Beautiful?
created by Cherish Manifold

Fashion for Everybody

benefiting Eating Disorders Coalition of Tennessee

Dove, http://www.dove.us/  

Acknowledging the Amazing efforts of Dove
to educate people about "Real Beauty".

"Campaign for Real Beauty"

"Dove Self Esteem Fund"

A part of Healthy Weight Week

Sandra Frank, Ed.D., RD, LDN

http://www.dietitians-online.com/

http://www.weighing-success.com/

Music
Beautiful People
performed by
Sandra Frank (age 14)

Self Esteem and Body Image

A part of Healthy Weight Week

Be Proud of Who You Are

  

Fed Up Inc., helping build Self Esteem and a Positive Body Image

"Our mission is to prevent eating disorders by training students to become Junior Ambassadors who then educate peers and younger students about body image, self esteem and healthy living to create a world without diets and body bashing."   - Bridget Loves Livingston, founder of Fed Up Inc.

Fed up Inc is a Non-Profit group based in Los Angeles. They go inside “Hollywood” to get a close look at how media images are created.  They work with stylists, makeup artists, photographers, hairstylists, actors, singers, personalities, agents, producers, directors and people behind the scenes who create the art that is Show Business.  The goal is to help educate everyone on how media is created and encourage people to stop comparing themselves to these images.  Most importantly Fed Up is a grassroots campaign encouraging people to be their best individual selves.  

Perfect


Body Image and Children

We can help children develop a positive body image and relate to foods in a healthy way. Here are some suggestions from Womenshealth.gov.

1. Make sure your children understand weight gain is a normal part of development, especially during puberty.

2. Avoid negative statements about food, weight and body size. Never tell your children they would be prettier and have more friends if they lost weight.

3. Allow your children to make decisions about food. Make sure plenty of healthy meals and snacks are available.

4. Compliment your children on their efforts, talents, accomplishments and personal values.

5. Encourage schools to enact policies against size and sexual discrimination, harassment, teasing; support the elimination of public weigh-ins and fat measurements.

6. Keep the lines of communication open between you and your children.

7. A parent is a role model, set an example by eating healthy and exercising.

Sarai Walker, the author of Building a Better Body Image states, "Include women of all ethnic and racial groups, age groups, sizes, abilities, and sexual orientations in your circle of friends. When we expose ourselves to the rich and varied experiences of all women, our narrow ideas about beauty and  bodies often change.

Fad diets usually refer to unconventional eating patterns promoting short-term weight loss, usually with no concern for long-term weight control. These diets become quickly popular and just as quickly lose appeal. Fad diets generally disregard or refute what is known about the basic association between dietary patterns and human health. Extreme fad diets may lack energy, protein, vitamins and minerals essential for growing children.

How to Spot a Fad Diet

Does the food plan make any of the following Claims or Statements?
1. Recommends a quick fix solution.
2. Sounds too good to be true.
3. Recommendations based on a single study.
4. Recommendations that ignore the differences between people.
5. Requires you buy a product or the program will not work.
6. Eliminates one or more of the food groups.
7. Draws simple conclusions from a complex study.
8. Dramatic results questioned by established scientific communities (Academy DA, AMA, NIH, etc..)

HCG: Dangerous to Dieters

This is an Example of a Fad Diet and it can Kill You!
The Tapeworm Diet

Celebrity Diets

These recommendations are NOT FAD DIETS.
The books represent healthy food plans and
lifelong strategies to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

January is National Get Organized Month

January 2012 marks the 8th annual National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) Get Organized (GO) Month. GO Month is dedicated to raising awareness to the benefits of being organized. 

I always considered myself an organized person, but sometime in the 1980’s I started saving everything from – old lesson plans; grocery receipts (from recipe testing); scrap papers with numbers (no names); clothes (from size 2 to 24); my son’s art work; ADA journals; text books, VHS; cassettes; broken phones; wires.. the list is too long to include everything here. 

In September 2011, I started to go through my collection of “stuff” to see what I had and what I no longer needed. I knew this would be a massive undertaking; this was almost 30 years of my life collecting dust in boxes, files, drawers, cupboards, closets, the garage and the attic. In just 3 months, I had thrown out over 15 large garbage bags of junk and still did not feel I had made a dent. 

This week, I decided to focus only on one part of the house. I chose my office which is connected to my bedroom. I would not be going through my clothes yet, but it was on the to do list. I gathered all the boxes from my office, bedroom, under-the-bed, cupboards, shelves, draws, filing cabinets, and the hidden closet. I placed everything in my den to use as my staging area. This was also the only place in my home that still had a record player. I thought while I’m going through this massive amount of paper, I would listen to some of my old favorites before I donated (or threw out) my albums. I have to check to see if they are recyclable.

Who Is NAPO?
The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) is a group of about 4,200 professional organizers dedicated to helping individuals and businesses bring order and efficiency to their lives. Their vision is to have the world recognize the value of organizing and turn to NAPO as the leading organizing authority. Their mission is to develop, lead, and promote professional organizers and the organizing industry. In addition to serving professional organizers, they aim to help consumers and those interested in becoming professional organizers.

Get Rid of Clutter

Benefits of Organization
Organization improves one’s work, life, financial situation, and frees up time and space

10 Benefits of Getting Organized
1. Stress levels will go down and there will be less chaos and more relaxed life.
2. Efficiency gets projects done quicker with less time wasted on looking for things and being able to make quicker decisions.
3. An organized person is able to fit in time for friends, family members, and helping out in the community.
4. Getting organized helps you feel better about your environment and you are more likely to invite people into your environment without embarrassment.
5. You'll be a better role model for your children.
6. Get organized and you'll have more than enough time to exercise and cook healthy meals for yourself and your family.
7. An organized environment, also tends to be a much cleaner environment.
8. An organized person gives a much better business impression than someone who can't find a phone number, has an office piled with cardboard boxes or is always late for appointments.
9. When you're organized, you'll always know what you have, before you buy more.
10. Organized people find ways to eliminate tasks that aren't necessary and to streamline those that are taking too much time. This leaves plenty of time to work on achieving your goals. 

“Organization brings a level of peace and tranquility to your life,” says Jennifer Snyder of Neat as a Pin! Organizing Experts. Snyder also advises people not to keep things around “just in case.” 

“Clutter makes noise, it makes energetic noise. It sucks your energy from you.” Clutter also attracts dust and pests. “Clutter is basically sending a message there’s something in your life that you need to get at. 

Snyder organizes for no more than four hours at a time, to give her clients time to adjust to the improvements. “It didn’t get that way overnight. It’s a lifestyle change. You’re changing the way you think about things and becoming more emotionally healthy,” she said. 

What to do with castoffs. Once a space is organized, there will be bags of items to discard. Itemized list of donations to receive tax deductions, and discarding things properly, such as erasing computer hard drives before dropping them off at a donation center.

Being better organized can provide
energy, time and happiness. 


Get the Children Involved

Resources:
National Association of Professional Organizers 
NAPO Blog. 
WebMD. 10 Ways to Cut Clutter in Your Home 


A Final Message.



I read that one should take a photo of your child's art work and then the boxes of school work can be thrown away. I had one problem - my son. As I was admiring the years of his efforts, he came by to see how I was doing. With a look of shock and horror - Jake told me how could I throw away his work? "I made it for you, mom."

So here is the photo. I ended up keeping his cherished work. I guess I'm not ready to get rid of everything yet.