1. Appropriate Use of the Word “Hero.” The word is bandied around so much that it’s losing significance. Just because someone is famous doesn’t make them a hero or even a role model. Captain Sully, who landed a plane in the Hudson, is a hero. People who helped others during 9/11 and the Tsunami are heroes.

2. Having Less Stuff and Saving More Money. How much stuff do we need in our lives and in our homes? It’s unfortunate that the economy is deemed healthy when we’re out spending money, not saving it. A little less retail therapy leads to less stuff coming in the door, and that’s a plus.

3. More Laughs. Laughter is the best medicine. Seek the funny, my friends.

4. High Quality Customer Service. I can’t tell you how many conversations my friends and I have had about banks, airlines, and other businesses who have shown poor customer service and downright disrespect of customers. I really hope businesses get it and improve their customer service. Suze Orman is encouraging people to change from national banks to credit unions, and The Huffington Post also suggested that we all move our money from national banks to community ones.

5. Cure for Shellfish Allergies. Where’s the cure? I miss crab cakes and shrimp po boys. Science is obviously ignoring this important issue. It can be a shot or a pill. Either way, I’ll take it.

6. Being Kinder to Mother Earth. It  doesn’t matter if climate change is happening or not. I’ll let the pundits and politicians fight that out while reading about mutating frogs, melting ice caps, and the weird weather. We should be kinder to our planet. I’ll admit that I’ve spent most of my life being a rabid consumer, but I’ve been trying to be more green. It helps that my new neighborhood has an excellent recycling program.

7. Smarter Cars and Roads. I want a car that will drive itself to work. A couple of years ago, I saw a show about adding magnets to the roads to keep traffic moving and eliminating snarls. Can you imagine how much time we would save? Especially in a city like Houston! So I’m waiting for smarter cars and roads.

8. More Decorating Shows on HGTV. Is it me or do more of their prime time shows seem to be on house buying and staging? Even when I was house hunting myself, those shows bored me. Can we get a few more decorating shows back in the prime time hours?

9. The Golden Rule. Imagine if we all practiced this on  a regular basis! Like I said in my last posting, it would be nice if everyone was treated with respect and without regard to who they are.

10. A New Duran Duran Album. Okay, this is a totally selfish wish. Come on, guys! My fellow Duranies and I are waiting. Again.

I know what you’re thinking. I left out two important things: world peace and jetpacks. I know. We were promised jetpacks by now. As for world peace….I’ll leave that to the beauty pageant contestants to handle. 

Happy New Year! I wish you a new year and a new decade filled with joy, peace, and laughter.

If I ruled the world, there are things I want to see the backside of in the new decade. Here they are in no particular order and have absolutely nothing to do with organizing. Let the eye-rolling begin.

1. Faux Celebrities. Enough of people who are famous for being famous or trying to be famous. I won’t name them here because they don’t need me to. You know who they are. I prefer people who have substance, skills, and something worthwhile to offer the world. The one good thing about empty husks is that they blow away in a strong wind, never to be seen again. Here’s to hoping!

2.  The Phrase “The New Normal.” We use to call it “change.” The phrase has been overused since 9/11 in describing our new way of life after any type of tragedy, incident, or other life-altering event. It became seriously overused to describe the recession aftermath.

3. Banks Behaving Badly. I’ll agree with Suze Orman on this one when she spoke at the Texas Women’s Conference in November. She said banks do not respect us and are raising their interest rates, fees, and charges all they can before more strigent regulations kick in early 2010. She encouraged all of us at the conference to join credit unions instead since they’re only allowed to raise credit card interest rates to 18%. The bad behavior of some national banks have led to some of my friends and I to think about our grandparents who kept money in coffee cans buried in the backyard. Suddenly, it seems like a pretty good idea.

4. Celebs and Politicians Behaving Badly. Lindsey, Brittany, John Edwards, Mel, Tiger, Mark Sanford….. The list goes on and on. Once someone believes they’re untouchable, the rug is pulled out from under them. A politican rails against gay rights, and he’s arrested for picking up a male undercover officer. Oops. The squeaky clean, married athlete actually has a score of girlfriends. The child star turned adult parties so much that she passes out in public. My favorite is when they ask for privacy but then go on a media tour. Go away and get some rest, rehab and much needed therapy. Then come back when you grow up. We always like a comeback story. For reference, see Robert Downey Jr.

5. Stupid Violence and Fighting. When my siblings and I use to fight over something, Mom would take it away from us, saying “if you can’t play nice, no one gets it.” To quote beauty pageant winners, world peace and respect for all men, women, and children would be a nice change. No one should suffer because of their race, beliefs, religion, gender, political ties, health insurance, and all the other things that make us the unique, messy individuals we are. 

6. Reality Dating Shows. Well, they haven’t worked out very well for the couples, but I guess they’re good for ratings and those craving trash TV. I’ll admit that I watched a couple of them over the years until they got too painful to watch. I cringed when drunken girls cried about how they loved a guy they knew for five minutes.  Dating is hard enough in real life, but to have it on TV complete with a fully stocked bar, a stripper pole, and a D-List celebrity is hard to take.

7. Taking Off My Shoes at the Airport. I hate taking off my shoes at security. You have to put more thought into shoe and sock choice for the airport. I’d rather make choices based on fashion rather on my ability to slip them off and on without falling over on my face in the security line. I’ll admit I’m that shallow.

8. The Faux War on Christmas. I get tired of hearing about the war on Christmas when there’s no war. I have friends and colleagues who celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Kwanza, and absolutely nothing.  I respect them to respect their beliefs and traditions, and I have no problem saying Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas,  or a hearty “Yo, dude”  whatever the case may be.  

9. Movies Commercials That Show Too Much. Granted, it does save me money. I don’t have to see some movies because I’ve seen the best parts in the commercials or previews.  And why oh why do they have to replay those ads over and over and over again? I was ready for the freaking Twilight movie to open because the commercials were everywhere, and I thought I was safe watching HGTV. And don’t get me started on the ads in the corner of the TV screens. Ick.

10. People Talking on Cell Phones in the Bathroom. C’mon, it’s bad enough people talk way too loud on the cellies in elevators or walk around talking to themselves with the Bluetooths on, but the bathroom? Really? Everyone should have time to do what they need to do in the bathroom without talking on the phone. The people you’re talking to don’t really want to hear your end of the “conversation.” The rest of us in the bathroom don’t want to hear your conversation either. We definitely wouldn’t ask to borrow your phone.

So there’s my list. What’s yours?

Curious, I asked what he meant. He explained that in his native Japan, “cute” is a serious value for everything – products, clothes, technology, and other commercial ventures. The power of cute is an important part of his culture – and probably for plenty of other cultures as well even if they don’t verbalize it.

I love cute. Cute is good. And yes, it’s for grown-ups as well as kids. I never realized how important the power of cute is to my organizing clients and, well, to myself too. You would think I would have realized that by the reactions we all have at places like The Container Store, IKEA, and Target. These three stores have built their reputations on the power of cute. If I had a nickel for every time I’ve oohed and aahed about something cute while shopping at these places, I would have the cutest pile of cash you ever saw.

My organizing clients prefer using cute and fun organizing products vs. something plain and boring. The cute stuff catches their eye, reminds them, and keeps their life more organized. Cute works on the professional organizer too. When my department moved into a new office building last summer with metal gray institutional furniture, I bought a few cute items from SeeJaneWork.com to add some color to my work world. My boss kept bringing people into my office to show them my super cute stuff. Behold, the power of cute.

Value the power of cute. When you’re thinking about organizing your space at work and home, don’t forget The Cute.

Here are my versions:

• What Pile Is This?
• Oh Holy Mess (The piles are gently swaying)
• It Came Upon a Desktop Clear
• Organizers Are Coming to Town
• Oh, Come All Ye Organized
• Over the Clutter and Through the Paper (To an organized house we go)
• Hark! The Cleared Desks Sing
• Silent Clutter (Holy Clutter)
• Oh Little Piles of Papers

And the big finale: The 12 Days of Organizing!

On the twelfth day of Christmas, my organizer found my:

• Twelve years of receipts
• Eleven unmatched socks
• Ten tattered magazines
• Nine old conference bags
• Eight pencil cups
• Seven bags to charity
• Six broken computers
• Five bottle openers
• Four sizes of clothes
• Three fondue pots
• Two organizing books
• And one label maker!