Get Organized & Simplify Your Life With Marla Ottenstein

As a professional organizer, not only is my life (both personal and professional) über “organized,” but, as you can imagine, so are my get-away-from-it-all-what-mountain-to-climb-next adventure vacations. This being said, it probably won’t come as a surprise when I...

If there’s one thing that makes me crazier than people who text while driving, it’s when people throw away their hard-earned money in order to store “stuff” in an off-site storage unit. And you thought Bernie Madoff was a crook? Trust me when I say putting your...

  Here’s an organizational conundrum sent to me by a friend: “Over the years I’ve spent more money on costume jewelry than most people spend on the real thing. I know I should probably try and get my shopping habit under control, for now the problem is not how...

No matter if you’re young or old; single, divorced, widowed or married; a college or high school student; senior citizen, baby boomer, millennial; mother or father, businesswoman or businessman, every adult should carry an up-to-date ICE Card in his/her wallet at all times, which, God forbid there be an emergency, could make the difference between life and death.

Editor’s note: In England, Canada and Australia, the commonly used word “pocketbook” (a hard-sided handbag) has been replaced by the generic term, “handbag,” and the word “purse” (a ladies coin purse) is now called a “wallet.” For the sake of clarity in writing...

I have a friend whose idea of heaven is a big, fat juicy T-bone steak smothered in sautéed onions, served with a “loaded” baked potato, a Caesar salad and a bowl of ice cream. This same friend claims popping a Lipitor with a red-wine chaser negates the effects of his...

When a company reviews its annual Profit & Loss statements (P&L), three categories typically stand out, thus raising the proverbial red flag – advertising, travel and office supplies. Not surprisingly, all three categories are controllable with determination,...

I know a woman whose housekeeper folds and irons irons her 15-year old son’s underwear with a level of precision matched only by the care the Smithsonian’s Gem and Mineral Collection curator gives the famed Hope Diamond. In my opinion, this takes laundry room...

The question I get all the time is how to deal with all the stuff that seems to be proliferating from peoples’ kitchen cabinets and how to decide what to keep and what not to keep. The good news? Dried spices and herbs don’t spoil. The bad news? After about six...