Local Hoarding Fatality

In Clinton Township, Michigan a local elderly couple recently died in their home. Fire officials believe the couple's hoarding of stuff may have prevented the couple from exiting the home. The Detroit News reported this as "collecting" but from reading the article it appears to me that the couple might have been hoarders. While professional organizers, such as myself can help, compulsive hoarding is a real disorder requiring the help of a mental health professional.

I should also note that most of my clients are not hoarders or people in need of mental health help. The folks that I work with are mostly busy professionals and families with whom life has gotten a little disorganized.

Ann Arbor Book Festival

For two years (2006 and 2007) I served on the Planning Committee as Volunteer Coordinator for the Ann Arbor Book Festival. While I am no longer on this committee, current Volunteer Coordinator, Hillary Dorwart, needs your help for this year's Festival. Here's what Hillary has to say:

The sixth annual Ann Arbor Book Festival takes place May 15 - 17. Please volunteer your time and enjoy the community-wide event that celebrates reading, writing and literacy. View the full, exciting schedule at www.aabookfestival.org. Contact the Ann Arbor Book Festival at aabf@aabookfestival.org to volunteer today!

Kindness of Strangers

Last Sunday my family experienced the kindness of strangers in our friendly little Michigan community. We were all in the car (my husband, child, dog and myself) returning from a visit to my mother about two hours away. Our little one was getting antsy in the car, so we turned on WKAR for the classical music which always seems to sooth our child. My husband, driving, was enjoying the music so much he totally missed the entrance to our neighborhood. Then he seemed paralyzed as to what to do at the next road and ended up pulling into an unplowed side road.

Our car has all wheel drive, so I was not concerned until I realized we were clearly stuck in the snow. Shortly after my husband got out to push and I took the wheel, a kind couple stopped to help us out. Being a professional organizer I really should be prepared with a winter car kit like the one described in this article, but I was not and have never been stuck in 20 years of Michigan winter driving. Fortunately, our good Samaritans were prepared with a shovel neatly tucked into the back of their car. Five minutes had not passed and another gentleman stopped to help push us out.

It really made us feel good that folks in our community are so helpful. We hope we can do the same sometime soon.