I saw this timely quote on a kitchen magnet at a relative's home that I had escaped to during the terrible Thomas Fire currently raging on Southern California.

For those with busy lives, organization and time management strategies can be easy to plan but hard to stick to. No matter how much we say we'll accomplish, it can be easy to get distracted and throw the whole day off as a result.

Children with ADHD grow into adults with the imbalance, while other people do not receive the diagnosis until they are adults. The short attention span and inability to concentrate on multiple activities is frustrating; the inability to stay organized is maddening.

Clients are often struggling with their day well before it has even begun – because they cannot wake up. I am going to help all those ‘sleepy-heads’ out there who grapple with the challenge of waking up in the mornings. What does this have to do with productivity you ask? A LOT!

Can a person ever be too organized? Most of the population would probably be elated to be even just a little organized - to be able to arrive on time for appointments, find the things they are looking for, and get tasks done when needed.

I cannot get a handle on my mail. It seems like it would be easy, but it just piles up and I get overwhelmed and then it gets worse. What do you suggest? -Lauri M.

I often feel like I am doing lots of things but then important stuff seems to get shoved off and I don't deal with it. I'm busy all the time, but there are still crucial things I should be doing and I don't. What do you suggest? - Susan S.

When I took photos and developed them I created a good system for storing the ones that didn't make the first cut into my photo albums. Now that my pictures are all digital, there are more of them and sometimes I can't find them in a timely way.

I loved learning about what to do with digital photos in last week’s column. What do you recommend for the boxes and crates full of old photos that are cluttering up my home? It’s too much to deal with sometimes. – Sharon L.

My house is a complete mess. I simply do not know where to begin. I can't even look at some of it anymore. It's easier to just close the door. I don't know what to do first. Can you give me some ideas? - Judy B.