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Community Corner

Order on the Agenda

Professional organizer brings plan to library.

Through support, encouragement and guided direction, professional organizer and motivational coach Jennifer Ryan rebuilds lives one step at a time. During the presentation "Organize: Create New Order in Your Life" at the Syosset Public Library Monday, Ryan motivated the audience to change their lives for the better.

"Change can feel uncomfortable, but it is necessary in order to create happiness. Change should be embraced," said Ryan.

Her presentation included learning to say no, taking care of yourself first so you can care for others, enhancing your nutrition, physical activity and sleep habits, and putting priority and value on your time.

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While showing a huge smiley face on a widescreen monitor, Ryan went into great detail about changes considered necessary to live an improved life.

"Any paper that you have in your home before the year 2000, excluding deeds to the house, birth and marriage certificates and life insurance policies, use the paper as a bonfire," Ryan said. "You are keeping too much stuff. You don't need to keep all your bills. For example, if you called LIPA today, they will give you a five-year history of your account. Credit cards statements, you only need this month and the month before and if you purchased a warranty for an item, keep that statement. An inch of pile takes an hour to file. Why take time from your life to file away these items that you don't need?" 

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When the discussion turned to storage containers, Ryan offered this piece of advice: "Rubbermaid won't like me for saying this, but don't buy a bunch of storage containers. They are only good for storing seasonal clothing. Storage containers are like a holding cell for junk."

She also informed the crowd that instead of keeping books in a bookcase, keep them in a library: "Don't clutter your home with a big bookcase filled with books. The best place to keep books is in a library. You can take a book out anytime you want. Don't use the space in your home."

For 25 years, Ryan has worked in the management and education field. She has spent the past seven years as a guest speaker presenting in Nassau and Suffolk counties. 

"I work in homes, offices and speak at workshops," Ryan said. "People should know that in order to make a good decision, you must be happy and healthy." 

Even as a child, putting things in order was a part of Ryan's life.

"I was one of the kids who always put the game pieces exactly the way they were in the box," Ryan remembered. I have always liked patterns and order."

For more information, visit www.createneworder.com.

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