The First Ever IHeart Organizing "VLOG" is HERE!

Thank you so much for submitting ALL of your questions for the first ever IHeart Organizing video blog {a.k.a. vlog}!  I had received over 120 questions via blog comments, email and facebook, each and every one a great topic for today's video.  Of course, I am just making assumptions here, but answering 120 questions in one video may get a little long winded, so I opted for 10 randomly selected "About Me" options instead.

I filmed the video with my helpers, Peyton and Bryan, while Preston occupied Parker in another room.  I had printed out and numbered 45 "about me" questions, and using random.org Bryan randomly selected 9 of those questions for me to answer on the spot, all while Peyton was running the Flip video cam.  The last question was such a popular one, that I threw it in there just for that reason...

So without letting myself over think about the insane number of views this video could get {6 total if you count my husband, my bff, my mom and my three daily readers}, here is the VERY FIRST EVER IHEART ORGANIZING VLOG! {seriously YouTube, could you have picked a slightly less crabby looking first impression picture to display for my video?  Geeze!}

First, let me just put it out there and say, a video blog is so not easy!  Wow.  For anyone that is awesome at it, I commend you.  I seriously will bow down to you and kiss your hopefully very clean feet, because you have an incredible gift.  For those of you that do not understand, I say give it a try once and then try watching your videos back without critiquing them to pieces.  I'm not gonna lie when I say that for me, it was the most awkward experience trying to have a one sided conversation with a camera.  And then trying not to look awkward while doing it only makes me more awkward....  I also decided that I want to change the blog name from IHeart Organizing to WeHeart Organizing, so my husband can be on the video also, because he makes me laugh and helps my personality shine.  Alone... not so much...

However, even if you think today's video is mediocre at best, I am planning on doing another.  And then another.  Because I think that I need help growing in this area and the only way to grow is to keep throwing myself out there.  And even if that means that only my mom stops by to watch my strange videos, that's OK with me!

For those of you who don't have sound or are at work and can't watch the video, to summarize for you:

1. My favorite project completed since starting the blog is my closet office.
2. I finally shared my true age, which is 30, my husband is almost 32 and my kids are Preston 10, Peyton 7 and Parker 4.  We were babies getting married at the ages of 19 and 21 and just celebrated our 10 year wedding anniversary this past July!
3. We are done having kidlets since we are so blessed already with three happy and healthy boys.
4. I am sometimes as excitable in person as I am in my writing, like when I am with my close friends and family.  Which I guess means I consider you all close friends and family too!  When I am doing my first vlog, not so excitable...
5. I do re-organize some of the same spaces over and over as the needs of our family and lives change.  Or, if I just completely biff it the first time...
6. I would love to visit Johnny Depp and Scarlett Johansson to help them organize their homes.  I am waiting eagerly by the phone for their calls...
7. My husband and I met through good friends of ours that met online.
8. It never bothers me at all if someone were to "copy" one of my ideas or something I have done.  I actually encourage it!
9. I am sorry to make you all sad and reveal that I do not have a "Monica" closet anywhere.
10. And last but not least, my major life changing up until now top secret news reveal... I am no longer doing daycare and blogging; I have been blessed to move forward with solely blogging and running my Etsy shop and following my dreams!  Coolest.  Thing.  Ever.

To try and explain to you how I feel about posting my first video... the only way I can put it is that I feel like I am standing in the middle of town, naked.  Yep, no need to picture that, just saying... it's like a whole new world of no turning back.  Your previous notions of me have all been changed now which is such a scary and strange feeling...

That said, I meant what I said in the video.  I am beyond grateful for you and your daily support and for helping make this dream of mine come true {enough with the cheese already right?}.  But really, every time you share the blog, or leave a comment or order a printable, I feel endless gratitude and my heart smiles.

So about those other 110 questions...

I have a ton of new blog post topic ideas, like tips and tricks for organizing a small bathroom, a floor plan of our home with measurements along with a full resource list of all of the items in our abode as well.  Everything I can share about my blogging process from getting started to editing pictures to posting to everything in-between.  And more about my daily routine {when I get settled into my new one} and my updated cleaning regimen.

I also have a plethora of ideas for "You Asked, IHeart Answering" posts, which I will be taking more of your questions and even personal dilemma's to address in either a written post or maybe even in an upcoming video!  So stay tuned for that!

So I gotta know, am I way different "in person" than you would have thought from reading each day?  Did you learn anything new about me?  Who still doesn't know what a "Monica" closet is?  Just in case, here is the explanation...

pssst... I know I have a typo in my video.  It was bound to happen.  We can make a game of it and see if you can find it, since I can't go back and change it now unless I want to invest 2 more hours into the project... xoxo!

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You Asked: Can We Ask?

You guys are so smart.  Tell you something you didn't know right? 

Laura wrote:

"Hey Jen!  How about a Q&A video?  Thoughts?"


My response?
"That would be F U N!  Great idea!!"


So I decided that next week, I will hold my very first video Q&A on the blog!!

Are you so excited?  I know I am!  I can't figure out why I hadn't thought of this sooner.  Another example of why I need you and love you.


So what would you like to know?  Feel free to leave a comment on this blog post with your question and I will pick my favs and consistent themes to chat about in the video!  The best part is that it can be anything blog related or not!  Time to get personal with the author of IHeart Organizing!

I will compile the questions and create the video this coming weekend and debut it one day next week!! 

So leave your questions and stay tuned...

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Yep, That is Still Me!

I recently mentioned that I want to start making updates to the blog!  Wahoo right?

I would love to dive in and give it a super instant clean sweep, because I know it needs some major organization!  But it's going to be a huge time investment to completely overhaul this little baby of mine.

So I set a goal to tackle one or two things off the blog update list each day.  Most will hopefully be seamless or help you with your navigation, or minor things like sidebar updates and changes to my graphics.  Those smaller things won't be getting a special blog post to point out the change.  Others are a bit more dramatic... like me changing my hair color!

A new hair color means that I needed a new profile picture!  So now I have one {thanks Emily!}


And the all important page header!

I am excited to whip this blog into some serious shape.  Just consider me the Jillian Michaels of IHeart Organizing.  Only, with blonde hair.

Thanks everyone for understanding as I work to make this a prettier, happy place for all of us!

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Check out my interview on Joey and Lana Make a House a Home

I was honored when Lana of Joey and Lana Make a House a Home, asked me to answer a few questions to feature on the blog. Here are just a few questions and answers, with a couple images to illustrate. Hope you had a great weekend!

2. When did you start blogging?: What drove you in the direction home design? I started blogging June 2008. I think I’ve always been interested in interior design. I’ve been a chronic re-arranger my ever since I was a little kid. For me, setting up my room was how I played. That interest was brought back to life in 2007 when I signed a lease for a beautiful studio in a Brownstone. I didn’t have the faintest idea how to make a studio feel like a home. So online I went, discovered amazing design blogs, amazing ideas, and I was hooked! I’d been living in my studio for 8 months and was having so much fun turning it into a space that reflected my tastes, and I wanted to share that joy with everyone else and all the great design resources I’d found along the way.


3. What has been your favorite post?: I can’t think of a particular favorite, but I do have a favorite “style of post.” I tend to like my posts on organizing ideas, especially for home offices, because they are usually ideas I can implement without spending any money, and best of all, they motivate me to work. Here’s an example http://decorology.blogspot.com/2009/09/gorgeous-home-office-and-organization.html

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All About Miss Jen

Whenever I go missing, it's probably a safe bet that I could be found digging in a cabinet, drawer or closet, paring things down, rearranging and spinning my gears.  Always looking at each and every space, wondering what could be done to to beautify and simplify that zone.  I can't stop.  Really.  It's the most fantastic addiction.  Well, until I am lying in bed trying to fall asleep and all I can think about is what piece of decorative paper I am going to use on that next innocent soup can....

I am an overly proud mama to the beautiful and active little P's, life is constantly chaotic in the most fulfilling and blessed way!  I have realized that in between running to baseball, scouts, soccer and studying for those weekly spelling tests, I don't care to spend my time searching for cleats and water bottles, but would rather be spending my spare seconds enjoying my gorgeous family.

I once read somewhere that the average person spends forty minutes per day searching for things.  YIKES!  I also read somewhere that for every minute invested in getting organized, an hour is earned.  That is an amazing return on your investment, I couldn't be more certain of that!

Our family has gained so many benefits from being organized, but the biggest gift is the time we gain to enjoy one another!

I am currently a stay at home mom, in a small town in Western Wisconsin, and as much as my plans and dreams are to start my own organizing business some day in the future, being home with my tiny tots is number one to this gal.  I have two in school full time and my baby is quickly going from finger foods to drivers permit, so I am doing what I can to ensure not a single great moment is missed.

Until I head out to pursue my passion as a career, there is no better way enjoy my passion for organizing, than through a blog.  So enjoy and hopefully you will find a little inspiration along the way!

And of course, what makes this blog even better?  Why love from you of course!  So feel free to drop me a line at iheartorganizing@gmail.com, or leave a comment on the blog or Facebook, or even better yet, submit to me your organized spaces and/or tips and tricks, so I can share your love, back to the readers.  We are nothing but continuous inspiration to one another, and the spark that drives new ideas and motivates us to strive to create a more comfortable lifestyle, whatever the definition of that is to you!

And now it's time to give props to the one IHeart unconditionally each day!  None of this would be as easy without the love and support I have from my other half.  Whether it's him caving in when I give him my pleading eyes to hang up a floating shelf or new artwork, or having to listen to my endless rants about new ideas or sweet blog comments.  He is always there for me, encouraging me to follow my dreams.

Thanks again to all of you for stopping by to cheer me on along the way.  You all are what keeps me going that little extra bit further each day, and keeps me coming back to blog and blog some more!

To keep up with the Joneses, you can check out our family blog here.

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