Get Organized! Mom of Six Launches Magazine To Help Other Moms Create Order & Simply Life at Home BY jennifer lefferts With six kids piled into a small home in Needham, Megan McQuivey can't be disorganized. She's always looking for ways to simplify her life and has turned to a new resource for tips and advice -- Organize magazine. "Of all the magazines I get, there's not one that's made such a profound difference in my life,'' said McQuivey, a subscriber and early supporter of the magazine. Organize is the creation of Joyce Dorny, a professional organizer, mother of six kids ranging from 6 to 19 years old, and a former Northborough resident. Dorny founded the magazine last year to help others organize their lives and ultimately reduce their daily stress. The first issue came out during the summer and is published every two months. Its distribution has jumped dramatically in just four issues. Fivehundred copies of the first issue in July/ August were distributed via subscriptions compared to 7,500 in the March/April issue. Newsstand distribution has tripled, she said. The magazine includes a mix of feature articles, personal essays, expert advice, and how-to-guides. It's designed to help single men and women living in small studios, to families overrun by children's toys, to empty-nesters downsizing. "You really have to purge and sort and that seems to be the hardest part for people.'' - Joyce Dorny, Founder of Organize magazine Dorny said she's thrilled by how well the magazine has been received. "I'm not surprised,'' she said. "It's a magazine people want. It's a magazine I wanted. I wanted all that information in one place. I didn't want to read 12 magazines. I wanted to read one.'' Now an expert organizer, Dorny said she wasn't born a neat freak and grew up with the typical messy bedroom. But after becoming a mother, Dorny realized she had no choice but to become organized or her life would be in constant chaos. Though there was no turning point that drove her to her new profession, Dorny said her life was getting scattered "I struggled as a new mom to keep things together,'' she said. "As you add children, it does becoming a necessity. The more organized I was, the easier life became. I tended to stop forgetting appointments and misplacing items.'' For Dorny, it was a gradual change. She read magazine after magazine looking for new tips. She took a job at a retail store specializing in storage and organization. As she introduced new techniques into her routine, life became easier and less stressful. Eventually, she took the steps to become a professional organizer. But what she soon realized is that there was no one magazine that focused only on organization. Organizing tips were often a special section of a more general magazine. That's when she came up with the idea to start her own publication. Dorny describes it as "a magazine that serves as a lifestyle management tool with information, ideas, and advice about such subjects as time management, personal goals, relationships, and the many emotional and psychological issues that relate to how people behave and interact with their surroundings.'' Dorny recently moved to Colorado with her family after living in Massachusetts for 15 years. Using a phone and computer, Dorny is able to continue running the magazine. "We can work virtually,'' she said. "We have writers and editors all over the country.'' Needham's McQuivey, a friend of Dorny's, was one of the magazine's early supporters. She knew Dorny from church and wanted to help out her new venture. Since reading the first issue last summer, McQuivey has become a dedicated reader. McQuivey said one article that struck a chord was written by Peter Walsh, an organizer, author and host of the TLC show, Clean Sweep. The article talked about organizing as more than colored bins but prioritizing and getting rid of the junk. After reading the article, McQuivey got the courage to clean house. She cleaned out 12 boxes of books and DVDs and bags and bags of clothing. "It just felt so good,'' she said. "I felt like I could breathe more easily.'' Another article of interest was about simplifying the holidays, she said. The article encouraged readers to give gifts that won't add to clutter because many homes are filled with presents still in their original packaging. This year, McQuivey gave more practical gifts - concert tickets, circus tickets - gifts that people will use but won't clutter the house. "I'm always looking for something to simplify my life,'' she said. Dorny said the question she often hears from people is "Where do I start?'' People have to start by being honest with themselves about what they use and what they don't, she said. Before trying to organize what's there, people need to rid themselves of things no longer useful. It can be hard because people become attached to personal items, she said. But people need to take emotions out of the equation and be realistic with themselves. Will you ever wear your prom dress again? Do you really need four salad spinners? Do you need to keep the return envelope for bills when you pay online? "I really believe that when you let go, you make room for new possibilities,'' Dorny said. "You really have to purge and sort and that seems to be the hardest part for people.'' She said the task can be daunting so she encourages people to take it slowly, one step at a time. "It's not about doing it all at once and having it perfect,'' she said. To help organize her own life, Dorny tackles paper. She was astounded when she took inventory of the amount of paper that comes into her house on a daily basis. Whether it's mail, the newspaper, work materials, or school work, the amount of paper can be overwhelming, she said. To combat the mess, Dorny advises the "touch it once'' method. Instead of letting paper pile up, Dorny recommends immediately putting it in its place. If it's an invitation, stick it on the refrigerator. If it's junk mail, dump it in the recycling bin. If it's a bill, file it way. "I really try to deal with the paper and it helps tremendously,'' Dorney said. More organization means no more lost bills, no more missed appointments, and no more weekend cleaning sprees. "It's about having enough organization in your life so you can spend time doing the things you want to do,'' Dorny said. "It allowed me to spend more time with my family.'' Jennifer Lefferts is a freelance writer from Fitchburg. Organize Magazine Facts   Organize is the first lifestyle magazine dedicated solely to helping people find practical, doable organizing solutions for their home, work and self. According to founder and editor-in-chief Joyce Dorny, Organize is more than just a magazine about organizing "stuff." It's a magazine that serves as a lifestyle management tool with information, ideas, and advice about such subjects as time management, personal goals, relationships, and the many emotional and psychological issues that relate to how people behave and interact with their surroundings. The magazine's mix of reported articles, personal essays, expert advice and visually informative how-to guides are geared toward our diverse readership, which runs the gamut from singles living in small spaces to families juggling houses and kids to empty nesters trying to scale back and, ideally, relax a bit more. "It's our mission to provide readers with organizing solutions for living," she said. • A 1-year subscription is $20. • For more information or to subscribe, visit www.organizemag.com We Live In A Clutter Society   According to the National Association of Professional Organizers: • 80 percent of the clutter in most homes is a result of disorganization, not a lack of space. • 50 percent of homeowners say their garage is the most disorganized place in their house. • 80 percent of what people file away for safekeeping never gets looked at again. • 40 percent of housework can be eliminated by getting rid of clutter