My only addition is to put your REALLY important papers in a fireproof & waterproof box/safe. You can put copies in the binder with instructions where to find the originals.

Congratulations on Penny, she's adorable! Ok, crate training advice from a former breeder and dog obedience trainer (I bred and showed Newfoundland dogs): So glad you are crate training her. Being used to a crate can be important for so many situations. For the crying; If you have room in your bedroom, put the crate next to your bed. When she cries, you can just reach down and give her a little reassuring pat if it's not time for her to go out. A good rule of thumb for training is the age in months + 1 rule. Take Penny's age in months and add 1. This is the amount of hours she should be able to comfortably "hold it" between potty breaks. So if she's 3 months old, add 1 and she should be able to hold it comfortably for 4 hours. Not surprised by her brain power. Poodles are ranked as the most intelligent breed. Plus you're adding the eagerness to please from the Lab AND she's a girl. That's the training trifecta right there! I love both my males and females, but the girls? They can run circles around the boys. Fair warning though, they can also use all that brain power for less than desirable behaviors, which can keep you on your toes as trainer. 🙂 The smart ones are super fun to train, but can bore easily because they "get it" so quickly. Plus, she's a puppy with limited attention span, so keep session short and fun. Thank you so much for all your great organizing advice. You have helped me so much to get my home in order. ❤

Paper clutter is my constant nemesis!

I like Peter Walsh's idea for receipts - I have 2 banker spikes and I just stack the receipts on the spike. They are chronologically organized, and it's a self purging system because by the time the second spike is full, there first one is old enough to empty and restart.

Thank you Cas! I’m so over the moon happy for you to have Penny in your life! Oscar was blessed to have you as a pet mom and I’m pretty sure he had a paw in sending you and Penny together! 🙏🏻💕💕💕

I had to take care of my Mother for several years. I kept a RED binder with all of her health information, end-of-life wishes (Living Will), and funeral information. When ever she had an emergency trip to the hospital, I grabbed it. What a relief to not have to grapple with questions.

My biggest challenge is that I hate paper. I literally have a physical reaction to it. So I avoid doing anything with it. I really appreciate all the tips you offer. I tend to just drop it where it’s at and then collect and move it to the office where it goes to die in a pile. My worst enemy: my mind telling me ‘hey, that’s good info’ or ‘that sounds fun!’ 😂 I’m ridiculous!!

I second the blanket over the crate for the puppy! (She is totally cute.) I have two pug/Shar Pei's. They only fussed a little the first or second night. The big thing is to not keep coming over. If you keep checking on them, they learn that whining will get them attention. (Side note: ours sleep downstairs in the family room. It helps my peace of mind because if anything happens, they will bark. If I wake up not knowing if I heard something or not, and the dogs are quiet, I know I didn't hear anything.)

My dogs were crate trained. She will be too big for a sleep buddy. Provide a crate It is her safe space. It's toy storage for favorite toys. Throw treats inside. The move to a crate is gradual and mine was by the dogs choice. I also elevated the crate and stuck it by a window so they could check outside without tearing up the molding. When Jazzi passed away she climbed inside her crate to die. It really was her safe space.

Another hack is an over the door shoe organizer, then put 1-12 on the pockets aka jan feb Mar etc. The organizer I use has larger pockets below for bigger items. Basically when mail or receipts come in, you can put them in month by month. Then you have option to "close" out each month or procrastinate lol until the end of year. I started this 10 yrs ago when I was constantly losing important papers for tax time. Now it's reasonably tamed in 1 area and my husband and I both are able to quickly put them away.

Your video has came at the perfect time. For context, on the 19th I had emergency live saving surgery. Right before they knocked me out to cut me open I panicked realizing if I died my husband had zero idea where the important paperwork was, what he needed and my life insurance information. I realized I had junk mail mixed and junk paperwork that meant nothing mixed into the important stuff. Also that the paperwork was scattered in my laundry room, office, basement, bedroom, and living room. I have spent this whole week (being I didn’t die) throwing away the junk papers and trying to organize the important paperwork. But I’m lost.

Oh Cas ... so sorry for your loss. Recently lost my year old cat and the unbearable grief is beyond words. . .Penny is an absolute dollbaby!! ?😍 there's nothing sweeter than having a new baby in the house. I wouldn't be able to let her cry either, she's crying for a reason (missing her Mama & siblings?) My cat would wander up & down the hallway at night crying and I found that if I called him to me and snuggled with him he would lay his head on my shoulder and calm down to sleep. I really miss that so much. . . I could never let my human babies 'cry it out either' .. I did a LOT of rocking in the rocking chair and even now my older cat needs his daily 'Mommy-time' in the rocker. I wish you & your family many happy years with Penny .. pups are like kids, they grow up so fast and not with us long enough.

As a vet nurse , my opinion is that every pet should be crate trained . Reason being if they ever need to be boarded or be hospitalized it's much less stressful for then if they've been acclimated. I've seen patients so worked up in a kennel that they need mild sedative meds to keep them from hurting themselves. Best of luck with Penny! She's adorable 🥰

I put the crate beside the bed and let my hand hang down so she knows I'm here for her and slowly, very slowly over days and weeks move it to a better place. Out of the way but in sight . Works for me. Good lucky. She's beautiful 😍

I made a memory box tonight and threw away 3 trash bags worth of old papers. Thank you for these tips! Also I’m sooo happy you got a puppy! Penny is adorable!!! Happy Birthday Joe!

Love Penny. I put my dog Chloe in the crate and put the crate on the bed. She slept through the night with no crying. FYI: dogs feel safe in their crate so don’t feel like you’re imprisoning her. She will love it.

I used to keep EVERYTHING! I finally sorted and only kept necessary items, and I was able to fit all of my important documents into a file box that is about 8 inches wide! It was a fun project! I had big shopping bags full of papers to shred, and just dropped them off at a place and paid their fee. I did the same with my (deceased) parents’ paperwork and got theirs into a box the same as mine. I’m so proud!!! 💪

Cas, From one dog person to another, you are so right about adopting her helping the grieving process. My friend's Dad is a veterinarian and he said the best way to heal from losing a pet to adopt a new one. Of course Penny will never replace Oscar, but she's going to be great for your family!

I love all of your decluttering suggestions. Getting a handle on paper clutter is the worst for me. I'll be giving the command center a try. Penny is so cute. As far as getting her to stop crying, especially at night, try only paying attention to her while she's quiet. As soon as she starts crying, stop petting her. Then, as soon as she stops crying, start petting her again. You may have one or two sleepless nights; however, since she seems to be a very smart puppy, this should work after one night. This worked for me! I hope it works for you.

I laid down on the floor next to the crate with my hand inside whenever she cried. It’s all a blur but I don’t think it lasted too long 😊

My biggest paper clutter problem is...my father. He lives with me now and he's 78 and he piles. Not like a hoarder, but he piles and I HATE IT. Magazines. Recipes. Paperwork. All different, yet neat, piles. My boyfriend and I just bought a house (then Dad moved in) and I'm using it as an opportunity to give myself the organized life I've dreamed of and, I swear, the two of them are undermining me at every turn. I'm going crazy! They'd better be glad I love them so much.

Welcome Penny!!! It’s going to be great - she won’t be a puppy for very long either, you got this! ❤❤❤❤

When we crate trained our dog, our bathroom was open to our bedroom, so we put the crate in the bathroom. I felt so bad when she cried I ended up sleeping on the floor of the bathroom for the first week so I could try to talk to her and soothe her when she cried. It gets easier. It's great to have them crate trained because some puppies will get into everything if you have to run to the store and they are alone.

Congratulations on Penny!! It’s the Standard Poodle in her that makes her so smart!!!! 🐩🐩🐩🐩

The idea with the Kleenex-Box for receipts is genius! I often have a box that's really pretty, and I don't want to throw it away. Now it can still serve a useful purpose. LOVE your hacks. ♥

We do utilize a crate for our dog too. We call it her "room". She knows what we say when we are eating and tell her to "go to your room". She goes and lays down in her kennel. It is her place. That is usually where she lays when we are all home(it is in the dining/living room area) and it has a soft twin comforter in it. She is a Heeler/Kelpie mix and really has turned out to be a great dog. She was a heel biter for a while, but has outgrown that. Penny is adorable!! Keep up the training!

Puppy Love!! Put a ticking clock in with your pup at night. Ticking reminds puppy of Moms heart beat. Maybe warm a small blanket in the microwave so there is something warm to snuggle up against.

Penny is adorable. Congratulations. My paper clutter is recipes that I have torn from magazines or copied from library books. I have an entire filing cabinet full of them and never seem to get around to making any of them.

One if our favorite stories of our Boston Terrier is when my dad impulsively brought home a lab puppy. That first night BT and puppy are in their crates across from each other and puppy starts crying. I didn't hear it happen, but my parents said aged BT growled at her and puppy never cried again. 😄

Love your new puppy! I’d try a blanket, or cover over the crate to help with the crying. You’re so lucky with already having the house training down. Random papers are my biggest clutter problem.

I love your enthusiasm and honesty in your videos. Penny is cute, and my tip is that you put a blanket or some cloth that has your essence, and she knows you are there.

I'm glad you got a puppy!!!

OMG I have vowed to transition three of the four drawers in my file cabinet to home storage vs paper storage ( ie overstock storage of products that I buy in bulk). This is motivating. We did just go through a bin of paper that kept following me...the oldest thing I found was entrance to college paperwork from 1996...yup- 1996.

Put a blanket over the crate. Every time she whines just tap on the crate and say no or quiet or shhhh. Just like a baby it takes three days. I put my crate in a quiet room. I have a routine like a baby two naps and bedtime. It has worked for several of my dogs as pups. Our Lacey (1year) goes to sleep at 9 to 10 at night and sleeps until 8 or 9 in the morning. She is a very happy loving dog. Good luck with your new baby. Love your tips!

When my kids were little I had a household binder. I need to start a new one now that they are all grown up. Congrats on new puppy. Give her a treat when she goes into crate.

OMG Penelope is so sweet!! Blessings to Oscar, he will guide Penny no worries🌹

I'm glad you're crate training. Sleeping with a 12 lb pup is quite different from trying to sleep with an 80 lb pup! We got a puppy back in July and he transitioned into a crate very easily. Crates are a miracle tool for keeping puppies out of trouble when you can't be watching every minute. Gotta go rescue my shoe from my puppy now!

Piling is not filing - caught me! Penny is so sweet & seems most anything doodle learns quickly! I crate trained my last one & this one is pen trained. Make it fun to go in & out of and do it several times a day. You'll find her going in when she's tired & it will be her safe place, trust me! I've said many times how I rescued a dog, but in reality, they rescue us. Looking forward to the shenanigans!

Oh my gosh - YES, I keep ALL THE PAPER!!! And I actually have every single tax return I've ever filed in my entire life. Like a lot of them. I like your paper system and I think that sparked an idea for me that I'm excited to try.

I have a big bag of “to shred” papers. Some of them are from the 1990’s !😮. I really need to buy a shredder! 😂❤ awww true “ puppy love”!

Love your organizing tips, they’re always exactly what I need! Also love your new puppy! We went from having small dogs to Labs, big difference but we love them so very much. They really are amazing dogs. The best thing to do with crate training is to leave open all day in your common living area and put favorite toys, cozy bed, etc. Our dogs associated that space as theirs and would actually go in there throughout day and night to nap or just hang out. ❤

I’m older and still struggling with “everything.” My husband keeps way too much and now while downsizing he’s learned his lesson a bit. You are good with paper. One thing I got from Dawn was the “time will tell” basket. That’s the best idea. You girls are all such a big help for every age.

CONGRATULATIONS on the new puppy. Labradoodles are awesome dogs. I’m very happy for you.❤.

What a sweet puppy! I can tell you’re in love, lol 😊 We have a labradoodle as well and crate-trained him. He’d cry and cry at night, but what ended up working was using what we came to dub the go-the-fuck-to-sleep blanket. We’d drape it over his crate and turn out the light--worked like a charm!

Decluttering paper is the hardest for me. Thank you for all the tips, especially the household binder info. Penny is adorable. I'm so happy for you! 🐶

It's random everything with me and paper. I love the household management binder. I've always put off doing one but have decided it is really necessary so my family will have all of our information if an emergency arises. Penny is adorable!

Love your new family member!! PENNY IS ADORABLE!!!!

Your paper hacks were great (I already use most of them, so yeah, great minds organize alike!) but the joy I could see in your face and hear in your voice made me tear up a bit as you bragged on your pup. Dog people are just my kind of people. Enjoy your new addition. She is adorable. I gave my son a heartbeat puppy when he got his golden. They are about $30 (Amazon) and they have a replaceable battery. She loved this and it helped her when she was kenneled. Also, take an old gym sock and get it wet. Toss it in a baggie in the freezer. It is a great soother for puppies when their teeth start to fall out. Refreeze over and over.

It's so sweet to see how much you love Penny! And thanks for the great paper organizing ideas, it's always helpful to have a bunch of ideas and see how you implement them.

Cas! Because of your amazing 30 days course I got paper in control for the 1st time ever! I am a cricket and had way too many files. Thank you! Another great video!

Crates are awesome! I think they genuinely love having their own secure space.

Congratulations for adopting Your sweet puppy Penny, she's so cute ❤ Our dogs love sleeping in their crate. They sleep in it everytime they want. It's like a cave and dogs natuarally loves sleeping in a cave. They feel safe there. (Sorry for my English)

Congratulations on adopting Penny! Our furry friends are with us only a short while. There is plenty of room in your heart for another. I learned from a trainer when we rescued multiple dogs from a hoarder to place an old tshirt that you’ve worn to bed a few times in their crate. A warm hot water bottle sometimes works too. As long as they don’t chew it! You can wrap the shirt around it too.

"I'm pretty sure she's a genius!" Cas is in puppy love! So happy for you, your family, and Penny! I have a horizontal pile of bill stubs, etc. twice as high as the container it's all in. Soon to topple! Must purge and file soon! Thank you, Cas!

I'm so happy Penny chose your family! ❤

Finally shredded 33 years of bank statements which included old cashed checks(that banks used to return to you before every thing was scanned in online) 😳😮🤪 Congratulations on your beautiful adorable puppy Penelope! 🎉🌸🐶

Congrats on your new addition! 🐶 She’s adorable. Our Lab was crate trained starting with the breeder. By 8 weeks he considered it his “house”. Loved his crate. He would actually go get into it when I would pick up my car keys. Hang in there.

Love your new puppy! Pouncing is definitely a lab thing! My husband was at an Amish farm in Pennsylvania and they had a litter of lab puppies... there was a little black lab that was pouncing on his little sister's like Tigger and that's how he was picked out and eventually brought home!! And yes he still pounces six years later lol

Aweee! My brother had a blonde lab puppy who pounced. So sweet. 😊

Congrats on your new puppy! I don't have doggo experience, but I just wanted to say that I adopted a pair of kittens shortly after my cat passed. There was a weird part of me that felt like I was betraying her? But that was just dumb. I was going to have to grieve regardless. Having the kittens brought joy into my home, my kids loved playing with them, and taking care of them was so good for my heart. When my cat died, my brother told me: don't wait. get another cat. It's not necessarily the right thing for everyone because grief is complex and different for everyone, but for me, it was the permission I needed, and the right decision for my family.

Penny is beautiful. My daughter got a new puppy in October, Blue Healer/ Boarder Collie mix we crate trained. It becomes their safe place. Feeling stress, crate, over whelmed, crate they settle much more quickly. We used a bath rug and abkauet that was my daughters and a safe toy. Treats every time she goes in. Leave door open place treat inside reward when she’s in without closing the door. Do this half a day the rest close the door , tell her stay, treat, add a light blanket over the crate it won’t take her long to know bedtime. I left Harleys crate in my room so she knew she wasn’t alone and she was safe after a few days/ week we moved it and it worked great. Now just tell her bedtime and she goes no treats needed. It’s her happy / safe place. Good luck

Congratulations on the new puppy! Poodles are one of the smartest breeds there are, so she is probably channeling that part of her.

Congratulations on your new family member, Penny is adorable. I think receipts are my biggest paper clutter item .

Cas, after a lifetime of struggling with papers the system finally clicked and they aren't an issue at all anymore. . . However, what IS a very BIG issue for me is my passion for planners!! It seems like I really enjoy the process of setting them up and by the end of a year of use I'm bored with it and turn to another beautiful binder system. I have GOT to get this fetish under control but it's sooo hard! I have binders of all sizes, colors, 7-ring, 6-ring, 3-ring, disc rings of all sizes. Then (for ALL these binders) there's all the dividers & labels, paper, plastic page protectors and pockets. On & on & on!! All this is so disorganized and running over that it has taken over my bedroom. I have spent a fortune over the years. There's even a stash of stickers & washi tape, but I'm able to keep that category under control because they are so expensive and temporary, they are wasteful in excess. And to top it off, what do I use the most?? $2 spiral notebooks in the 6x9 size! Which I love except for not being able to add & remove pages. Even now there's a Franklin Planner I have my eye on and feeling that overwhelming itch to buy. 😂 THIS is my paper nemesis and I need HELP! 🤪

You are so amazing! Such a ridiculous amount of value in every video, I’ve never found a channel as helpful as yours before! A “penny” for your thoughts 😄

Soooo happy for your family with this beautiful pup! She is beautiful!❤

Love you!! We crate trained our now 14 year old dog. It really helped her/us to completely cover the crate with a blanket while she was in it. If she could see anything, she cried. Also, some hope for you- we only did the crate for the first . .. few? . . years, haha. She has been sleeping in our bed for at least the past 10 years ;)

CONGRATS!! on getting Penny !! She is adorable!

Penny is adorable! Congratulations on your newest addition!

Paper I can manage. It’s the DIGITAL clutter I struggle with. 😱 And congrats on finding Penny! She’s beautiful. ❤

Bless you and your family. I rescued a 3 year old Golden Retriever recently. Unfortunately, Dog Mom 1 developed dementia so Lily need a new home. Like your Penny, she is a charmer!

Awe she is so sweet! Congrats to your family.

I'm going to keep replaying this video until I get the paper clutter under control! Happy tears that you got a new puppy mixed with sad tears that miss Oscar.

Sooooo happy for your family and Penny! Oscar is happy for you all I’m sure

Congratulations on your new family member. Too cute!

Oh I’m so happy for you and your family. Penny is a beautiful baby. You’ll never forget Oscar, but you have so many memories to make with Penny. I have bank statements from 2018!!

Hello Miss Penelope & welcome to the family! We got a Lil Miss Penelope this last Saturday. She's a 10wk old Boston Terrier.😊

"When the important things aren't separated, Everything seems important." Gold. :) (min 6:07 ish)

I’m so glad to hear that Penny brings you happiness after your traumatic and terribly sad situation with Oscar. Thank you for posting about her and letting us see that you have happiness in your life. I feel so sorry for you and your family and what you went through. Penny sounds like a true gem! Will you post more about her? I bet she has puppy shenanigans! (Thanks also for the tips about paper clutter.I will have to try the household management binder. I have all kinds of paper stacked everywhere in my house from eons ago. It is overwhelming to go through one box let alone all I have. I am inspired to get started though!)

I would cry too 😂 so happy you have a new genius puppy, rings a bell, holy Toledo!

Love how you love Penny! Happy for you all.

Thank you for your tips, I have issues with paper stuff for sure! And awww so glad you got another furry friend. I am so sad and sorry about you losing your other cutie suddenly, but glad you found another to enjoy!

I love your puppy! I have a toy poodle who now sleeps with me but was in the crate at night in my bedroom with me until recently (he was 8 months old-it was thundering and he “said” it was too scary😉). He stays in a crate while I’m at work during the day. It is his safe place-he ran to it one day when my son was at my house doing some drilling on a project. Paper has always been my worst problem. I pile it until someone is coming over and then shove it in a box. I am gradually working through it but I love the file on the wall-that is my this weekend project for sure! Thanks for all of your wonderful videos that are so down to earth and fun💗

Everything of paper clutter! I have art work of myself, statements and bills from waaaaaay back, receipts from 1980s, and newspaper articles, medical papers from day one

Phenomenal idea about Short & Long Term file boxes! I have ppw all over and frustrated on being behind in filing. Superlative idea! We need you back on HGTV! Bravo! ❤

I got goosebumps and happy tears when i saw your new baby girl !!! Congratulations 🎉 ❤ it’s hard crate training - hang in there mama !

My paper clutter is flat surfaces. My desks accumulate everything. Congrats on the new puppy! Fastest way to heal from loss. I know, I just adopted two Border Collies. Potty trained in 3 days on puppy pads. Your dog is so smart, you can train her to do anything. I too, am up all night w/ my new 10 week old puppies. Like two 3 year olds. I got two so they would entertain themselves for the most part. LOL!

Omg! So sorry for your loss! How cute is she 😊

I have 2 standard poodles and they are very smart. They are crate trained and actually feel very comfy in their crates. At night, we tell them to go to bed and they walk right in. Sometimes, they even put themselves to bed when they’re tired. Also, place a worn tee shirt in the crate with your scent and she will feel like you’re with her. Toys help too. Not squeaky ones though. Lol . Puppies are the best cure for missing a fur baby. Congrats!

She’s so cute! Good luck on your new adventure with your puppy.

Congratulations with your sweet puppy! She is adorable!

I'm glad you got Penny! We got another kitten months after our little guy passed away, I was still hurting but we have an amazing new family member. We still miss our other little friend.

For Penny get something that has a heartbeat like sound (they have stuffed animals with them) and put it in with her if you put her in a crate. The heartbeat sound is soothing to them and will help her sleep. 💜

Awe, Penny is so adorable!! 💗 I'm so happy for you all!! 💕💕

Cas, so happy for your new puppy! Can't imagine an 80 lb dog in my bed. My 8 lb. cat takes up 1/2 my bed & refuses to move! Lol Good luck!

I am so happy for you! Penny is adorable and she will bring so much love to you and your family.❤ I did the same thing when my precious Daisy passed. I now have Nugget and he brings so much joy to our family. They don’t replace our pups because Oscar will always be in your heart. The previous comment about covering her crate is a great idea & always give her a treat when she goes in the crate. Remember to not give in, Penny will eventually get used to it. Thank you for doing a segment on decluttering paper, I needed help in this area.😊

Congratulations on the new member of your family, she is absolutely gorgeous. They are the best pets...so smart and amazing with children. I'm so happy for you, ❤🐶

Welcome and congrats on the newest addition, Penny. I totally understand how she is helping your family. (I have 5 shih tzus) Thanks for sharing!

Welcome Penny! She’s adorable! ❤❤❤❤

Omg…Penny is soooo precious. The best thing you can do for you & your family was to get another pup….not replacing your other pup but to give a loving home to another animal. We do this fir nervous rescues & pups-If you give Penny a Nylar bone & put kennel next to your bed for a couple weeks, then move further from bed for couple weeks, then to the hallway week+ then you should be able to move her kennel where ever you want… giving her a very small treat to show going in/sleeping in kennel is a good thing…even naps during the day can be in kennel to help this be a positive experience & she will get used to….right now she’s missing her brothers/ sisters 💕🐶