By ESTER VENOUZIOU, St. Petersburg Times

Is your life a stressed-out mess? Are your closets overflowing? Paper piles in the living room?
It doesn't need to be like that. Really.
That's where professional organizer Jackie Grizzard, owner of Clutter Free Bug in Tampa, Fla., comes in.

Melissa Clark left the corporate world of program assistant at a St. Petersburg, Fla., television station -- "lots of clerical work" -- more than 10 years ago and followed her dream of being an interior decorator. A few years later, Clark, 44, of Trinity, Fla., opened her own business, Casa Bella Interiors.

First, let's get the misconception out of the way: "The Wal-Mart Effect," by Charles Fishman, is not a book bashing the world's largest retailer. Instead, Fishman, editor-at-large of Fast Company magazine, says it's about how Wal-Mart's low prices have an impact on society and on the economy.

Sean Owen and Brian Oliver met in 2005 at a software development company. They loved Web design, but not corporate life, so they decided to venture on their own. Owen, 29, and Oliver, 27, recruited Oliver's brother, Paul Oliver, 29, and the three started Oliveri Design (oliveridesign.com), a multimedia design company that specializes in Web design and development.

Quality for a good cause Lauren Baker has always considered herself "green," and after her daughter was born that interest took on a whole new meaning.

Plumbing problems often mean big messes and expensive bills.We talked with Phil Regan, owner of Phil's Plumbing in Gulfport, Fla., about what every homeowner should know to keep things running smoothly.How to turn off water main

If you own your home, there will come a time when you decide to save some money by forgoing the expert and tackling the work alone.Sometimes that's a good idea, but other times it's disastrous, says Joshua Schlegel, a St. Petersburg, Fla., plumber.

So you fell for that spotted beagle with soulful eyes and floppy ears. You got the toys, the bed, the oh-so-cute dish set. And now your very own Snoopy is home, and driving you absolutely nuts.Blame it on his ancestors.