Being Organized ... A Work in Progress

Being Organized is not natural for everyone. Being organized is always a  "work in progress".

For some of us it does come naturally and we can't live or work in an unorganized setting. But for most people it's a struggle. So don't feel that you are alone. You're not.

Being organized takes work. It takes planning and commitment. It takes practice.

It is something that can be learned. But it's not easy for most people. As a Professional Organizer I am constantly teaching people ways to simplify and organize their life. But I am also teaching people that everyone has different styles and levels of organization that they need in order to be comfortable.

Not every space has to be perfect. But it has to function for each person. In families, each family member might have a different organizing style. And that's o.k.. In fact, it's quite common. What has to happen is that we have to find a way to organize the family so that everyone is comfortable with the process and that every member of the family can and will follow the plan.

By coming up with solutions for the family as a whole you have a better chance of actually being able to have an organized house. If you only created a system that works for one family member and the other could not or would not follow it then you will have accomplished nothing....because the system would fail within a short period of time.

Being organized is always a work in progress. It needs to be tweaked over time to make it work for your particular needs.

Relax and just go with it........


Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Moving - Ten Years From Now.....

You have a great house, a great job ... and you have no intention of moving. Ever. Fast forward ten years and all of a sudden your life has changed dramatically. You are offered the job of a lifetime and you are about to move.

Are you prepared?  Most people aren't.

Even if you think that you will never move you should have your household possessions documented with accompaning receipts. You do...don't you?

As an extremely organized person, who never thought I'd move, I wasn't prepared to hand over receipts for things that I had bought ten years earlier. For insurance purposes to the moving company who lost a lot of our possessions. Why keep receipts for furniture, decorations, things that could never be replaced?

The answer is .... because if you don't have them the moving company will not give you anywhere close to what the items are worth.... even if you have the highest insuranace coverage available.

Moving companies will do anything to avoid reimbursing you for things they lost or damaged. Our experience with Mayflower was beyond horrible. Even though we had witnesses to the abuse of our property by the movers they didn't care.

So even though you might not ever think you will move.... treat your possessions like you might move...someday. 

• DOCUMENT everything in your home.
• Keep receipts for your appliances and furniture until you get rid of them.
• Keep receipts for anything that you value.

One way to do this is to use a binder and divide it into things such as:

• Furniture
• Appliances
• Decorations
• Equipment

Whenver you buy something, put the receipt in the binder. When you get rid of the item you can get rid of the receipt....but not before.

By keeping all of your receipts you will be one step ahead.... if you ever need to prove the value of your possessions.

Organizational Consulting Services

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Yes, There Are Good Lists

 I make a lot of lists and yes, my spouse just shakes his head. Making lists helps me to save time and brain power. Why keep re-inventing the wheel?

There are times when making lists makes sense. Like when you are going camping and don't want to forget anything. By having a "camping checklist" I can quickly pull everything together for an impromptu camping excursion. By using my list I don't have to wonder if I forgot anything. I have columns for camping gear, clothes, food and miscellaneous items.

If you have a family you can put each person's name on top of a column and they can check off all of the things that they need to bring. No more "Mom, I forgot my swimsuit".

The lists are on the computer and can easily be changed or updated as needed and printed off right before each trip. It takes the stress out of your "enjoyable" weekend.

Admit it, packing a family up for any trip is not easy and if you forget anything the whining will ruin your "enjoyment". So stop re-inventing the wheel and make a list for activities that you do a lot. Your life will be easier and so what if your spouse thinks you are "too organized".

Whatever makes our life easier will make our families life easier - whether they admit it or not.

Happy Organizing !




Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com