Are You Really Ready To Get Organized ?

Getting organized is a great idea. For some people the road to even thinking about getting organized is a long one. And even when someone thinks they are finally ready to "get organized" and take control of their life... panic sets in and they take a step back.

A lot of people don't understand the trauma that "organizing" brings to some people. They think "what's the big deal....just clean up already". But that's not how it works.

For a lot of people the thought of "organizing" is traumatic. It brings a lot of stress and emotion into the picture. They think that they are going to have to "throw out" their possessions and they regress. They shut down and won't even contemplate trying to get their home into some type of order.

I have a lot of clients that call me that think they are "ready to organize"....but they aren't really ready.... yet. They might have taken the first step by calling me, but they really aren't ready to proceed.

Organizing involves a "process". Thinking about getting organized is just one step in the process. Reaching out for help is another step. Actually doing it is another step. A really, really big step.

And that's where a lot of people have a stumbling block. But that's O.K. They have acknowledged that they want to change, that they want and maybe need help.

For family and friends the "step back" and not continuing the process and actually "getting organized" is disturbing and annoying.

As a "professional organizer" it's a "normal" part of the "process".

I can wait. I know that you really have to be "ready". It has to be "your idea". Not your families or your friends.

"You" have to be ready. And when you are the process will continue. But it has to be a personal choice and you have to be ready.

No one can force you to be ready before your time.

Being organized is a wonderful thing. It frees up not only your space but your life.

When you are ready.... you will know it.




Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Making Excuses for Not Being Organized

When I talk to people about organizing a lot of people tell me that they want to be organized but for one reason of another they just can't get organized.

They have ADD
Their spouse won't get on board with organizing their home
Their kids won't help with keeping the house neat and organized
Their parents never taught them how to be organized
Their parents were hoarders so they are hoarders
There isn't enough time in their schedule to get organized
They are overwhelmed
They don't think their messy house / room / office affects anyone else
Their disorganization doesn't really affect their job

and on .... and on ....

Excuse after excuse .....

But all they are doing is .... nothing....

So how can the problem ever change? It can't. But first they have to acknowledge that their disorganization is a problem. And that's the hardest step.

Yes, disorganization does affect your job. And your family. And your life.

So if you want to change, you can. I didn't say it would be easy. It won't be. It will feel very foreign for awhile. But as with any new habit it will eventually feel "routine". It will eventually start to be just a normal part of your every day life.

First you will start to pick up your clothes off of the floor and put them away in your closet. Then you might put the dishes in the dishwasher immediately after a meal instead of piling them on the kitchen counter and leaving them their for a week.

You might even go through your mail on a daily basis and through out all of the junk mail as soon as you get it.

Or you might do all of your filing on a weekly basis.

The next thing you know .... you are organized!

Watch out ..... it can happen to you.

All you have to do is stop making excuses ..... and start .... anywhere....



Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

The Cost of Disorganization

A lot of people don't realize that being "disorganized" costs them money. A lot of money.

Being organized is not only about everything "having a place" and "being in its' place", it's also a way of life.

When you are organized things run smoother. You know where everything is. You aren't searching for things. You get to work on time because your briefcase and keys are where they are supposed to be and you have left plenty of time for unexpected emergencies, like traffic jams.

But, when you are not organized you tend to be frantic. You are constantly searching for missing items. You then go to the store to buy items that you don't think you have. But then, someday, you run across that missing item. So you have just spent money on something that you really didn't need, because you really did have it.

If you do simple things like "put like items with like items" you will always know where things are. If you simply hang all of your "blue shirts" together you can easily find them when you need them. You will also be able to tell at a glance that you don't have a "blue shirt" when you need it.

By putting all of your "like" canned goods together you know exactly how many cans of "baked beans" you have, instead of buying more cans of things that you don't really need.

Constantly buying things that you really don't need because you already have it is just one "cost of disorganization".

Being late for work or a meeting and getting fired is another.

Not turning in a report at school and getting a failing grade is another.

Disorganization disrupts your life. It causes stress.

Take ten or fifteen minutes a day and get yourself organized.

You will feel better. Really you will.


Remember: Less Clutter = Less Stress .... in your Home, your Business and your Life

Organizational Consulting Services

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Chronic Disorganization in Families

I have been getting a lot of calls from people lately telling me that they have a family member that is disorganized and that it is affecting the entire family.

They are frustrated and feel helpless. They don't know what to do or where to start. They want their home and their life to be "normal". They don't want to live in chaos.

But the family member thinks that they don't have a problem. Or the family member thinks that the person with the chronic disorganization issues could change if they wanted to and they are just lazy. Or the family member thinks that if the other people in the house would just get rid of the "clutter" then everything will be "all right".

None of those are true. Chronic Disorganization is a serious issue. It obviously affects the entire family or their would not be arguments and I would not hear from people complaining about their families.

Being disorganized affects not only the disorganized person but also everyone around them (family and co-workers). Unless you live alone it's not only one persons problem but it's a family problem. And the entire family has to be on the same page as how to fix (or try to start fixing) the problem.

It's not easy. The first step is to admit that there is a problem. Yes, it's just like all of those other "programs". You have to admit there is a problem. Sometimes there even needs to be an intervention.

As a Professional Organizer it is very hard to work with one person in a family if the other family members (or spouse) objects to the organizer being there. If they put the other person down or are negative (to the family member or organizer) then it makes the process of organizing or teaching organizational skills or making changes in the home almost impossible.

If chronic disorganization affects your life to the point where you are miserable or you are making your family miserable ...then it's time to take the first step in getting help. Whether it's working with a Professional Organizer or seeing a therapist...you need to be comfortable in taking that first step.

Chronic Disorganization is a complicated issue. Once you understand that and are ready to learn how to get your life and home back on track you will be much happier.

A Professional Organizer does not judge. They will teach you skills that you can use for the rest of your life. They are supportive and caring. They understand that not everyone can be as organized as they are and they will not expect you to be. They will help get you to an organized place that you are comfortable in. They will help you set up systems that you can maintain. Because if it's too complicated and you cannot maintain it then you will be right back where you started.

Take things one step at a time. Decide that you or your family need help and direction and take the course that's right for you. With the right person.

Chronic Disorganization does not have to own you.


Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Ready For Change

Change is hard. Believe me, I know. I don’t like change. I like things the way I like things. And even though I know that some changes are good for me it sometimes takes me a while to warm up to the idea and make that commitment to the change.

So I really do understand my clients’ fear of change and their hesitation in getting started in any new project. 

When a client initially contacts me they are usually at a point where they feel they need to make a change. They are tired of their disorganized home, office or life and want to be free of the clutter. They want a more organized life. They want to be able to have people come to their home without being embarrassed by the clutter. They want to be able to juggle their busy life without feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. They are ready for change.

Or so they think.

What happens most of the time after the initial phone conversation about the change that they are about to undertake is that they panic. Their mind starts going over all of the things that a change means and they get scared. Scared of change. And they step back and decide they are not ready to let someone else into their lives to help them make that change. 

And that’s O.K. Really it is. A person has to be ready for change. And when they are ready they will let you know. 

I get a lot of calls from family members saying that their mother or sister has severe chronic disorganization or hoarding problems and they want them to get help. And I when I tell them that the person must be ready for the change or it won’t work, they are not happy. But you can’t force change on a person. Any type of change. It won’t work.

The person might even initially agree to work with me and then back out at the last minute when they feel that their family member was forcing them to do something that they did not want to do.

You can’t force change on someone. You can plant the idea. You can be supportive. But you can’t make a person change.

A hard lesson to learn.

So when they are ready I will be too.

Remember: Less Clutter = Less Stress ^SM in your home, your business and your life

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Why People Say They Won’t Hire a Professional Organizer

I get a lot of calls and emails from people that tell me that they need to get more organized…but then they never make that commitment to actually do it. Some of the reasons that I’ve encountered over the years are listed below:

1) You’ll make me get rid of everything and I don’t want to get rid of “everything”.

No, we won’t. A Professional Organizer will ask you about each item and will not force you to get rid of anything that you aren’t ready to get rid of. They might ask you why you want to keep it and might tell you why they think you should get rid of it, but they will never make you get rid of anything.

2) I’m too embarrassed to have you see my mess (even though I need you).

Don’t be. We’ve seen it all and your house probably isn’t as bad as you think. We are professionals and we are there to help you.

3) You will tell everyone what a mess I have and my personal business and you will judge me.

Never. As a Professional Organizer and a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers we have a Code of Ethics that we follow. We take it very seriously. Your privacy is always protected. And we never judge. There are a lot of reasons for disorganization and clutter and as a trained professional we understand those reasons.

4) You will think that I’m a horrible person for wanting to keep things that I should get rid of.

Never. You have every right to keep whatever you want. Everyone has a right to be sentimental about anything they want to be sentimental about. When you are ready to dispose of things you will. We never force you and we don’t judge you. You have to be ready to get rid of things.

5) I can’t afford all of those fancy organizing gadgets.

You don’t need them. There are a lot of different ways to get organized. And they don’t all involve spending money. A lot of organization has to do with simple utilizing your space correctly or more efficiently. We also find things at our clients’ homes such as baskets, plastic containers and other things that can be used. We can come up with all kinds of things to make a clients home more organized without having to spend a lot of money.

6) My spouse thinks that I should be able to organize our home by myself.

Well, if you called me then obviously you feel otherwise. You know your limitations. Your spouse just doesn’t want you to spend the money or he doesn’t understand what an organizer can do for you and how they can help you and can save you money.

7) I can get one of my friends (or my sister or mother) to help me.

Yes, you could. But you wouldn’t be friends for long. I’ve heard too many stories about friends and relatives just throwing things out or telling you to throw things out and everyone getting mad at each other. And all of your personal information won’t be personal for long. As Professional Organizers we are outsiders. We don’t judge. We don’t divulge personal information. We are trained professionals who also teach you how to organize as we go through the organizing process.

8) It’s too expensive.

Not as expensive as being disorganized. Buying things that you already have because you can’t find them or getting charged late fees because you forgot to pay your bills adds up to money being wasted. By having a Professional Organizer help you get your home and your life organized you will save time and money.

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

WHY BEING A PERFECTIONIST HURTS YOU

A very interesting phenomenon that a lot of people don’t know about is that some disorganized people consider themselves “perfectionists”. And I admit that at first I was surprised by this also. Clutter, mess and perfectionism?

But what happens is that some disorganized people who are self proclaimed perfectionist feel that they can’t do a good job or won’t get it done in time or it won’t be “perfect”, so they don’t start (their project).

So their room is a cluttered mess because they might start to clean it and never see their progress so they get disgusted with themselves and stop.

They made progress and an outsider (or a professional organizer) can see the progress, but they can’t . So they beat themselves up over what they consider their failure and never finish.

They are their worst enemy! By breaking a project down into smaller projects they will be able to see their progress and will continue and eventually their “big project” will be done. Not everything in life has to be perfect. If you are afraid to start something because you know it won’t be perfect, you might never do anything.

Self confidence is obviously a factor here. These self proclaimed “perfectionists” have little or no self confidence.

Everything in life does not need to be “perfect”. There should be order. Order brings calm. Calm reduces stress. But being a perfectionist for these people causes stress. And that’s not good.

Sometimes you just have to do the best you can and be proud of the fact that you tried your hardest. For everything else….call a professional. We are all good at different things. We can’t all be good at everything. I admit that I’m not good at most things except for being organized.

Give yourself a break. Do what you are good at and be proud of the fact that you can admit when you are not good at something.

Remember: Less Clutter = Less Stress (sm) in your home, your business and your life.

Happy Organizing !

Organizational Consulting Services

www.organizationalconsultingservices.com

Backsliding

Once a client makes the decision to start the “organizing process” they have taken the first step towards a more organized life. Most clients don’t really understand that being “organized” is a way of life. For some of us it seems to come naturally. For others it is a learned experience. And for some, it is an unattainable goal.

I tell my clients, over and over again, “being organized is a process….. and once I leave your home after de-cluttering and organizing your space…. it is a process that must be continued and a process that takes time to become your own”.

Some clients get it…..some don’t….

“Backsliding is a client’s regression to a previous disorganized state” (from the NSGCD).

For some organizers and me included it is almost like a failure on our part. We helped the client organize their home….we showed them how…. we explained what we were doing and why…. and still…the next time we visit the client the place is back to the way it was before we got there…or worse.

Some of the things that I have run across were clients that bought everything….except what I told them to buy, postponed appointments, cancelled appointments, the rooms being back in worse shape than when I left, organizing things in a way other than what I told them to….

Organizers don’t always have to “have their own way” ….but they are there for a reason and there is a “method” to what they are doing.

Buying all of the great organizing gadgets that you see at the store….doesn’t make you organized. Only “you” can make yourself organized. So why spend the money?

I try to re-purpose things that the client already has in the home first…..then we might bring in other organizing products. Rushing out to buy products is not the answer.

With backsliding…which is a “normal” client behavior…they might feel bad about how they let the room get back to the “pre-organizer” state…. and then never call you again. It happens to a lot of organizers. But there is no need for the client to be embarrassed. We’ve seen it all….really we have…and as bad as you think your home might be….we’re probably seen worse.

So….don’t beat yourself up over it and jump back into the process.

Backsliding costs you money. By cancelling your appointments and putting them off….you will probably be in a worse state than when you originally called the professional organizer. They will have to spend time getting back to where they left off…and then continuing the organizing process. So instead of spending three hours at your house it will take four or five hours.

Life can get in the way of your “organizing” sessions. Some people tend to think of their organizer as a “luxury” instead of an “investment in themselves”. By having an organized home and life they can save time and money. And they will also feel less stressed and embarrassed by their surroundings.

Less Clutter = Less Stress (SM)

Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

WHY PEOPLE DON’T ORGANIZE

People have asked me “Why do people hire you to organize their home? Can’t they just do it themselves?”.

The simple answer is “NO, they can’t”.

But there is nothing simple about the “real” answer.

It’s sort of like asking “why do people hire someone to mow their grass?”. The answer, “because they don’t have the time”. Or “because they don’t like yard work”. Or simply “because they don’t want to do it themselves”.

Yes, a lot of people are “capable” of “organizing” their own home. But they need someone to stand over them to direct them and to make them do it. They tend to second guess themselves and really need an outsider’s opinion and direction.

People that have a disorganized workspace or home are not less educated, in fact a lot of people with disorganized spaces and clutter are actually very bright and highly educated. And that’s part of the problem. They think that the task of “organizing” is “boring” and they can’t stay focused long enough to get anything accomplished.

Some people just get overwhelmed when they try to start organizing a space. Instead of focusing on one aspect at a time they look at the entire room and just see one big mess and start hyperventilating. Then they just throw up their hands and call it a day.

A professional organizers job is to get the client to focus on one aspect at a time and go through a “process”. They need to keep the client on track to get the job done.

Some people were just never taught any organizational skills when they were younger.

Some people just let things go too long and the clutter got out of control and they know that the project is too big for them to handle.

A lot of people think that being “organized” is too time consuming. They don’t understand that once you are “organized” you will actually save a lot of time because you will be able to find things easily. Maintaining an organized space is also a lot less time consuming because you aren’t spending a lot of time thinking about how you are going to organize the space, it’s already organized. You are merely putting things into designated spaces.

When you have an entire family that is disorganized it is really important that everyone is on the same page if you are going to get your space de-cluttered and organized. If your family won’t cooperate with your plan to organize your home it’s almost impossible to have an organized home. Another reason why people tend to throw in the towel. “Why bother, they are just going to mess it up anyway”.

It is crucial that the entire family is on board with the organizing plan. A professional organizer can transform a space…but if the family isn’t on board with the idea, the space will just go back to the cluttered mess that it was before the organizer got there.

A Professional Organizer does more than just de-clutter and organize a space. They also educate the client (and the entire family) on why a space should be organized. On how to organize a space. On how being organized saves you time and money. And on how “being organized” is a crucial lesson that will stay with them the rest of their lives and will be something they use in all aspects of their life.

Being “organized” isn’t only about space management and clutter control. It’s about time management, paper management, project management and life management.

Organization affects all aspects of your life.

Start today and have a more “organized” life.


Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/

HOW TO BE MORE ORGANIZED FOR THE NEW YEAR

It’s a New Year and everyone makes “New Years Resolutions”. Why don’t you make one that says “I will be more Organized”.

I don’t mean that you need to run out and buy all types of “organizing gadgets”. Or that you drive your family crazy with your new found organizing obsession.

What I mean is that you should start with small steps, such as making a list of ways that you can “organize” your home, business or life. Just like your resolution to exercise more will probably go by the wayside, so will your resolution to be more organized... if you don’t fully commit to it.

It took years to develop your behaviors and it will take you weeks or months or longer to change them. It’s a lifestyle change.

Once you have made a list of what you want to change in your home, business or life (and this has to be your idea or it won’t work) then you need to start implementing the changes. One at a time, otherwise you will become overwhelmed and you won’t stick to anything.

I’m a list maker. I have a list or an Excel spreadsheet for everything. My family makes fun of me but my motto is “why re-invent the wheel”. If you have repetitive tasks they can be turned into lists. I have a “what to take on vacation” list. Every family member has their own column and they check off things as they pack them. Now things aren’t forgotten and I don’t hear “Mom, I forgot my bathing suit”.

I have a list for “what to pack for college”. And yes, my daughter refused to use it the first year. But the following year I heard “Mom, can I have the college list...”. Music to a mother’s ear. I’m not as useless as I thought!

I have lists for school supplies, list for groceries, lists for vacations, lists for medical information, lists for donated items, lists for events that I go to every year and equipment I need to take, lists for meetings…… and on and on. There is no end in sight.

If you do it more than once ... make a list. That way you won’t forget anything.

If you have a list of spaces to organize or projects to do, break them down into manageable pieces. For example, break down the “I’m going to organize my kitchen” project into smaller projects. Such as:

* I’m going to organize the kitchen drawers
* I’m going to organize the kitchen counters
* I’m going to organize the kitchen cabinets
* I’m going to organize the kitchen pantry

That way you can start and finish each project in one sitting and feel like you’ve accomplished something, instead of getting tired or frustrated and never finishing it and then never starting another project. Start a small project. Finish a project. Feel proud of yourself. Go on to the next project.

Not everyone can become organized on their own. That’s why there are “Professional Organizers” that are there to help you and to teach you how to become more organized (teaching should be part of the organizing project).

Since most people call a plumber or an electrician when they have a plumbing or electrical problem, why shouldn’t you call a Professional Organizer when you have an organizing problem?

By having a Professional Organizer help you with your organizing dilemma you can get more accomplished in less time. A Professional Organizer is there to guide you through the process.

How many people have bought workout tapes for use at home but never used them? Good intentions but people tend to work harder when they go to a gym and have someone watch over them than when they try to work out by themselves.

So call a Professional Organizer and let them help you become more Organized – Less Cluttered – and Less Stressed.


Organizational Consulting Services

http://www.organizationalconsultingservices.com/