In one of the seminars that I gave on "Clutter & Chronic Disorganization" I asked the following questions: "What does Clutter mean to you?" and "What is your greatest Organizing challenge?".
Everyone answered these questions differently. The following are some of the responses that I received.
What is Clutter ?
Too much stuff all over the place
Stuff that is not in its place
Piles
Stuff left in a haphazard way taking up valuable space
Lots of stuff around – magazines, newspapers, mail
Useless items
Excess stuff around that is not organized
Accumulation of things that prevent use of space
Papers everywhere
Messy
Anything that I don’t know where to put
Unorganized
Papers on the counter
Messy closets, basements, garage
Stuff covering all surfaces
What is Your Greatest Organizing Challenge ?
Paperwork
Organizing any space
Not knowing what to do with things
Mail, magazines, kids school stuff
Basement & garage
Dining room table
Deciding what to keep
Not throwing stuff away in a timely manner
How long to keep records
Finding places to keep things
Starting but not finishing projects
Afraid to get rid of things that might have value
Childhood memorabilia
Closets
Putting things where they belong
Keeping things just because they cost money
If any of the above statements sound like something that you would say....remember.... you are not alone.
Everyone has some type of clutter and everyone has challenges. By knowing what our challenges are we can come up with a plan to conquer the clutter and those challenges and have a more organized home and life.
Start in one small area and clear your clutter. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed. Set a time limit on each phase of your organizing project. Take a break. Give yourself a reward for a job well done.
It’s almost Christmas. A time for family and friends. A time to celebrate what you have not what you don’t. It’s time to remember what’s important.
Opening presents is fun and exciting. Not only for kids. Adults love getting presents also. Whether they admit it or not.
But in this rush to buy presents step back and think about the person that you are buying a present for. Get them something that they like not that you like. If you are unsure if they will like what you picked out …put it back !
Don’t just buy things for the sake of buying things. If they don’t like it they will just smile and pretend that they do and they will never use it (or wear it). Then it will end up being clutter. Stuff they they feel they cannot get rid of. Because you bought it for them. Guilt will set in. The clutter will be there forever. Reminding them that they cannot throw it out.
So remember that when buying gifts. If you aren’t 100 % sure that they will absolutely love the gift don’t buy it. Save everyone the emotional trauma of having to pretend.
The holidays aren’t about gifts. They are about being together as a family and friends.
Give the gift of time. That is something that everyone will love. And remember forever.
The refrigerator is not a place that people normally think about organizing. But it’s one place where things accumulate and are forgotten about. In back of the refrigerator. Way in the back. Or in the door.
Food expires.Condiments. Sauces. Things that you buy, put in the door of the refrigerator and forget.
Grab that barbecue sauce and check that date. What about your salad dressing?Or the mustard?
Or the mayonnaise?Or the salsa?Or the roasted peppers?Or the minced garlic (I admit that I just threw mine out after checking my refrigerator).
Don’t forget to check your eggs and milk. Food harbors bacteria.
Things that you might not use very often can be very dangerous to your health if they are expired and still in your refrigerator a year or two after their expiration date.
Most people don’t think about checking the dates on food in their refrigerator. Until they get sick.
I’ve been through many clients’ pantry and refrigerator and thrown out things that were a few years past their expiration date.
Get in the habit of going through your refrigerator at least once every other month and checking expiration dates.
Organize your refrigerator like your pantry. Put like items with like items. Condiments with condiments. Salad dressings with salad dressings. Juices with juices. Vegetables with vegetables. And so on.
Keep your refrigerator clean and organized and make sure that your food has not expired.
It’s your health. Take control of it. Don’t neglect to check your refrigerator.
Holidays and gifts go together. For some people shopping is not only fun but it’s an addiction. For others it’s a painful experience that they would rather not participate in. I am not a shopper. I try to avoid the mall at all cost. In fact, I’ll just come out and say it “I hate shopping”.
If holidays are supposed to be about family and traditions why is there so much pressure to “find the perfect gift” or to “outdo last year’s gifts”?
In this economy money is tight everywhere. So maybe now is the time to sit back and re-evaluate our priorities.
I admitted that I hated shopping. But I love giving gifts. I spend a great deal of time and thought on every gift that I give. I only give gifts to people that I truly like or love. I don’t just randomly hand out gifts because it’s “expected”.
As an organizer I tell my clients to “de-clutter their home”. I tell them to “give away or donate things that you do not really love, like or use”. But there is the “guilt” of giving away something that a family member or friend gave you. Even though you really, really don’t like it. Or, to be blunt, is downright ugly! I go through this a lot with my clients. So for the holidays I offer some professional and personal advice.
Don’t give gifts that you like. Give a gift that the recipient will like. If you haven’t seen them wear that green sweater with the funky design or hang that art piece on their wall, it’s not a good gift idea.
Don’t give them some decoration for their home. People like to decorate their homes themselves. They don’t like being forced to put out a decorative item just because it was given to them by a relative.
Don’t give them a gift basket of something that they are allergic to or something that they can’t eat because they are on a special diet.
Don’t give the children of friends or relatives something that their parents disapprove of.Everyone is entitled to raise their children with their own values, not yours.
Though I don’t particularly like giving gift certificates (because it’s so impersonal) there are times when it makes sense. Like when the recipient lives in another town or you don’t know their size or color preference.
Do consider giving the gift of yourself. Make time for a friend or family member and take them to an event (such as a play or movie) or a one-on-one dinner. With everyone so busy these days the gift of time means so more than a store bought gift.
Do something special for someone. Such as help them with a project that they really need help with and you have a talent for.
Do consider giving the gift of time to a friend or family member that can’t afford a babysitter and could really use some alone time with their spouse …or even by themselves.
Do consider the gift of food. Splurging on some really fun things like great cookies or beautiful pastries or appetizers that you would not buy on an ordinary day and would never consider buying for yourself. I buy my husband smoked Salmon and great crackers and individual bottles of micro brewed beer. He loves it and I get to help him enjoy it.
Do consider putting together a gift basket of basic food essentials for some friends that might be going through a rough time. In this economy that’s a lot of people and they would probably appreciate it even though you might not think it’s an especially original gift.
The holidays are about family and friends. Not outdoing each other with the best or most gifts.
Enjoy the holidays. Enjoy your family. And remember to give thanks for what you have.
More and more people are becoming aware of what a Professional Organizer can do for them and they are now utilizing their services and expertise in helping them solve numerous business, home and life organizing challenges.
But a lot of people are actually embarrassed to be utilizing a Professional Organizer. And that hurts my feelings!
I was actually quite surprised when a number of people said to me “I don’t want anyone to know that I am using an Organizer. It’s embarrassing”.
I didn’t quite understand the “embarrassing” part. These were not my hoarding clients. These were clients who had the good sense to hire someone that was an expert in their field. Someone to coach them through their issues and help them come up with solutions that worked for them.
People hire landscapers every day to mow their lawn. And I am sure that they are not embarrassed because they have someone else cut their grass. I’m sure that they could probably do it. If they wanted to or had the time. Or what about hiring a maid service to clean your house? Is that embarrassing?
Or people that hire personal trainers. What, they have no willpower to do it on their own? I know that those workout tapes don’t work for me. I need to go to a gym to be tortured. And I did actually hire a personal trainer years ago. I need someone to hold me responsible. And talking back to the workout tapes isn’t the same as complaining about how the instructor is torturing you. I needed the instructor.
Hiring a professional organizer should not be embarrassing. It actually means that you know your limitations and know what you are not good at. I’m not an interior decorator. I am not a cleaning service.
A Professional Organizer teaches people organizing skills. They coach them through the organizing process. They help them make decisions. They come up with solutions that work for them, not their neighbor.
Professional Organizers don’t only work with people that are Chronically Disorganized or Hoarders.
They work with all types of people and businesses to come up with solutions that make their businesses, homes and lives run more smoothly and efficiently. They show them how to save time and money by being organized.
They are their own personal workout coach. And as a Professional Organizer I feel very fortunate that my clients allow me to help them and coach them with their various issues, whether it’s organizing their closet or their garage or their life.
I have clients that have the cleanest houses I’ve ever seen to clients that have severe hoarding issues. They are all unique and they are all special. And they all teach me something new every time I’m there.
For more ways on how to use a Professional Organizer, re-read:
Laundry….something that everyone has and everyone seems to hate.
It’s not as bad as most people make it out to be. By getting your family to help you can make it quite painless.
I know….you are now rolling your eyes and saying “yeah, right….not happening…”.
Well…. Sorry, I can’t help you with that issue….. but there are ways to make it easier on you.
One idea is to assign each member of the family a different color towel. Then, when the wet towels are on the floor you know immediately where the blame should go. You will also know who thinks that they live in a hotel and gets fresh towels after every shower!
Make sure that everyone has a laundry hamper (or at least knows where the laundry hamper is). And just to remind you ….tell them that it’s not “on the floor”.
Pick a “laundry day” and let them know that they are required to take their laundry hamper into the laundry room so that you can do laundry.
Now here is the hard part: if they don’t give you’re their laundry on the designated day…they don’t get their laundry done! Be tough….be mean….be a mom. If you stick to your guns they will learn ….or they will just go about their lives in dirty clothes….. Their choice.
Kids can learn at a young age…and should be taught…how to sort the laundry. Even if they do nothing else…they can help sort colors. As they get older they should be given more laundry responsibility. If you don’t teach them when they are young….they will be in for quite a shock when they go off to college.
After the laundry is done have the kids help you fold towels. And show them where they go. Yes, kids need a lot of reminding…..over and over and over again. It’s a ploy so that they don’t have to help. Don’t fall for it !
Laundry doesn’t have to be and shouldn’t be a “whole day” thing. There are too many other things to do with your time. Throw in some laundry before you start dinner. Take it out and throw it in the dryer after dinner. Fold clothes while you’re watching T.V. .
The important thing is…. make it a family affair. Everyone wears clothes….everyone helps!
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North By Northwest - "Pointing You in the Right Direction for Your Life"
After owning a successful medical staffing business for seventeen (17) years I took my Organizational skills and used them to help small businesses and residential clients organize their offices, homes and lives.
I have been published in numerous newspapers and magazines. Provides seminars and lectures to various businesses and organizations.
Member: National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals Organizers (NAPO);
Member: Institute for Challenging Disorganization (ICD);
Certificate of Study in Chronic Disorganization; Study in Basic Hoarding
Issues with the CD Client; Study in Understanding the Needs of the Elderly CD Client; Study in Basic ADD Issues with the CD Client; Study in CD Client Administration; Study in Life Transitions;
Study in Time Management and Productivity; Study in Interpersonal Intelligence; Study in Mental Health Conditions and Challenges Affecting the CD Client; CD Specialist - Level II Certificate; Hoarding Specialist - Level II Certificate; Certified Life & Business Coach
