Moving is not fun. Planning for a move is not fun. De-cluttering for a move is not fun.
But... sometimes it has to be done. Even a Professional Organizer will want to pull their hair out during a move. Especially when it's not done their way.
If you know that you will be moving you should immediately start the de-cluttering, purging process. It will make your move much easier. And much lighter. Which in turn will be much less expensive. Because most moving companies charge by truck weight.
I have done many move unpacks for clients that have just moved into town and I am always amazed at the things they decide to move. Old, worn out things. Things that should have been left behind. Because when you are moving it might be the only time that you really think about how often you have actually used the item.
If you know that you are moving ahead of time start going through your house and get rid of things that you have never used, aren't using, things that are old or worn out. Now is the time. Not after you move. If your washer and dryer are 15 years old why move them? It will be cheaper to buy new, more efficient appliances once you move and you will also save money by not paying to move them.
Go through your clothes and get rid of everything that you have not worn in a long time or is out of style. You may not have ever gone through your closet before this but now is the time. Why move things that you will not wear? If you are moving to a warmer climate and won't need those 25 sweaters...donate them. That goes for the snow ski's that you won't need in Miami. Of the treadmill that you have never used.
Get rid of everything that you can before your move. It will feel good! Really it will. You will wonder why you didn't do it sooner. And be sure to keep track of everything that you donate so that you can take a tax deduction.
Moving is a stressful endeavor. Try to make it less so by purging before you even think about packing.
Remember: Less Clutter = Less Stress .... in your Home, your Business and your Life
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Monday, June 13, 2011
Monday, June 6, 2011
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
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
Sunday, June 5, 2011
World Environment Day
Clutter, stuff, garbage.... all of it ends up taking up space in our world.
Please try and remember the environment on World Environment Day and pledge to make the world a better place by Reducing, Reusing and Recycling.
Educate yourself on green and/or natural cleansers that don't pollute the earth and are healthier for you.
Be realistic about your needs and your consumption of products.
Our world will only last as long as we let it. Think before you buy products that you don't need and will clutter up our world. We want our world to last....we want our world to be healthy.
Monday, May 30, 2011
Business - Organizing Your Schedule and Paperwork
Small businesses are crucial to the economy and we like to use and support small businesses and neighborhood businesses as much as we can. And for the most part we always get better and more personalized service when working with a local business.
But sometimes we are disappointed because the business "forgets" to return our calls or "forgets" to come out and provide the service we requested on the day they arranged to come out. Most often the business will apologize and they will come up with some excuse. The problem is that the excuse shows how unprofessional they are and how unorganized they are.
Having run a number of small businesses my first priority was always to create the feeling of a bigger company. At least in the eyes of the client. Some clients don't trust that a person that runs a business out of an office in their home will be "professional" or "experienced" enough for them. One has nothing to do with the other. Today many businesses are run out of home offices to save money and for convenience and life style choices.
One of the first accounting firms that I did business with had their office in the basement of their home. But once you got into their basement office you would have thought that you were in a high class accounting firm. The office had the highest quality equipment and beautiful furniture. But they saved money by not pay thousands of dollars a month in rent and therefore passed that on to their clients.
Having forms that are professional where you can capture client information is crucial. Not only does it present a professional image but it also allows you to capture the needed information without forgetting anything. Even if you are a roofer or plumber you need to present a professional image when it comes to paperwork.
Writing quotes down on a scrap of paper does not present a professional image and chances are you will lose that scrap of paper.
Which is what happened to one of the plumbers we tried to do business with. He lost the order...somewhere..... He couldn't find our contact information and didn't call us.
Having a filing system and logging phone messages and client schedules is crucial to a small business. Being organized in a small business is even more important than in a larger company because the smaller business depends on client referrals more than a larger company that has a big advertising budget.
By having systems in place to capture client information and having a process in place to follow-up on that information you will save time and your clients will be happier when they get the service they need on the day they need it.
Being organized in business is crucial. Start today. Step back and take a look at your business and see how you can improve and make your clients happier. You won't be disappointed in the end result.
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
But sometimes we are disappointed because the business "forgets" to return our calls or "forgets" to come out and provide the service we requested on the day they arranged to come out. Most often the business will apologize and they will come up with some excuse. The problem is that the excuse shows how unprofessional they are and how unorganized they are.
Having run a number of small businesses my first priority was always to create the feeling of a bigger company. At least in the eyes of the client. Some clients don't trust that a person that runs a business out of an office in their home will be "professional" or "experienced" enough for them. One has nothing to do with the other. Today many businesses are run out of home offices to save money and for convenience and life style choices.
One of the first accounting firms that I did business with had their office in the basement of their home. But once you got into their basement office you would have thought that you were in a high class accounting firm. The office had the highest quality equipment and beautiful furniture. But they saved money by not pay thousands of dollars a month in rent and therefore passed that on to their clients.
Having forms that are professional where you can capture client information is crucial. Not only does it present a professional image but it also allows you to capture the needed information without forgetting anything. Even if you are a roofer or plumber you need to present a professional image when it comes to paperwork.
Writing quotes down on a scrap of paper does not present a professional image and chances are you will lose that scrap of paper.
Which is what happened to one of the plumbers we tried to do business with. He lost the order...somewhere..... He couldn't find our contact information and didn't call us.
Having a filing system and logging phone messages and client schedules is crucial to a small business. Being organized in a small business is even more important than in a larger company because the smaller business depends on client referrals more than a larger company that has a big advertising budget.
By having systems in place to capture client information and having a process in place to follow-up on that information you will save time and your clients will be happier when they get the service they need on the day they need it.
Being organized in business is crucial. Start today. Step back and take a look at your business and see how you can improve and make your clients happier. You won't be disappointed in the end result.
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Monday, May 23, 2011
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.
Organizational Consulting Services
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Summer Schedules
Summer can be a fun time or a stressful time. For kids it's fun. For parents, especially parents that work and have kids it's not so much fun. With younger kids it's easy. There are a lot of different activities that the kids can go to and keep them busy and out of trouble. For kids that are over ten (10) there aren't many group activities and even though most ten year olds think they are "grown up", leaving a ten year old home alone all summer long never made me feel comfortable. A lot of people don't have the luxury of having family around to watch the kids or have the money for expensive "summer camps". So what is a parent to do?
Sit down with your kids and make a very detailed summer schedule. Plan your activities ...even things such as going to the library. Knowing exactly where your kids are will make you feel more secure.
If you have the flexibility of taking your kids to work, even for a few days over the summer, it's a great learning experience for them. And you can also get a lot of things done at your office that you never had time for, like organizing your stock room or office, putting together brochures or mailings or any variety of things.
If you can spread your vacation days out and take one day off a week you can plan mini vacations to the beach or the park for some "family time". Inexpensive and relaxing.
You can also offer to take your friends kids with you on these "outings" and they in turn can take your kids on their outings. This gives the kids fun things to look forward to and you not feeling guilty that you aren't taking them on a summer vacation or leaving them home alone bored all summer.
By making the kids responsible for coming up with ideas for their summer schedule you let them have some input into their summer and you teach them responsibility and scheduling.
Coordinating a successful summer for kids isn't easy. But by planning ahead and being organized you will be more relaxed and your kids have a lot of activities to look forward.
Have a fun and safe summer.....
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Sit down with your kids and make a very detailed summer schedule. Plan your activities ...even things such as going to the library. Knowing exactly where your kids are will make you feel more secure.
If you have the flexibility of taking your kids to work, even for a few days over the summer, it's a great learning experience for them. And you can also get a lot of things done at your office that you never had time for, like organizing your stock room or office, putting together brochures or mailings or any variety of things.
If you can spread your vacation days out and take one day off a week you can plan mini vacations to the beach or the park for some "family time". Inexpensive and relaxing.
You can also offer to take your friends kids with you on these "outings" and they in turn can take your kids on their outings. This gives the kids fun things to look forward to and you not feeling guilty that you aren't taking them on a summer vacation or leaving them home alone bored all summer.
By making the kids responsible for coming up with ideas for their summer schedule you let them have some input into their summer and you teach them responsibility and scheduling.
Coordinating a successful summer for kids isn't easy. But by planning ahead and being organized you will be more relaxed and your kids have a lot of activities to look forward.
Have a fun and safe summer.....
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
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