Monday, July 16, 2012
The Paper Shuffle
Organizing spaces is easy and fun (well, for some of us). Paper - not so much. Getting your paperwork and files organized is time consuming and draining (both physically and emotionally). You have to make decisions about every single piece of paper. There can be hundreds of pieces of paper in an inch. Hundreds of decisions that have to be made about what to do with each piece of paper.
Is the piece of paper important?
Do we have to keep it or can we pitch it?
What do we do with it? File it? Where?
And so the paper shuffle begins. From one stack to the next. You can't make a decision so you move the paper from one pile to the "I'll get to it later" pile.
But you never do. And the pile just continues to grow.
So what's the answer? Well, it all depends on your "style" and the ability to adapt to a new "plan". A Professional Organizer always takes the clients "style" into consideration when coming up with a solution. There is no "one size fits all" in organizing.
But no matter what the solution is - there is not getting around the fact that you have to "deal with the paper". Go through the process once, come up with a solution and hope that you will "stick with the program".
Coming up with an easy, yes, you will (not "CAN") do it plan is the first step. By having a system in place the time spent filing your papers into the appropriate and meaningful files will be drastically reduced.
When a bill or some other important piece of paper comes into your home or office, you will immediately be able to put it into its appropriate place instead of just piling it on top of an already ignored "pile of things" to deal with.
By handling each piece of paper only once you will save a lot of time and your desk will be a pleasure to work at instead of somewhere you would rather not be.
Organizing paper takes a lot of thought and organizational skills. Not everyone has it. So don't be concerned that you are the most disorganized person out there.
You aren't!
Happy Organizing!
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Monday, July 9, 2012
When You Are Ready
So you have decided that you are ready to "Get Organized". GREAT !
Now what ?
A lot of clients will just start throwing things out at a frantic pace. Everything must go!
It seems to an outsider that they have gone from one extreme to another. Disorganized on Monday to a purging maniac on Tuesday. They go at a frantic pace until finally they crash from exhaustion.
Organization is great. I am all for it, obviously. But you have to have a plan. Any plan. And you have to pace yourself so that you don't get burned out. Otherwise your enthusiasm will go out the window along with your energy.
Slow down! You have waited this long. Step back and come up with a plan. What do you really want your "end result" to be? Break your "plan" up into manageable sections (hours per day) so that you will want to continue the next day.
Do some things that will produce a "noticeable" result so that you feel like you have made some progress. This will fuel your motivation to continue.
It took you years to get "disorganized". It takes more than a few hours to get your home to look like the cover of a magazine (which is what clients expect).
Be realistic and you won't be disappointed.
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Now what ?
A lot of clients will just start throwing things out at a frantic pace. Everything must go!
It seems to an outsider that they have gone from one extreme to another. Disorganized on Monday to a purging maniac on Tuesday. They go at a frantic pace until finally they crash from exhaustion.
Organization is great. I am all for it, obviously. But you have to have a plan. Any plan. And you have to pace yourself so that you don't get burned out. Otherwise your enthusiasm will go out the window along with your energy.
Slow down! You have waited this long. Step back and come up with a plan. What do you really want your "end result" to be? Break your "plan" up into manageable sections (hours per day) so that you will want to continue the next day.
Do some things that will produce a "noticeable" result so that you feel like you have made some progress. This will fuel your motivation to continue.
It took you years to get "disorganized". It takes more than a few hours to get your home to look like the cover of a magazine (which is what clients expect).
Be realistic and you won't be disappointed.
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Monday, July 2, 2012
What Bothers You ?
A lot of people are intimidated by what other people think. They think their house should look a certain way because other people have told them that "you should clean this" or "you should get rid of that". They get overwhelmed by everyone telling them what "should" bother them and how they "should" clean up their home. So they do "nothing". It's a lot easier than not doing what they "should" do.
I'm sure we all have "well meaning" family and friends who try to "help" you by giving you unsolicited advice on how to take care of your home. But what they don't realize is that they are actually doing more harm than good.
People don't want to be told what to do. They want to make their own decisions. They want to have control over their home and their life. They don't want to be told what they "should do" or "should feel" about their home.
So it's a mess. O.K. We acknowledge that it's a mess. Why does it concern anyone else? All it does is make people "not" want to clean because they don't want to be told what to do. It's basic psychology.
Everyone has their own tolerance of "enough". And when it's dirty enough or disorganized beyond what they can tolerate any longer, they will "clean" and "organize" the space.
People have to "be ready" and "want" to change. You can't "force the issue".
So when something "bothers" you enough that you want to change.... you will.
But only when you are ready.
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
I'm sure we all have "well meaning" family and friends who try to "help" you by giving you unsolicited advice on how to take care of your home. But what they don't realize is that they are actually doing more harm than good.
People don't want to be told what to do. They want to make their own decisions. They want to have control over their home and their life. They don't want to be told what they "should do" or "should feel" about their home.
So it's a mess. O.K. We acknowledge that it's a mess. Why does it concern anyone else? All it does is make people "not" want to clean because they don't want to be told what to do. It's basic psychology.
Everyone has their own tolerance of "enough". And when it's dirty enough or disorganized beyond what they can tolerate any longer, they will "clean" and "organize" the space.
People have to "be ready" and "want" to change. You can't "force the issue".
So when something "bothers" you enough that you want to change.... you will.
But only when you are ready.
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Monday, June 25, 2012
TO DO LISTS
Some people love to make "TO DO" lists. But some of those list makers just make lists and never actually "DO" anything on the lists.
Making lists makes those people feel like they have accomplished things - but they really haven't.
Writing things down is a pretty powerful tool. It makes things "real". But you have to actually "DO" what's on the list to be able to say that "you accomplished something".
This might sound silly and very "basic" to a lot of people - but I have run across many people that never get past "the list".
So step back and ask yourself - "are you ever really going to (accomplish this task)"? If you really know you have no intention of completing the task - or really don't have the time - Don't put it on the "TO DO" LIST.
Maybe you could make a "I'll have someone else do it" list!
Being honest with yourself (and your spouse) will save you a lot of time and aggravation. And it will make your list a lot shorter.
Remember - after you write it down - the next step is "DOING IT"!
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Making lists makes those people feel like they have accomplished things - but they really haven't.
Writing things down is a pretty powerful tool. It makes things "real". But you have to actually "DO" what's on the list to be able to say that "you accomplished something".
This might sound silly and very "basic" to a lot of people - but I have run across many people that never get past "the list".
So step back and ask yourself - "are you ever really going to (accomplish this task)"? If you really know you have no intention of completing the task - or really don't have the time - Don't put it on the "TO DO" LIST.
Maybe you could make a "I'll have someone else do it" list!
Being honest with yourself (and your spouse) will save you a lot of time and aggravation. And it will make your list a lot shorter.
Remember - after you write it down - the next step is "DOING IT"!
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Monday, June 11, 2012
Organizing Your Life
People seem to think of organizing as something that you do to "things", but you can also "organize your life". Just like having an organized room, having an organized life definitely reduces your stress.
You don't have to go overboard and have every detail of your personal life organized and outlined in your "Franklin Planner", but by knowing what you are going to do and what you have to accomplish you will be more productive and less stressed. If you want to have a great weekend or a great vacation they need to be planned out. If you want to have a great "date" it needs to be planned out.
By taking charge of your life and treating it as something that is just as important as your job and by giving it the same thought and careful planning, you will function better and there will be fewer "surprises".
Planning and organizing your life instead of leaving it to chance also means that you are in better control of our finances, which in turn helps to alleviate stress.
So take some time for yourself and think about how in control you are of your life. Write down all of the things that you feel you are "not in control of". Number them in order of importance. Then write down some ideas on how you might want to change those things.
It can be as simple as coming up with a calendar that everyone in your family uses so that you know what everyone is doing. Or scheduling extra travel time for your appointments so that you aren't always running late and getting stressed. Or taking some things off of your schedule so that you aren't over scheduled and have more time for your family.
You can also think about re-organizing some of your routines to make your day run smoother. Things such as "getting your next days clothes ready the night before". This gives you more time in the morning and reduces your stress in having to make decisions while everyone is trying to get out of the door.
Or how about making a list of all of the errands that you have to do during the week and planning your trips so that you aren't backtracking from one side of town to the other.
There are a lot of ways that you can "organize your life" and make your life run smoother. Just take it one step at a time and you will soon be on your way to a "more organized you".
Happy Organizing !
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
You don't have to go overboard and have every detail of your personal life organized and outlined in your "Franklin Planner", but by knowing what you are going to do and what you have to accomplish you will be more productive and less stressed. If you want to have a great weekend or a great vacation they need to be planned out. If you want to have a great "date" it needs to be planned out.
By taking charge of your life and treating it as something that is just as important as your job and by giving it the same thought and careful planning, you will function better and there will be fewer "surprises".
Planning and organizing your life instead of leaving it to chance also means that you are in better control of our finances, which in turn helps to alleviate stress.
So take some time for yourself and think about how in control you are of your life. Write down all of the things that you feel you are "not in control of". Number them in order of importance. Then write down some ideas on how you might want to change those things.
It can be as simple as coming up with a calendar that everyone in your family uses so that you know what everyone is doing. Or scheduling extra travel time for your appointments so that you aren't always running late and getting stressed. Or taking some things off of your schedule so that you aren't over scheduled and have more time for your family.
You can also think about re-organizing some of your routines to make your day run smoother. Things such as "getting your next days clothes ready the night before". This gives you more time in the morning and reduces your stress in having to make decisions while everyone is trying to get out of the door.
Or how about making a list of all of the errands that you have to do during the week and planning your trips so that you aren't backtracking from one side of town to the other.
There are a lot of ways that you can "organize your life" and make your life run smoother. Just take it one step at a time and you will soon be on your way to a "more organized you".
Happy Organizing !
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Monday, June 4, 2012
End of School Organizing
School is about to end for most schools. Kids will be cleaning out their lockers and bringing home - well, lots of stuff! Maybe even stuff that you didn't know that you were missing - like Tupperware!
They will also be bringing home lots of papers and other things that they have cleared out of their lockers, maybe even some clothes. If they are like most kids they will probably just dump it all in the hallway where they came in. And drive you nuts in the process.
So before you get too far into the summer take some time to organize the mess. And if you can, make the kids help. It is their mess after all!
First, throw out all of the garbage.
Second, take back your Tupperware, dishes, silverware...
Third, grab those clothes and throw them in the laundry. After they are clean, decide if they still fit or might still fit by the start of the next school year. Otherwise, into the "donate pile" they go.
Fourth, go through their papers and decide which ones you want to keep (things such as Art work or other papers you really want to keep). You might want to dispose of the other papers when the kids are not around. If you have a folder/box or notebook for each child you can put anything you want to save into their file (by grade).
Fifth, any extra school supplies that can be used for the next year can be put away in a bag and you will have a head start on shopping for the next school year. Be sure to keep a list of what you already have so that you don't buy duplicate when you get the rest of their school supplies.
Sixth, check the condition of their backpack and lunch box and toss it or put it away for next year (after a thorough cleaning of course!).
The mess is now gone and you can get on with our summer!
Have a great summer!
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
They will also be bringing home lots of papers and other things that they have cleared out of their lockers, maybe even some clothes. If they are like most kids they will probably just dump it all in the hallway where they came in. And drive you nuts in the process.
So before you get too far into the summer take some time to organize the mess. And if you can, make the kids help. It is their mess after all!
First, throw out all of the garbage.
Second, take back your Tupperware, dishes, silverware...
Third, grab those clothes and throw them in the laundry. After they are clean, decide if they still fit or might still fit by the start of the next school year. Otherwise, into the "donate pile" they go.
Fourth, go through their papers and decide which ones you want to keep (things such as Art work or other papers you really want to keep). You might want to dispose of the other papers when the kids are not around. If you have a folder/box or notebook for each child you can put anything you want to save into their file (by grade).
Fifth, any extra school supplies that can be used for the next year can be put away in a bag and you will have a head start on shopping for the next school year. Be sure to keep a list of what you already have so that you don't buy duplicate when you get the rest of their school supplies.
Sixth, check the condition of their backpack and lunch box and toss it or put it away for next year (after a thorough cleaning of course!).
The mess is now gone and you can get on with our summer!
Have a great summer!
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Monday, May 28, 2012
Seniors - Getting Ready To Downsize - Start De-Cluttering Now
As your children grow up and move out of your home and as people age they start thinking about downsizing. They don't need a big house, they don't want do to all of the housework and yard work anymore.
Why not start thinking about it years before you are ready? That way there is no rush, no pressure.
If you give yourself plenty of time you can make the decisions about your belongings at your own pace instead of having to decide what to get rid of as the moving truck is pulling up.
The first and most important part of any move and downsizing is the decluttering. Start going through each of your rooms and decide what you can get rid of.
And of course, that means, donate or give away (for the most part). If you haven't used it or don't want to take it with you, put it in the "donate" box.
One thing that you will also want to start thinking about is the size of your new home. If you have a four bedroom home now and want to downsize to a one or two bedroom home you will have a lot of things to get rid of.
Don't think that you have to get rid of the entire extra room. You can pick or choose pieces from each room that will go into your new home. Only take the things that you really love or that are functional.
Start thinking about giving away things to your loved ones now, when they can enjoy them. Why wait until after you are gone so that you won't be able to share in their happiness? It might sound morbid, but it makes sense. You know that you love to see the look on their faces when you give them presents for their birthdays or holidays.
By taking control of your own decluttering now, when you are not in a rush, you will be much calmer and more rational. Trust me, moving is not a fun process. Take the stress out of it by planning ahead and decluttering on your terms.
For many children that live away from their elderly parents it sometimes helps to have someone, such as a Professional Organizer help with this transition. It helps the seniors in getting the job done on their terms. A Professional Organizer with experience in working with seniors can also help in planning out the move and help in the design of the new home to be sure that everything fits and that everything has a place. Not everyone has the luxury of taking time off of work to spend a few weeks helping their parents with this process. And when they do have the time off it's better spent on visiting instead of decluttering and packing.
Start early. Take your time. Declutter without the stress of a move, before the move.
Think about it....and start decluttering......
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
Why not start thinking about it years before you are ready? That way there is no rush, no pressure.
If you give yourself plenty of time you can make the decisions about your belongings at your own pace instead of having to decide what to get rid of as the moving truck is pulling up.
The first and most important part of any move and downsizing is the decluttering. Start going through each of your rooms and decide what you can get rid of.
And of course, that means, donate or give away (for the most part). If you haven't used it or don't want to take it with you, put it in the "donate" box.
One thing that you will also want to start thinking about is the size of your new home. If you have a four bedroom home now and want to downsize to a one or two bedroom home you will have a lot of things to get rid of.
Don't think that you have to get rid of the entire extra room. You can pick or choose pieces from each room that will go into your new home. Only take the things that you really love or that are functional.
Start thinking about giving away things to your loved ones now, when they can enjoy them. Why wait until after you are gone so that you won't be able to share in their happiness? It might sound morbid, but it makes sense. You know that you love to see the look on their faces when you give them presents for their birthdays or holidays.
By taking control of your own decluttering now, when you are not in a rush, you will be much calmer and more rational. Trust me, moving is not a fun process. Take the stress out of it by planning ahead and decluttering on your terms.
For many children that live away from their elderly parents it sometimes helps to have someone, such as a Professional Organizer help with this transition. It helps the seniors in getting the job done on their terms. A Professional Organizer with experience in working with seniors can also help in planning out the move and help in the design of the new home to be sure that everything fits and that everything has a place. Not everyone has the luxury of taking time off of work to spend a few weeks helping their parents with this process. And when they do have the time off it's better spent on visiting instead of decluttering and packing.
Start early. Take your time. Declutter without the stress of a move, before the move.
Think about it....and start decluttering......
Organizational Consulting Services
www.organizationalconsultingservices.com
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