Scheduling and Consistency

Most people have good intentions when they say that they are going to declutter and organize their home. Unfortunately, a lot of people just don't follow through. 

The key to their success lies in scheduling their intentions to declutter or organize. Just saying that "you are going to do it this week..." doesn't work. You have to actually schedule it - on your calendar (paper or phone).  Writing things down has a real affect on making things a reality. By running your home like a business - scheduling regular cleaning days or laundry days or paying your bills on certain days - makes your home run more smoothly. You know exactly when things are going to happen and things won't fall through the cracks.

Flexibility should be added into the mix - because we don't want anyone to be stressed out - but by knowing when things are going to get done - there is a better chance that it will actually happen.

The other part of the equation is consistency. Decluttering or organizing is not a one-and-done deal. It is something that should happen on a regular basis. That doesn't mean that you have to declutter/purge or organize something every single day - but you should have some type of a system in place where you might do a big declutter of (for example) your closets once or twice a year. 

If you are working on a big project - you might want to work on it 30 or 60 minutes a day - a couple of times a week. Even with only 15 minutes a day you will accomplish something. If you only work on a decluttering project (like purging/organizing a drawer) for 15 minutes - but do it at least 4x a week - that's 1 hour of decluttering/organizing! It all adds up!

Start small by establishing some consistent habits - such as taking anything out of the living room that doesn't belong there when you are getting ready to go to bed. Take your snack dishes or cups to the kitchen and put them into the dishwasher. Put the magazines back into the magazine rack. Your room will automatically look better. 

By putting things back where they go (after you have established their homes) - the amount of time that you will have to spend cleaning is greatly reduced.

Organization doesn't have to be stressful if you have a system in place. Just take it one step at a time.

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

Organizational Consulting Services

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Pass It On - NOT !

Parents (especially Mom's) have a tendency to hold onto things to "pass on" to their children. They are the "keeper of the memories" - the "keeper of the heirlooms". And they want to "pass it on" to the next generation.

Unfortunately, most of todays children don't want their parents "stuff". They don't want to be burdened with furniture or dishes or knick-knacks. They have their own stuff and their own style.

Yet - they don't kow how to say "no" - "no thank you!".  They don't want to hurt your feelings. So for some of them - they have a basement or attic or garage full of stuff they don't want, won't use and yet won't throw away.

Children expect us to keep all of their drawings and things they made for us - when they were childen. But when they are older - most of them don't even remember making it and they wonder why we even kept it!

Some very brave children have told their parents that they don't want their stuff and that they will get rid of it (toss it in the dumpster) when they die. Hear that gasp of horror???? Their parents are stunned and hurt that their kids don't appreciate their "stuff" which is sooooo special. But it's not special to the children. They have their own stuff, their own taste, their own lives. They don't have room for more.

We should not expect (or in some cases, demand) that our children will take (and cherish) our stuff.

So, if you have family heirlooms or keepsakes or things that you think your childen (or family members) will want after you pass on - ASK THEM!!! If they say "no - don't like it - don't need it - don't have room for it...." - RESPECT their wishes. Let it go to another family member or friend that will appreciate it. But ask them also.

Each person's home is a reflection of them - not of you. By not taking or keeping all of the stuff you give them doesn't mean that they don't love or care about you. They can still keep the memories without keeping the physical stuff.

Ask your children or family members before you unload your home into theirs. They will appreciate it!

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

Organizational Consulting Services

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Living in the Past

Our stuff defines us. When someone walks into your home - they know what your interests are. They can tell if you are an organized or an unorganized person.

By looking at your clothes they know what your style is like. By looking at the pictures that hang on your wall they know what type of art you like or who your favorite artist is. Your furniture tells them what decorating style you like. 

Your stuff defines you.......  or does it?

Does your stuff tell us the story of the "you" of today? Or does it tell us the story of the "you" of 20 years ago? 

Does your home reflect your current interests? Or your interests of the past? 

Do you still have furniture from when you were first starting out your adult life (makeshift furniture and fixings....)? Do you still have clothes in your closet from college - and you're now 50? It doesn't matter if it still fits (we all wish!) - sometimes it's not appropriate for where you are in the world today.

Do you still have arts and craft items from things that you were interested in 10 years ago - but haven't done since?

Do you still have dozens of cookbooks thinking that you were going to make gourmet meals - but you never cook?

It's time to stop living in the past.

Your home and your life should reflect the "you" of today. Your closet should reflect the present you - not the "I still think I'm a size 2" you. 

Your decor should reflect who you are today - not stuck in the past. 

As we age - our interests change. That's OK! But we need to let go of the clutter of the past - to make room for our new interests. By purging out the clutter of the past - we might actually be able to see and use all of the wonderful things we have now.

Let go of the your past interests that no longer serve you and start living the life you have today - without any guilt.

You deserve to be living in the present.

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

Organizational Consulting Services

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Senator Casey Urges Biden Administration to Address Hoarding Disorder in an Aging Nation

From Chairman Bob Casey - U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

As a Professional Organizer and Advanced Hoarding Specialist I was honored to be asked to participate in Chairman Bob Casey's special report: "The Consequences of Clutter: How Hoarding Disorder Affects America's Older Adults, First Responders, and Their Communitites"

  Statement from Karin Fried, Organizational Consulting Services .......................................B-139  

>>>>>>>>>>>>>  from Douglas Hartman   >>>>>>>>> 

This morning, Senate Aging Committee Chairman Bob Casey sent letters to the Secretary of Health and Human Services and the acting Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. The letters outlined the affects of hoarding disorder on older adults, communities, and first responders in America, and called on HHS and HUD to take steps to implement the recommendations in The Consequences of Clutter.

 

.........  The Chairman’s communications team also issued a press release about the letters. That release is available at the end of this e-mail, for you to review, as well as online at https://www.aging.senate.gov/press-releases/casey-urges-biden-administration-to-address-hoarding-disorder-in-an-aging-nation.

Sincerely,

 

Douglas Hartman

Research and Policy Analyst

Chairman Bob Casey

U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging

G-16 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

202-224-5364

https://www.aging.senate.gov/press-releases/casey-urges-biden-administration-to-address-hoarding-disorder-in-an-aging-nation

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

Organizational Consulting Services

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Many Benefits of a Decluttered Home

Having a decluttered home has many benefits beyond the clutter being gone. You will have gained more space and more peace of mind. 

By starting with the basics - getting rid of any garbage (empty snack bags....) and then moving on to things that don't belong in the room, things that are broken or that you no longer use or no longer like - and you will immediately have created more space. Now take a step back and see what your room really looks like!

Clearing your clutter helps to lower your stress levels. When you are constantly searching for things that you can't find because it's hidden in all of the clutter - you tend to become stressed. 

Clearing your clutter - finding things that were "missing" so that you aren't buying something again that you already had - but couldn't find - saves you money. 

By having a home for everything - so that you can find things easily - saves you time. You aren't wasting your time searching for things.

A decluttered home takes time and the willingness of everyone in the home - to take part in the decluttering and organizing process. By having buy-in from everyone - there will be less pressure on one person doing it all and it will lead to a calmer home environment.

Our homes should be a place of calm - where you can relax. Coming into a cluttered home doesn't allow you to destress and relax. By removing the clutter you are improving your mental health.

Clutter distracts you from being fully present and being able to concentrate. 

By removing the clutter - you are making your cleaning routine easier. If you have less stuff to clean around and take care of - you will have time for other things - such as spending quality time with our family.

Start the decluttering process today. Make it a fun project - decide to purge 1 thing out of each room. Tomorrow - pick 2 things to purge out of each room. And so on....

See how many things you are actually able to purge in one week! 

You can do it!

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

Organizational Consulting Services

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The Effects of Clutter

The effects of clutter is not only about the physical stuff - the mess in our homes - but also about how it affects our mind, body and spirit.

Clutter causes stress! It cauases anxiety. It causes sleepless nights.

Clutter can take over your mind and stress you out.Clutter overwhelms a lot of my clients. It causes dissension among family members. One person wants a neat and clutter free home and another person doesn't see what all the fuss is about.

A clutter free space promotes a calm environment where you can think - you can create. 

An organized space frees up your time and your money. You aren't buying the same thing over and over again - because you didn't know that you had the item - or you can't find what you are looking for so you are buying the item over and over again!

An organized space promotes producitivity. Since you know where everything is - you spend less time having to search for things. You can access everything you need quickly - saving time. Your files are in order - your reports are done on time - your to-do list has all of the necessary tools that you need for your projects.... Your are prepared!

Having a clutter free and organized space gives you more time to spend with your family to do "fun things" - instead of complaining that the house is a mess! 

Start decluttering and organizing now - for a stress free and fun future!

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

Organizational Consulting Services

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Paper piles - how to control the mess

 Paper is one of the hardest things to organize. One reason is because there is so much of it! 

We are inundated with paper! Mail, junk mail, bills, announcements, invitations, kids school permission slips, medical information, tax information....and on and on...

Most people have no system in place for handling the influx of paper. 

They walk through the door of their home and just dump the paper on the kitchen table. And then - forget about it. 

And tommorrow - the same thing happens. This time - the mail goes on top of yesterday's pile. And tomorrow - the same thing happens....the mail goes on yesterdays pile...   and on and on and on...

Until the pile falls over and maybe lands on the floor! 

A lot of people don't actually look at their mail until days later. Some people - never look at their mail. It just keeps piling up.

What's in that pile????

Bills - that you might have forgotten to pay. School permission slips that you never signed. Invitations that you never responded to - and at the last minute you are scrambling for gifts for that party or wedding that you have to go to!

Having a system in place for handling incoming mail and paper is crucial - not only for your financial security - but also for your sanity!

Doing some as simple as:

1) pitching all of the "junk" mail into the trash or recycle bin. *besure to get shred identitying information

2) put all of your bills into 1 basket - so that you never lose a bill in the pile of papers

3) put any important mail that you need to respond to or answer in a specific time into it's own bin (or you can combine it with the bills)

4) put any correspondance that you need to look at or keep - that doesn't have a hard deadline - into another bin

The next step - is to plan a time (have it on your calendar!) that you will go through each bin. Whether it's every day - every other day - once or twice a week - weekly.... it doesn't matter as long as you have a dedicated schedule for dealing with each bin

Take each bin - handle each piece of paper - whether it's scheduling a bill to be paid or paying the bill at that moment - or answering a letter/invitation....and then file it in the appropriate folder.

If you don't have a filing system set up - or a dedicated spot for working on your bills and papers - then set aside some time to figure out a place that will work for you. Having a decidated space - that you can use every week - will make a huge difference. Be sure to have everything you need to deal with paper - in that spot. Envelopes, pens, stamps....

By at least dealing with each bin once a week - and then emptying that bin - you will be able to keep on top of the papers that come into your  home.

Step back and take a look at how you deal with papers - and simplify the method to alleviate some of the stress associated with apaper clutter!

Happy Organizing!

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

Organizational Consulting Services

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