Posts Tagged ‘organizing’

Get Organized for a Successful School Year

September 8th, 2010

Organized studentNow that school is back in session, most parents I know are relieved to have the routine of school back in their lives. However, along with the routine come loads of activities that can make most already-busy parents feel overwhelmed and overburdened. If you find yourself constantly on the go and struggling to stay on top of things, the following tips can help you regain control of the hectic school year:

  •  Create a family calendar – paper or electronic – and have everyone note all of their activities on it. You can use something like a medical appointment book or a teacher’s lesson plan book to create a separate column for each person, or a regular monthly calendar and use separate colors for each person.   
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  • Have weekly family meetings to review schedules, to make sure everyone is on top of what’s going on that week, and to make sure everyone has transportation to their various activities. Sundays might be a good day for this – before the chaos of work and school kicks in for that week. 
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  •  Create an out-the-door checklist for each child using words and/or pictures of everything they need to do in the morning to get out the door without too much hassle. Include such things as “brush teeth”, “lunch in backpack”, “bring band instrument”, etc. My APPLES Resource Guide includes just such a checklist.
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  •  Create a family information binder that contains all pertinent information for managing the kids’ activities: sports schedules, team directories, emergency contact information, school contact information, etc. Keep the binder in an easy-to-reach spot where all family members can find it.
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  •  Consider limiting each child to 1 extra-curricular activity at a time. For example, if they want to play football, they can’t also play hockey in the fall. Not only will this make life less hectic for you, but it will allow your kids to have some unstructured time in what is typically an overscheduled life.
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What techniques have you found helpful to keep your student and self organized for school?

Best wishes to you and your student(s) for a successful, organized school year,

Signature Sue

Get Those Last-Minute Summer To-Dos Done

September 1st, 2010

Summer to-dosReady or not, here it comes – for those of us in the Northern hemisphere, the first day of fall will be here in three weeks. What did you plan to do this summer that you haven’t done yet?  Go to the beach? Hold a garage sale? Clean out the gutters? It’s not too late to get those unfinished warm-weather tasks and activities accomplished; it just takes a bit of planning to turn your intentions into commitments. Pull out your calendar or planner (you do have one, don’t you?) and schedule when you’re going to do the things you’ve been meaning to do all summer.

I’m certainly not trying to load up your calendar or to-do list, but just so nothing slips through the cracks before the snow starts flying, here are a few things that are warm weather friendly that you might want to consider scheduling:

Clean out the garage –It sure would be nice to fit your vehicle in the garage where it will be warm and dry this winter.

Clean out your vehicle – It will be a lot more pleasant to get the trash and other extraneous items cleared out before the cold numbs your fingers.

Tune up the snow blower – As much as you may wish otherwise, the snow is coming and you’ll want to be ready.

Additional checklists on how to prepare for cooler weather, as well as other ways to get your life organized, are available in my APPLES Resource Guide.  And no matter what’s on your list, be sure to take some time to savor the sights, smells and sounds of this special time of year. 

Enjoy the rest of your summer,

Signature Sue

 

How to Jump Start Your Own Organizing Makeover

August 25th, 2010

Makeover WinnerI’ve had the opportunity to be part of several organizing makeover shows (as the organizer, not the client, mind you) and really enjoy seeing the client’s excitement as they view their transformed space for the first time. While you may be hoping there’s a television crew about to knock on your door to announce that you’ve won an organizing makeover, odds are that’s not about to happen. So here are some quick tips to help you jump start your own home organizing makeover:

  • Choose a small space to get started, such as a kitchen drawer, linen closet or under the bathroom sink. This will give you a sense of accomplishment, as well as the confidence to tackle bigger spaces. As an alternative, choose the area that bothers you the most, such as the entryway that makes you hesitate to open your front door for fear that your cluttered home will be revealed to the outside world.
     
  •  Schedule regular organizing sessions to keep yourself moving forward. Try setting a timer for 20 minutes a day to chip away at your organizing transformation. 
     
  • Find an accountability partner – someone who will check in with you to keep you on track and remind you to honor your commitment to tackle your clutter bit by bit. 
     
  • Gather all of your random piles of paperwork and put them in a box or bin (or maybe it will take multiple boxes and bins) to be gone through during your regular daily organizing sessions. You’ll enjoy the instant lift you’ll feel as the paper clutter is cleared from your surfaces, and will be able to see visible progress as the piles in the boxes and bins get smaller and smaller. 
     
  • Schedule weekly pickups by a charity that makes house calls to effortlessly move out the items you choose not to keep, and to motivate you to honor your daily de-cluttering sessions and let go of things that don’t enhance your life. 
     
  • Promise to reward yourself as your reach significant milestones, such as a cleaning out a closet or finishing going through a box of papers. The reward should be something you find motivating, as long as it doesn’t mean bringing more stuff into your home. 
     
  • If necessary, schedule someone to watch your kids during your organizing sessions so you can stay focused on organizing.

If after a few weeks you aren’t making the progress you’d hoped, or you feel stuck or overwhelmed, it may be time to call in a professional. I can’t promise to transform your home as seemingly effortlessly as the television shows make it look, but it will be faster, easier, and possibly even better than working on your own.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

Signature Sue

When Does Enough Become Too Much?

August 18th, 2010

Too many choicesA  few years ago I entered the produce section of my newly remodeled grocery store to purchase some tomatoes, only to discover that it was going to take quite an effort to fulfill my mission. The new and “improved” produce department was at least double the size of the old one, and it took me 5 minutes of intense searching to discover where the tomatoes were located. There were dozens of tables displaying bin after bin of all types of fruits and vegetables, and I became increasingly annoyed at each bin that didn’t reveal the object of my quest. While some of you may have enjoyed such a hunt, it nearly brought me to tears – so many choices and so much floor space to navigate left me feeling overwhelmed and frustrated.

 It turns out I’m hardly alone in my reaction to having too many options – numerous studies have concluded that satisfaction level drops as people are given more choices. For example, a joint study by researchers from Columbia and Stanford Universities concluded that “people actually seemed to prefer to exercise their opportunities to choose in contexts where their choices were limited” and “they even performed better in such limited-choice contexts.” Translation: less choices lead to greater satisfaction and better performance.

So what does this have to do with organizing? I wonder if having too many possessions leads to a similar decline in satisfaction. One of the steps in the organizing process is to pare down the number of items one has so that only things that are useful or meaningful are kept. Many of my clients have an abundance of items yet resist letting any go because they are sure they will need them “someday.” For example, they may have a closet packed with clothes and be reluctant to let go of any because each one has the potential to be just the right choice for an upcoming occasion. Does having to choose which of the 11 pairs of black pants to wear, or which of the 53 pairs of shoes is just the right one, at least on some level, lessen one’s quality of life? If closets aren’t your sore spot, what about your overstuffed bookshelves, overflowing craft room, or an impassable basement?  Although they often insist otherwise, I imagine that this seemingly endless possibility of choices might actually cause people to be less satisfied than they realize.

So when does enough become too much? I’d love to hear your take on how the volume of items from which you have to choose impacts your satisfaction.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

Signature Sue

Neatening Isn’t Organizing

August 11th, 2010

Horrified womanI recently encountered a situation with my client, whom I’ll call “Ann”, which exemplifies how some people think neatening is the same thing as organizing, and how detrimental that can be.  Ann has several chronic medical conditions that generate lots of paperwork, leaving her buried in piles and overwhelmed. She also tends to be an over-shopper, buying things because they’re fun or pretty, not because she’ll necessarily use them, although she says she intends to give them as gifts someday. In addition, she has emotional attachments to gift boxes, greeting cards, stickers, ribbon, and other gift-giving supplies. Ann also envisions herself as being a great cook some day, so she stockpiles recipes and cooking supplies. I’ve worked with Ann on and off for several years to set up systems for her paperwork and create space for the emotion-evoking things that fill her small condo.

When we work together, Ann tells me that  she hates her cluttered home, but although her head tells her she should let go of many of the unused things that fill her space, her heart won’t let her release them. I’ve been using motivational interviewing techniques and guidance from the book Buried in Treasures to slowly help Ann release things that aren’t giving her joy. We had been making slow but steady progress until “Linda” (not her real name) entered Ann’s life.

Linda is Ann’s cleaning woman. She told Ann she could whip her place into shape in four hours. Ann, being emotionally vulnerable and helpless, agreed to have Linda work her self-described magic. Unfortunately Linda, who was great at cleaning, wasn’t so great at organizing. She embraced the same philosophy kids often use when you tell them to clean their room – getting things out of sight is the goal. Linda shoved things wherever they would fit – cooking supplies were jammed into kitchen cabinets; recipes were shoved onto shelves; excess paperwork was tossed into large lidded bins; potential gifts were placed into boxes stacked from floor to ceiling; and gift boxes were stacked to go to recycling.

When Linda excitedly showed Ann the neat-as-a-pin results of her work, Ann was horrified. She could no longer see the things she loved, find the important papers that were previously stacked on her dining room table, or easily access the few pots and pans she used regularly. Even worse, the gift boxes that meant so much to her were unceremoniously awaiting their execution in the recycling bin.

If you find yourself in a similar situation, where you just want to make things neater and better for someone (including yourself), be sure to respect their feelings and recognize that neatening and getting things out of sight isn’t the goal of organizing – making it easy to find things when you need them and being surrounded by the things you love is what matters.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

Signature Sue

Organizing Lessons from Toy Story 3

August 4th, 2010

Toy Story 3As I did around this time last year, I just saw a Disney-Pixar film that offers some great organizing lessons. This year it was Toy Story 3 that lured me from the comfort of my couch. The premise of the story is that Andy, who we met as a young boy in the first movie of the series, is getting ready to go to college and must decide what to do with his toys. This story tugged at my heart not only because I have son named Andy who’s in college, but also because I see many of my clients face the same struggles as Andy while they move towards creating a new, better life for themselves. Here are my observations:

The oldies but goodies are goodies for a reason. Andy had a large number of toys that he had enjoyed throughout his childhood – he didn’t seem to be constantly bringing in new toys. What oldies but goodies do you own? While they may not give you the thrill of being new or offer the excitement of finding bargain, there’s probably a good reason that you prefer these things. Whether it’s a pair of pants that fit you just right, a paring knife that makes life in the kitchen easier, or a piece of artwork you enjoy pondering, many things in our life are hard to replace – so stop trying. Don’t make impulse purchases, or even conscious purchases, if you already have something that suits your needs – you’ll end up having less clutter. 

It may be easier than you think to let go of things you don’t need. Molly, Andy’s sister, had a bedroom filled with things that were no longer meaningful to her. Until her mom prompted her, she hadn’t taken the time to pare them down. Once she got started, however, Molly had an easy time letting go of a lot of things she didn’t want or need. Her mom’s encouragement gave her the motivation she needed to move things to the donate bin or even the trash, so she could surround herself with things that were meaningful to her now. Is there someone who can encourage or help you let go of the things that no longer make your life fulfilling? If you’re a parent, can you help your kids learn to set limits by helping them evaluate their belongings?

Here’s a link to my newsletter where I offer additional observations on Toy Story 3 – I’d love to hear your thoughts. In case you missed it or want a refresher, here’s a link to my newsletter on last year’s movie, Up.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

Signature_Sue

Take a Break and Get More Done

July 21st, 2010

TAKE A BREAKWhen life gets busy (and when doesn’t it?) we often feel that we have to put our head down and plow full steam ahead to get as much done as possible. While it may seem counterintuitive, taking a break can actually help you accomplish more, and make life more enjoyable at the same time. Giving your mind (and body) a chance to rest can help refocus your attention and boost your energy as well as help relieve stress and sharpen your cognitive ability.

In their book, The Power of Full Engagement, energy management gurus Jim Loehr  and Tony Schwartz describe the physiological changes our bodies go through when we’ve reached a low point in our energy cycle. While techniques such as drinking coffee or eating a candy bar may successfully produce a short-term energy boost, they’re not a great substitute for our body’s natural cycle of engagement and recovery.

I’ve experienced this productivity recovery phenomenon first-hand. Back in my paper-writing days during college and grad school, I’d intentionally walk away from my current writing assignment for 15 minutes or so and be amazed at the renewed focus and energy I’d discover upon my return to the task. I’d also marvel at the ease with which I’d catch errors that I previously hadn’t noticed.  A fresh set of eyes and a clear mind made all the difference.

Taking breaks has also been shown to be highly beneficial for people with AD/HD. My own experience when working with clients with AD/HD has shown that when they take a short break of ten or so minutes, it breaks up the monotony (serving their desire for a change of pace) and boosts their energy. “Green” breaks during which they look outside (or even go outside) to look at the green grass or trees have also proven to be highly beneficial. A study by researchers at the University of Essex (England) found that just 5 minutes a day of exposure to nature is all you need to improve your mood and self-esteem.

To get yourself in the habit of taking breaks, determine what your concentration limit is and set a timer to remind yourself to walk away from your current project for a while. The length of the break is less important than the act of simply changing your focus for a moment – something as simple as taking a bathroom break can do wonders for your productivity. Maybe drinking eight glasses of water a day (or whatever the experts now say is the proper amount) can have a side benefit of boosting your productivity by making you take a bio break every few hours.

 So how will you minimize the mental field trips your mind takes as you work through your day?

Here’s to your life of simplicity, harmony and freedom,

Signature_Sue

What’s Your Tipping Point?

July 14th, 2010

Broken WindowDid you ever notice that clutter seems to attract clutter? When you plop something “here for now” does that one item seem to multiply? Often a few out-of-place items seem to give us permission to continue adding to the jumble. We drop the bag of items from the store by the door because we don’t feel like putting them away right now. We set the mail on the counter “for now” because we don’t have time to deal with it. We dump the laundry from the dryer onto the couch because we don’t have time to fold it just yet. Pretty soon our home looks like a chaotic mess because our habits have allowed the clutter to creep up on us.

 I’ve previously written about the importance and challenges of finishing the job to completion. In his fascinating book The Tipping Point, Malcolm Gladwell describes “the broken window” hypothesis which states “disorder invites even more disorder – a small deviation from the norm can set into motion a cascade of vandalism and criminality.” Certainly clutter is not criminal, but it sure can leave you feeling like a victim. It can insidiously creep into our homes and take over. 

Rather than allowing clutter to overtake your life, I challenge you (and myself) to pay attention to the habits that are causing your “clutter creep” and nip them in the bud. Have a place for things, and put them there right away – don’t fall into that here for now habit. If you have trouble deciding where something goes, remember the two basic organizing principles: 1. Store things near where they’re used, and 2. Store similar things together.

Adopt the habit of putting things away rather than putting them down. One of my clients actually made a sign for her kitchen to remind her of that goal. Ask yourself, “Do I really want to put it there?” When you catch yourself saying you don’t have time to put something away, consider how long it would really take. Can it possibly take more than 20 second to hang up your coat? Does it take more than a minute or two to toss the bedspread on your bed? Would it take more than a minute to pull the receipts out of your purse and put them where they belong? I’d love to hear how you’ve stopped clutter in its tracks.

Here’s to your life of simplicity, harmony and freedom,

Signature_Sue

Life Lessons Learned from a Hockey Team

June 16th, 2010

#1 fanMy favorite sports team, the Chicago Blackhawks, recently won the championship trophy for professional hockey – the Stanley Cup. Whether or not you’re a hockey fan, you can learn some important lessons from the Blackhawks:

Surround yourself with people who can help you achieve your vision. In 2004, ESPN named the Blackhawks the worst franchise in professional sports – that’s all professional sports, not just hockey. Personnel changes were made throughout the management ranks at all levels, and just six years later, the Blackhawks have won what is arguably the hardest championship of all professional sports to win. Are the people in your life or business able to support you in being your best?

Let people know you care about them. With new, visionary thinkers at the helm, the Blackhawks changed many of their policies, including how they interacted with their fans and past players. Within the last three years, they’ve held their first fan convention, allowed the games to be televised, and invited past stars to be ambassadors for the team. As a result, game attendance has skyrocketed. Are you treating the people in your life, including family members, employees, customers and vendors in a way that makes them want to support you?

Focus and commitment will get you to your goal.  Several years ago, the Blackhawks adopted a marketing campaign with the slogan “One Goal” – that being the Stanley Cup. Their advertising, as well as their mindset, had them focused on achieving that goal. In fact, when they won several rounds of the playoffs this year, they didn’t allow themselves to celebrate too much, because they hadn’t yet achieved their goal of winning the Stanley Cup. What goals do you have for yourself, and what are you doing to focus on achieving them?

Wishing you succes in achieving your goals,

Signature_Sue

The Job Isn’t Finished Until All Steps are Completed

June 9th, 2010

LAUNDRYA recent client of mine (I’ll call her Donna) struggled mightily with getting her clean laundry put away rather than strewing it across the living room couch. As we worked to understand the causes of her challenge, we discovered that she didn’t view putting the laundry away as being at all related to other steps in the laundry process. Instead, she viewed each step (sort clothes, load washer, run washer, empty washer, load dryer, empty dryer, fold clothes, put clothes away) as separate from and unrelated to any other step in the process. In her view, sorting and washing the clothes without having time to do any of the subsequent steps was better than having a mile high stack of dirty clothes. However, operating in this fashion sometimes (ok, often) caused Donna to have to rewash wrinkled clothes that sat in the dryer for several day, or even moldy clothes that sat wet in the washer for a few days.

Donna struggled with several identified learning disabilities, and as we worked together we discovered another one: challenges with sequencing. She knew darn well what the individual steps in the laundry process were, but didn’t see that they were all connected in a way that required all to be completed before she could consider the job of laundry to be done (although we both sadly acknowledged that laundry is never done!).

Many things that come up in our life are similar to the laundry process in that they involve several steps. For example, eating dinner involves meal planning (even if it’s just staring into an open refrigerator), cooking, setting the table, eating, clearing the table, doing dishes, cleaning the pots and pans, etc. – you get the idea. If we do some of the steps in the process (let’s say, up to the point of eating) but don’t finish the remaining steps, we’ve created more work for ourselves in the long run. In this example, the next time we want to cook dinner we’ll have to first clean the pots and pans from the prior meal, effectively having to start today’s work by finishing yesterday’s tasks. If instead we’d finished each such job through to completion we’d make life a lot easier for ourselves.

I’d love to hear what challenges you face in finishing things through to completion, and how it impacts your life.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

Signature_Sue