Posts Tagged ‘organizing system’

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

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

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

An Organized Vacation is a Relaxing Vacation

June 2nd, 2010

VACATION

Summer is almost here – the most popular time of year to go on vacation. While you may be looking forward to your vacation destination, you may be dreading the last-minute scrambling that typically accompanies your pursuit of relaxation. The following tips will help make sure your trip is actually as relaxing and enjoyable as you’ve imagined it will be by helping you get organized before you leave.

Have a single place where all of your travel information is stored.  Use a notebook, file folder or binder to hold your itinerary, airline tickets, car rental information, passports, maps, travel agent information, brochures, etc.

Use lists to help you make sure that you have everything taken care of before you leave. You should have a packing list for each family member, as well as a to-do list of all the things you need to take care of before you go. My APPLES Resource Guide includes a comprehensive vacation checklist to help you get started.

Prepare instructions for whoever is taking care of your house, mail, pets and plants.  If members of more than one family will be caring for these items, let them know who the other people are so they won’t be surprised to see them in your home. Write down exactly what you expect each person to do while you’re gone. Give them phone numbers where they can reach you in an emergency (both hotel and cell phone numbers). 

Set aside an area to accumulate your travel necessities as you pack. A spare bedroom or an unused corner of a bedroom is ideal. Start gathering things several weeks before you’re scheduled to leave so that you don’t have to endure a last minute shopping and packing marathon. You don’t have to actually start packing the suitcases yet (although you can), but at least start to pull together some of the items on your packing list. If you’ll be traveling to a different climate, make sure everyone’s off-season clothing still fits.

Here’s a link to my newsletter where I offer additional tips on how to organize for vacation.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

Signature_Sue

A Pro Can Help You Exercise Your Organizing Muscle – Part 2

May 26th, 2010

MUSCLE 2Last week I discussed some reasons why you might hire a professional organizer and how they’re similar to why you might hire a personal trainer. Here are some additional comparisons:

You need accountability.  Many of my clients tell me that just knowing I’m coming  to meet with them motivates them into action. Knowing that I’ll be calling or emailing them to check on how things are going is also a great motivator. So find someone to hold you accountable and see if that prompts you to keep things organized.

You have a condition that makes it hard to do it yourself. Depression, AD/HD, fibromyalgia, and hoarding tendencies are examples of the many conditions that may make it extremely hard to get and stay organize on your own. Working with an experienced organizer who is trained in these areas can help you move beyond what you ever imagined was possible. Organizers with the designation CPO-CD® (Certified Professional Organizer in Chronic Disorganization) have gone through extensive training and testing to understand the special challenges these conditions cause. They can even work with your therapist or doctor to help you have the most effective outcome.

You have an impending event or other deadline. If you’re under a time crunch because company is coming, a parent is moving in, you’re moving, or some other special circumstance exists, an experienced organizer can help you create a plan of action to meet your deadline, as well as offer hands-on support to turn the plan into reality.

You want supervision and support during sessions. Maybe you’ve read organizing books and seen some of the organizing TV shows but you still want some guidance and encouragement as you go through the organizing process. An organizer can help you make sure you’re on the right track and help you develop a good plan of action to achieve your goals.

You want help using the equipment properly. Storage bins, file cabinets, shelving and similar supplies and equipment can play an important role in the organizing process. If you’re not sure how to make use of these tools, a professional organizer can help. They’ll show you how to use what you already have, give you guidance on what to purchase, and can even purchase items and set them up for you.

Let me know how your organizing “exercise”  program is going.

Best wishes,

Signature_Sue

A Pro Can Help You Exercise Your Organizing Muscle – Part 1

May 19th, 2010

Organizing muscleAlthough organizing and exercising may not seem to have much in common, they actually have many similarities: both require discipline to keep it up; both help you (or your environment) look and feel better; both are good for you; and both sometimes require the help of an outside professional. I often encounter prospective clients who have trouble justifying hiring me to help them do what they feel they “should” be able to do themselves. One such prospect nervously asked me if all I’d do is sit there and watch her go through papers. I suggested that her concern was similar to someone who might ask if all a personal trainer does is count. You don’t hire a professional primarily for what they know and do, but mostly for what they help you achieve and become. After all, even the best professional athletes have a coach.

Here are some reasons to hire a professional organizer (or enlist the help of another outside party) and how they’re similar to why you might hire a personal trainer:

You’re not getting the results you want. If you’ve tried getting organized on your own but things seem to fall back into disarray, it might be time to ask for help. An outside pair of eyes may see that you’re not setting up systems that work for your learning style, or may recognize factors that are causing you to be chronically disorganized and are impossible to overcome on your own. You’ll find the process is quicker, easier and better when using a professional than when you do it on your own.

You don’t know where to start. When you’re overwhelmed by how much there is to do and don’t know where or how to begin, it might be time to seek the help of someone who is skilled at breaking down overwhelming projects into manageable pieces. Professional organizers typically follow a tried and true process and can help you where to start systematically turn your chaos into order.

You can’t stay focused. You might find your mind or your feet wandering as you work on getting organized. There’s an organizing technique called “body doubling” during which people gain focus, energy and motivation by working alongside a professional who is familiar with the technique.

You quit when it gets too hard. You may use a variety of methods to motivate yourself, but you just can’t get past the fact that getting organized is difficult and challenging. Once again, body doubling will help you push through those tough challenges and encourage you to achieve more than you would on your own.

You want to learn how to do it on your own. You may not need a professional organizer to help with every area of your life – maybe a session or two is all you need to learn the proper steps and get some experience implementing the process under the guidance of an expert.

I’ll discuss more similarities between working with a professional organizer and a personal trainer next week. Until then, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the comparisons.

Best wishes,

Signature_Sue

The Right Tools Make Getting Organized Easier

May 12th, 2010

Use the right tools to get organizedWhen an associate mentioned that she was feeling inspired to wash the windows of her home, I realized that the reason for her inspiration could also help people feel inspired to tackle an organizing project. She had recently purchased a squeegee and bucket and discovered that having the right tools provided her with motivation to do the job. In addition, those tools made the window cleaning easier and faster and provided great results. Before the squeegee/bucket approach, she rarely washed her windows and viewed it as a tedious, weekend-long task. With the right tools – and breaking the job into “evening” chunks – she got it done quickly and painlessly.

Getting organized can be just as quick and painless if you have the right tools for the job. Some advanced planning will help you get everything you need close at hand so you can stay focused on your organizing project. Here are some things to have on hand:

A vision of what you want – Although not often thought of as a tool, having a vision of your desired outcome, like having the right tools, will help you work more easily and quickly towards your organizing goals. Write out or draw a picture of your organizing objective for each space. For example, your vision might be to clean out and organize a spare bedroom so you can have guests stay over, or so you can have a place to work on your crafts.

Garbage bags – It’s inevitable that somewhere along the way you’re going to find some things to let go of, so have the garbage bags ready to do what they do best – haul away the things that are no longer useful to you. Depending on the receiving agency, they may also be used for items to be donated to charity, or to be given to friends or family members.

Here’s a link to my newsletter  where I offer additional ideas to help you choose the right tools to get organized.

Wishing you simplicity, harmony and freedom,

Signature_Sue

Clear the Clutter and Have More Energy – Part 2

May 5th, 2010

electronic clutterLast week I talked about how getting rid of visual clutter will give you more energy. Now let’s consider how getting rid of electronic clutter will prevent your get- up- and- go from getting up and going:

Email, text messages, social media and probably other forms of electronic communication I don’t even know about yet can suck huge amounts of time from our day. While we may think being “connected” 24/7 helps us be more productive, my experience is that it makes people less productive and mentally drained. Now I’m not saying that these additional forms of communication aren’t valuable and useful – I use them quite a bit myself. However, when they get in the way of focusing on the task at hand (“Hmm let me see what new emails I have before I work on this report that I’ve been putting off all week”), they lose their value. And when dozens of back and forth texts or emails replaces a two-minute phone call, we’re exhausted and defeated because we feel like we’ll never get to the bottom of our inbox.

Another downside of electronic communication is that it makes our relationships more impersonal. While it allows us to communicate with more people than we probably could face to face, it leaves me with a sense of remoteness and anonymity because I’m not looking someone in the eye. For people who thrive on social interaction (and we all do to some extent) it can be stressful to have a closer relationship with our keyboard than in-the-flesh human beings. So give yourself an energy boost by stepping away from the screen every now and then to rediscover the effectiveness and satisfaction of interpersonal communication.

Being available via “electronic leash” no matter where we are (including on vacation, when we’re supposed to get a break) means we can never turn off our brain. To combat this electronic onslaught, consider having pre-planned times to check your email (no more than once an hour) so you can actually get some things accomplished during the day rather than constantly responding to other people’s electronic requests. Try establishing a set time each day (e.g., 5 p.m.) after which you won’t check email, but rather give yourself a chance to decompress (I’m still working on this one myself). Similarly, have a predetermined time for checking social media. Be purposeful as you go through email messages and social media postings so you don’t have to revisit items more than once. Your brain will thank you.

So how does electronic media clutter your life and what are you willing to do to change that?

Best wishes,

Signature_Sue