Do you tend to put things where they belong or where they fit? If you put them where they belong, then you are using dedicated zones, even if that’s not what you call them. If you just put things where they fit, it can be very difficult to stay organized. Seven words I dread hearing from a client, upon gaining a clear drawer or shelf, are “what can we put in here now?” It means I haven’t done my job of explaining how being organized works.
I have a simple little theory that explains why it is so hard to stay organized. While I have never tested it scientifically, I have observed it throughout my life and in almost every home I have organized. I call it the One, Two, Four-get it! theory. It begins with two other organizing beliefs of mine. First, I believe that a clear work surface is your number one organizing tool. Second, I believe that limitations breed freedom. For example, if you limit the
As someone who makes his living out of helping folks declutter their crippling excess of stuff, I know full well that quite often the pendulum swings too far in the other direction. I remember once cautioning a woman from throwing out too many of her keepsakes and she responded by saying “Well isn’t that what I’m SUPPOSED to be doing?” No.
That’s an image of a Starbucks coupon entitling me to a free drink. You will see that it expired yesterday. Here I am at Starbucks today, writing this blog and paying full price for my coffee. What a waste. Or is it? One of the reasons I became a professional organizer is that I hate waste. Whether it’s waste of time, waste of money, waste of resources, waste of energy, waste of food, waste of stress, or waste
When speaking of people, “the right sort” tends to have a very nasty usage, but when speaking of excess stuff, “the right sort” is the best way to get some really good organizing started. Typically, when one resolves to organize a cluttered basement or home office, there is a tendency to throw out not enough of what needs to go, too much of what shouldn’t go, and put the keepers into systems that won’t last. All of this can be solved by good sorting practices.
I don’t know when the modern tradition of bringing out championship caps and shirts during the celebration of sports victories began, but as an organizer I really hate it. Before I start my rant—er, blog, I want to congratulate the St. Louis Cardinals on winning a very exciting World Series. I read online this morning that in late August, St. Louis stood a .02% of making the playoffs.
My wonderful clients know I have one simple rule at the Decision Table: “Nothing stays on the table.” When sorting a large quantity of stuff, it is important to recognize that EVERYTHING has a category and, therefore, a plan forward. Some categories, like “toss” and “donate” are obvious, but to keep the momentum going, you need more options. Here are a few.
To get organized and stay organized, here is a simple rule of thumb: sort out, store in. Here are some examples. Instead of trying to free up some space INSIDE your file cabinet, get the files OUT and sort them on a clear open surface.
There is a time to sort-and-purge clutter and a time to act on your to-do’s. It’s counter-productive to mix the sorting with the acting. To truly understand why these two things are incompatible, it is first important to recognize the difference between getting organized and staying organized. It’s not unlike the difference between cooking a meal and eating it. It just works better to eat a meal after it is fully cooked
I always respond by saying, “just because someone gives you something, doesn’t Read More
There are some questions I can always count on as I begin Read More
Michelangelo is famous for Read More
