The Organized Life

Catch Up on Classic Tips of the Week, and Enjoy New Ones, at the New Organized Life Site

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 10 Mar 2016 20:07:00 +0000

Change is afoot!

As is all too obvious from the date of the last post here, I've done a less-than-stellar job of keeping this blog updated with newer tips and tidbits. And, alas, spammers have managed to invade the Comments section on many posts, which is no fun for anyone.

Luckily, there's a flip side to that! I recently gave The Organized Life's website a thorough spring cleaning and some gussying up, and the site now includes my blog. That means you'll find much more free organizing info on the site, from my extensive (and always growing!) collection of links and resources to classic Tips of the Week and new organizing ideas, projects, and recommendations on my blog.

Each week, I'll be transferring a classic Tip of the Week from the blog you're reading now to the new blog, and then deleting the Tip from here. Given that there are hundreds of Tips here, that'll take a while, so you still have plenty of time to browse. But for the latest and greatest, I hope you'll join me on the updated site.

Here's to an organized life!

Do It Now

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 21:30:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, Early August 2013

A few days back, I opened the box on my desk into which I'd stuffed various bits of paper and other gadgets when my boyfriend and I were preparing to move house last month. There was nothing time-sensitive in the box, but much of the stuff in there required some sort of effort on my part: reviewing, deciding on, filing, following up on, etc.

So I did the obvious thing: I closed the box again, pronto.

And I could very easily have left it that way. Since there were no bills to pay in the box, I wouldn't have run into overdue fees by ignoring the contents for a few more weeks. No one was waiting for me to do anything with what was in the box, so there'd be no angry phone calls or emails if I continued to delay. Really, the only person who'd be affected in any way by my not dealing with the box was...me.

The Lightbulb

So how did it happen that, with a sigh, I reopened the box and grabbed a chunk of stuff from it to deal with once and for all? Because I realized that even if I wasn't accountable to anyone else for delving into the box, continuing to put off that process would mean that every time I looked at the box, I'd feel a pang of guilt and "I should" at the fact that I'd been ignoring it. Every time I happened to think about the box, I'd feel one of those mental tugs--you know the kind: your brain's not-so-subtle way of reminding you that something needs your attention. Those pangs and tugs, they quickly add up to stress and wasted time spent thinking about (and regretting) not doing something, instead of just doing it.

It's kind of like what happens on those days when I promise myself I'll exercise and then don't: the resultant stew of fidgeting, feeling guilty, trying to make up for missing a run or a workout by cobbling together other forms of movement, usually in the most inefficient way (think 15 trips to the bedroom to put away laundry when normally one would do the trick), and chatter in my brain ("Hey! Weren't you going to exercise today? Did you forget that today was an exercise day? Do you need me to ask you again in another 5 minutes?!") is often so exhausting and crazy-making that it takes more effort and energy than I would have expended by just exercising.

What Will You Tackle?

I cried uncle and dealt with the box, and though, to be honest, it was a pain in the butt to work through the stuff in it, and ate up a weekend hour I would've much rather spent doing pretty much anything else, I was ultimately glad I did it. I no longer have to think about the box, and my brain is no longer keeping "deal with box" on its Remind Emily About These Tasks list. A clearer head and a bit less stress everyday are worth the time and effort it took.

So what's on your to do list that's causing pings and tugs? What can you do this week to tackle that task so it stops being a mental drain or a source of stress? If it's a big project, don't go overboard trying to finish it in one fell swoop; what matters is that you take a few concrete steps to move it closer to being done.

What will you apply "Do It Now" to this week? Share what you're committing to (and your success stories) on The Organized Life Facebook page.

Organizing Tidbits for June

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 21:28:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, Early June 2013

Here are some of the organizing-related stories, ideas, and posts that have caught my eye this month.

How Organized Packing Helps Overcome Fear of Flying

In an interview with Emily Brennan in the New York Times Travel section, Julia Cameron, author of The Artist's Way and the newly released Safe Journey: Prayers and Comfort for Frightened Flyers and Other Anxious Souls, noted that taking an organized approach to packing before a flight helps ease her discomfort at flying:

"Given that you're dealing with the fear of a lack of control, packing is one thing that you can control. Do it about two days ahead of time. I use a big journal for my morning pages, and I keep a running tab in it: 'Did you take extra slacks, extra contact lenses, extra lens solution, good perfume?' I do think there's something comforting about it."

The Organizing-Weight Connection

The latest issue of Real Simple features an article called "Is Your House Obesogenic?" that highlights the ways that our physical surroundings at home can contribute to unhealthy habits--and, of course, how they can just as easily encourage better habits.

The article includes some interesting and easy-to-implement tips, such as clearing "fat clothes" (i.e., clothes that are too large for you) from your closet to signal to yourself that you're committed to not regaining the weight that you've lost, and making sure that any areas you use for exercising at home are clutter-free so you have fewer excuses for avoiding breaking a sweat. Finally, it includes some insights from Peter Walsh, author of Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?, on the connection between having too much stuff and making poor decisions.

Clearing Out and Letting Go

My colleague Amanda Kovattana posted a short but powerful note to Facebook the other day: "helped client empty boyfriend's sock drawer. We figured he wasn't coming back; he walked out five years ago." I love the messages here: first, there's much to be said for letting go of things that are tied to or remind us of past hurts. Doing so is a crucial part of healing. Second, it's never too late to do this kind of weeding. And third, having someone present with you while you do it can help make it less daunting. Kudos to Amanda for being that person for her client--and kudos to her client for taking this small but impactful step.

Wise Words

"If more of us valued food and cheer and song above hoarded gold, it would be a merrier world." -- J.R.R. Tolkein

Here's to a summer full of those things!

Getting Past "Here's Why Not"

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 21:26:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, Early May 2013

This morning, I read an interesting article about a family from the Boston area who, inspired by a talk the father had heard that suggested the idea of occasionally taking a year of "retirement" throughout our working lives, moved to a remote village in northern Norway for a year. Though living above the Arctic Circle, as this family did, would not be for me (especially in winter!), I was intrigued by their experiment, and by the experiences they'd had living in a totally different culture.

Then I read the comments other readers had left about the article, and boy, what a downer. While some of them noted that the story was an inspiration, a look into a different approach to work and life, or simply an interesting way to start the week, many others ran along these lines: "Sure, it's easy for this family, who are well off, to take a year away from their jobs, but what they did is totally unrealistic for most of us--and besides, this fellow created a popular iPhone app while he was in Norway and is now making bunches of money, so he's a sellout."

Admittedly, not all of us have the freedom to do what this family did, nor do our circumstances mirror theirs. For example, the mother was born in Norway, and therefore had Norwegian citizenship, which allowed her to take a teaching job there--the family's main source of income for the year, and not an option that would be available to all Americans.

Echoes of Organizing-Related "Here's Why Not"s

Still, the comments rankled because they echoed what I often hear about organizing: "Sure, it's easy for other people to get organized because they have the money/time/help needed, but not for me, and here's why," followed by a list of excuses: I live on a limited budget. I'm too busy. I don't have anyone who'll help me. I need all the stuff I have, so it's not reasonable to do any sorting and weeding. I don't have the right skills.

These "here's why not"s in turn mirror those sometimes offered up by people who say they want to make other life changes--eating more healthfully, exercising more, quitting smoking, spending less time watching TV, and so on--but then don't. What's with all the negative justification?

Envy and Disappointment Blockers

Several of the commenters on the Norway story, when pressed by other readers, eventually admitted that their negativity and "here's why not"s were rooted in envy of the family. But rather than simply saying, "Wow, sounds great--I'm envious!" they had to find ways of cutting the family down.

I think the "here's why not" excuses we often hear about organizing and other life changes are rooted in some challenging realities: making these changes takes effort and commitment, and they can be scary, especially because they involve setting goals we're not necessarily sure we'll accomplish. But instead of opening ourselves to possibly not meeting those goals, or having to admit that we need help and support from others, or simply having to say, "Yikes, this is harder than I thought it would be!" we come up with justifications that protect us from disappointment, from stumbling, from having to keep going through a process that may not be pleasant.

Moving Beyond

It's human nature, I think, to want to protect ourselves from that unpleasant stuff, and to use "here's why not" excuses as a defense mechanism. But giving too much power to these excuses not only makes us more negative, it also prevents us from actually doing beneficial things, difficult though they may be (admitting envy, going through the hard process of weeding out our stuff, getting up and going out for a walk at the end of a long day rather than vegging in front of the TV).

How do you get beyond "here's why not"s? First, acknowledge them when you find yourself thinking them. Then dig a little deeper: what's really behind the belief that you'll never be organized because you don't have enough money, for example? Is it a fear that truly being organized means you need to have perfectly matching boxes, bins, and accessories, as seen in magazines? That you need to pay a professional organizer in order to even get started?

Reconsider and poke holes in these beliefs, and think creatively, with a mind toward achieving what you've set out to, about alternatives: can you create matching boxes on the cheap by covering unmatching ones with Contact or wrapping paper? Can you barter with a friend who's got a knack for organizing, exchanging some of his or her time and skills for something you're good at?

Accomplishing what we want to, whether that's clearing out clutter, eating better, moving more, or escaping everyday life for a year and moving to Norway, requires that we deal with tough stuff as well as fulfilling stuff. Whatever it is that you're aiming to do, be aware of falling prey to "here's why not"s, which ultimately do nothing but leave you grumpy and miles from where you want to be.

Beyond Spring Cleaning: 5 Ways to Let the Season Inspire You

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 02 Sep 2013 21:24:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, Early March 2013

[Note from Emily: Are you reading the date of this tip and the date it was posted and thinking, "Huh? Spring was half a year ago!" You're right, and we're a smidge behind, to say the least, in getting a few past tips posted here. So look for a few more blasts from the past to follow this one.]

After months of winter (especially in places where winter seems to linger much too long), the early days of spring are like a giant sigh of relief. Things that have been gone return. Things that have been stopped start again. As with the early days of the year, there's a sense of possibility and newness in the air.

If you take part in the ritual of doing a deep spring cleaning, you know the sense of satisfaction (if also the sense of exhaustion!) that comes with clearing old seasons out of your house in preparation for new, warmer, brighter ones. This year, go beyond the dusting, mopping, and window washing and take this changing time of year as a chance to restart, refresh, renew, and reconsider. Here are five ideas to get you started.

Take on a project you've been meaning to do, or started but never finished. After weeks of intending to do some reorganizing of my pantry cabinets--weeks during which (I admit it!) the containers I planned to use for that reorganizing sat in the middle of my kitchen table--I finally tackled that project today. Neater, more functional pantry? Check. Cleared-off kitchen table? Check. Sense of accomplishment and relief? Double check.
Recommit yourself to your new year's goals and resolutions. By April, many of us have long since fallen off whatever wagon we enthusiastically hopped on in early January. Rather than staying off and giving up, though, use this as a chance to recommit to the goals you set. If you need to, reshape and reconsider your resolutions if they were too broad, unrealistic, or not enticing enough to keep you interested, and enlist a friend or family member to give you a little nudge.
Clear clutter from your schedule. Are there activities, meetings, or commitments hogging time on your calendar despite the fact that they're not particularly meaningful or interesting to you? Challenge yourself to get beyond the initial spurt of guilt you might feel by saying "no" to them, and then gently but firmly let them go.
Make something in your life more efficient. Too often, we get so used to the ways we do things that we stick with those ways even when it turns out they're inefficient or don't work all that well. Now's the perfect time to reconsider those systems or tools that aren't doing what you need them to do. Using a spreadsheet to do budgeting when you're not especially Excel savvy and have no desire to learn the more technical aspects of the software? Look for a more user-friendly online program. Tired of keeping one calendar for home and one for work? Research multi-part calendars that let you track both areas of your life in one spot.
Clear it out! Nothing undoes a good spring cleaning as much as clutter, so do the challenging but rewarding thing and use the new season as inspiration to reconsider what's hanging around your home and donating or disposing of what no longer serves you. Don't let the usual suspects ("But I might need it someday!" "But I paid good money for it!" "But someone gave it to me!") trick you into making space in your home for stuff you don't need, use, love, or find beautiful. Like the dust in the corners, it's time to clear it out.

Understanding Why You Keep Stuff--and Teaching Yourself to Let Go (Part 1)

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 03:13:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, Early February 2013

One of the biggest hurdles to getting organized, when that process involves weeding out unneeded stuff (which it very often does), is making decisions about what stays and what goes. "I might need it someday" is far and away the most common reason clients give for wanting to hold onto things, even when they haven't used them recently (if ever), don't particularly like them, or find that they're getting in the way--literally and figuratively--of achieving their organizing goals.

Getting beyond "I might need it someday" is critical to accomplishing what you set out to do in terms of organizing, but it's not an easy task. That said, with a simple but powerful technique, you can get to the heart of your true reasons for keeping things you very well may not need, and once you know these reasons, can take small steps toward letting go.

A Lesson from Kate and Helen

To introduce this technique to you, I want to share a conversation my colleague Kate Varness of Green Light Organizing & Coaching in Peoria, IL, recently had with one of her clients, who I'll call Helen. (Kate shared this conversation recently as part of a larger discussion in a group for professional organizers, but she didn't share any identifying details about her client, including her real name.) Helen had amassed a significant number of magazines and newspapers, among other items, which were taking up lots of space in her home. She enlisted Kate's help in getting organized in order to have more time for other activities, including scrapbooking.

The pair started by sorting Helen's belongings into bins, each of which they labeled with its contents. Once the sorting was complete, they looked at the bins labeled "Magazines," and Kate asked Helen a question: "How long do you think it takes you to read one magazine?" One hour, replied Helen.

Here's how Kate described the rest of the conversation:

I said, "We have 6 bins of about 150 magazines each, so that is 900 magazines. If it takes an hour each, that is 900 hours. If you spent one hour a day reading a magazine it would take you 2 1/2 years to get through these bins. And that doesn't count the magazines that you will continue to receive during that time. How will using 900 hours in that way impact your ability to do the other goals you have?"

Helen was silent. I could tell she felt very conflicted about the magazines. So I asked, "What's the worst thing that can happen if you don't have these magazines?"

Her response was, "I won't have that knowledge available." I followed it with, "And what's the worst thing about not having that knowledge available?" She said, "I won't know the best way to fix a problem."

My response: "Have you ever been able to solve a problem to your satisfaction without using information found in a magazine?"

"Yes," she said hesitantly.

"What made it possible for you to solve it without that information?"

"Well," she said, "I knew what to do because I had other experiences like it."

"So you solved it without needing these?" and I pointed to the magazine bins.

"Yes, but what if I have a problem that is something I'm not good at, like technology? I have to have these to help me with that."

I responded, "OK, let's say you have a technology issue. The first thing you would do is come down here and look through your magazines?"

"Ah, no."

"What would you do?"

"I would probably call my son," she said.

"And then you would come down to look at the magazines?"

She was quiet. And I knew that she knew there was very little chance that she would ever get around to reading or referencing these.

The Technique: Challenging Your Reasons

Kate helped guide Helen to this realization not by belittling her or playing up the impossibility of ever reading all of the magazines she'd amassed, but rather by gently challenging Helen's stated reason for holding onto her magazines: that they contained info she might need.

Through Kate's questions, Helen came to acknowledge that, first off (and most importantly), she had a greater capacity for solving problems than she'd given herself credit for, and that she hadn't had to rely on magazines to get her unstuck.

She also acknowledged that, if she did find that she needed information she didn't have, her trove of magazines wouldn't be the first resource she'd turn to--and, ultimately, she realized that she quite possibly wouldn't turn to the magazines at all.

Learning to Do This on Your Own

Helen had the benefit of having Kate, a trained professional organizer, to guide her through the process of challenging her reasons. If you're able to enlist the help of a friend or family member to be your gentle interrogator the next time you're faced with weeding, go for it.

But even if you're approaching your next organizing project solo, you can still use this technique. Ask yourself, "Why am I keeping this thing?" If your answer is "Because I might need it someday," keep pushing: "What's the worst that could happen if I needed it but didn't have it? If I needed it, would I truly remember that I have it? Would it be easy to access? Have I been in a situation where I needed it before? Did I use it then, or did I fill that need in some other way?" As you use this technique, you'll learn to target your line of questioning so you can quickly get at--and challenge--your underlying reasons for keeping things.

Coming Up: Taking Steps Toward Letting Go

In the next Tip, we'll take a look at how Kate and Helen tackled the process of parting with the magazines Helen realized she didn't need, one small step at a time.

Stick with Your Goals by Finding a "Meaningful Why"

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 11 Mar 2013 03:10:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, Early January 2013

When I went to see my doctor for a physical last summer, he asked me to get some standard blood work done and handed me a few papers to take with me when I went to the lab. Those papers have been sitting in the Follow Up folder on my desk for, well, many months now, because there's almost nothing I hate more than having blood drawn--or anything else involving needles--and since nothing bad will happen if I don't follow up, I've been dragging my heels.

I thought about those lab order papers last week when I came up with one of the things I'd like to focus on in 2013: being as healthy (if not more so) in my late 30s as I was in my late 20s. When considering what this goal entails, I realized it goes beyond the usual suspects (eating well, getting some kind of exercise most days, drinking more water, and so on); it also includes being sure I know things like my cholesterol levels so I know the baseline I'm starting from.

A Meaningful Why

All of this got me thinking about one of the reasons I sometimes fail to follow through on goals and challenges I set for myself, and why I sometimes see the same thing happen with my clients: there's no meaningful why behind those goals.

For example, when clients tell me they want to undertake an organizing project because a partner or other family member has asked them to, or because it seems like a worthwhile thing to do, there's a good chance they won't succeed. Why? Because there's nothing meaningful driving them to do the hard work involved with getting organized for good. Who wants to put time, effort, and energy into something simply because they (or, worse, someone else) think they should? Not me, that's for sure!

On the flip side, when there's something meaningful driving my clients, they tend to be much more likely to stick with the organizing process, even when it gets tough. For example, a client who found herself completely overwhelmed by several years of unsorted, unfiled papers was determined to tackle them because they caused her stress every time she looked at them, which meant every day (as they were overtaking her office), and she knew that that stress not only weighed heavily on her mind almost constantly, but also made her more likely to snap at her family.

Taming her papers required a lot of her, but she kept with it because the reasons why she took on the project in the first place--reclaiming her office, radically decreasing her stress, and improving her relationships with her husband and kids--were so meaningful to her.

What's Driving Me

I asked myself what my meaningful why is for my 2013 goal, and here's what I came up with: I want to aim for excellent health so I can banish the stress I feel when I don't get enough exercise, don't eat well, and don't drink enough water, and so I have more energy to do some of the dozens of things I want to do but don't always feel up for at the end of a busy day or busy week.

When I'm faced with rough patches throughout the year--when, say, sticking with my regular exercise schedule means heading to the gym in the rain when I'd much rather stay home, or when knowing where I stand health-wise requires (gulp) getting blood drawn--it's these motivators I'll keep in mind.

As we head into week two of the new year, take some time to come up with your own meaningful whys. Remember, the idea is to go beyond simply stating a goal to get at what's really driving you to reach it. Jot down your whys somewhere convenient so you can refer back to them throughout the next few months, when many resolutions are either made or broken.

Here's to a happy, healthy, successful 2013! Now if you'll excuse me, I have a lab appointment to make.

Rightsizing Your Holidays

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 04:07:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, Late November 2012

In her book Rightsizing Your Life, author Ciji Ware defines the term "rightsizing" as making sure that your surroundings and your possessions support your life as you're currently living it. While this often means paring back and getting rid of excess, it can also mean adjusting and expanding as your life changes--making space for a new baby, for example, or changing traditions you adopted as a single person when you enter a long-term relationship.

Ware writes about rightsizing primarily in relation to retirees and empty-nesters who are facing changes as they enter new phases of their lives, but I think the term applies equally well to other situations, including the one we're currently in the midst of: the holidays.

Balancing Your Celebrations

There always seems to be a tug-of-war this time of year between the lavish over-the-top-ness we tend to see in ads, in stores, and in magazines, and the desire to simplify how we observe the winter holidays. While I'm generally a proponent of taking the simpler, less stuff-focused approach to everything when possible, holidays included, I definitely believe there are times when bigger, more involved celebrations are worth the splurge.

For example, if you have family members who only travel for the holidays every few years, those rare times when they are with you may well be cause for larger gatherings with more bells and whistles. On the flip side, in years when your celebrations are limited to smaller groups, you might opt for more low-key affairs.

Life events can also have an impact on whether you celebrate on a grand scale or keep things simpler. Newlyweds enjoying their first holidays together might want to mark the occasion with a big party full of friends and family, while a family that's just moved and is still settling in to a new house might opt instead to go super-simple so they don't add the stress of elaborate holiday preparations to their already long To Do list, and don't strain their budget after incurring the expense of moving.

Where Are You on the Spectrum?

What "size" holidays are right for you depends on a several factors, from who you're celebrating with to what else is happening in your life to whether your bank account is feeling comfortably flush or is a bit more austere. Because these factors can easily change from year to year, it's worth taking some time now, before the season is in its fullest swing, to think about what it means to rightsize the holidays ahead.

Once you have a clear sense of what feels like the right balance for you--larger, more elaborate celebrations, small and simple observances, or something between the two--it'll be easier to plan everything else, from gift lists to menus to budgets, accordingly.

By creating and sticking with plans that are right for you based on the realities of your holidays this year, you'll skip the stress that comes with worrying that you're either underprepared or overprepared (that is, that you've overspent), or that you're simply going along with holiday plans and traditions because they're what you've always done, whether or not they fit your life right now. And, of course, with less stress, you'll be better able to enjoy what the season brings, no matter how lavish or how simple.

"If It Doesn't Add, Then It Detracts"

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 05:34:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, Early October 2012

Normally I'd take the opportunity this week to send you links to some of the most interesting organizing-related articles, stories, and ideas I've seen over the past month. However, when this article came into my Inbox this week (courtesy of Jim of the Clutterless group Pleasanton), I knew I wanted to share it with you in its entirety, as I love what the author has to say about how to choose what gets space in your home and life and what doesn't. And if you like this article as much as I did, I encourage you to check out Sharon Crosby's website, Mind Over Clutter, for more wise words. --Emily

Outta Here in X Amount of Time? by Sharon Crosby

Most advice about clutter says that if you haven't used it in X amount of time throw it out. You haven't used that widget in six months so get rid of it. You haven't put on that gorgeous dress in a year, so let go of it. I agree that this method is good for many items, perhaps most. But how many of us actually do that? Or even feel like we can? It seems like there are often exceptions to that rule. Items that when we try to apply the rule of "Out of here in X amount of time" we find it very difficult. We struggle and then give up. Or sometimes we end up throwing something out and really regret it. Why is that?

Conventional wisdom implies that if something was important to us we'd be using it. But conventional wisdom forgets that many of us often put what's less important to us ahead of what is really important to us. Time management experts are aware of this when it comes to how we use our time. But we usually don't realize that we do this with belongings too.

Based on my experience, I am recommending something a little different than the X amount of time method.

When I began learning how to become a writer, I learned this simple phrase about making my writing more powerful. "If it doesn't add, then it detracts." In other words, every sentence or word that doesn't add to what I've written actually detracts from the overall effect.

Similarly, Phil McGraw, author of Relationship Rescue, has an interesting statement about relationships. He says something to the effect that in any relationship you are either nurturing it, or you are poisoning it. There's no in between. I believe the same applies to belongings. We do have a relationship of sorts with our belongings. And those belongings are either nurturing you, your life, and dreams...or it is poisoning it. It is either adding to your life, or it is detracting from it.

This is what I believe should be the main basis of whether you keep an item or not. Is it contributing to the life you want? Does it add to your happiness or well being? If it's not then take a good hard look at why you're keeping it.

Forget about the X amount of time rule if it requires you to throw away something you love. Take the time to get clear on what you want and don't want. Listen to your instincts. Become aware of what belongings are really important to you. Then let go of what is not important. That way you have time for that hobby equipment that used to sit in the corner buried under other stuff you cared less about. What you care about will be more accessible with less stuff surrounding it or taking up your time or distracting you.

There is another X amount of time rule out there. This advice says, "If you find you can't part with it then put it in storage for X amount of time. And then if you haven't used it by the end of that time toss it."

The method usually involves putting stuff you can't seem to part with, despite not having used it in several months, in a box. You tape the box up, put it in storage and give yourself a date that you will throw it out by. If you haven't gone back to retrieve anything from the box then you are to toss it out at the allotted time. And you are not supposed to open the box before you throw it out because you just might keep what's inside after all.

Again, it's good advice because it proves to us that we can live without those things we don't use, but are afraid to get rid of. But putting things in storage can be expensive. If you put stuff into a storage unit at $30 for six months that comes to $180. That's nearly $200 that I personally would prefer to spend elsewhere. Wouldn't you?

I also view this as a Band-Aid approach. If you feel the need to keep it after having boxed it up for several months then you obviously haven't dealt with the core issue of why you couldn't let go in the first place. Why delay it? Why not instead get straight to the heart of the problem. Why are you having such a hard time letting go?

This "X amount of time" method delays the process of becoming free of stuff that is dragging you down. It also delays, sometimes indefinitely, dealing with the emotions tied with the stuff and to letting go that drags you down too. It takes an inactive approach instead of a pro-active one such as really listening to yourself. Not only are you losing money if you put it in a storage unit, you are wasting time and perhaps emotional energy.

Let me explain what I mean by "wasting emotional energy." If we are reluctant to throw things out there are reasons for that. And by just boxing things up and delaying when we toss it we don't face what those reasons are. The reason may be that we feel guilty about throwing away Aunt Myrtle's wedding present to us, or whatever. By keeping the stuff out of sight and then just tossing it out at the end of a time period we delay or never address the fact that we felt guilty about something we really shouldn't feel guilty over.

Anytime we feel we should keep something based upon a negative emotion such as Indecisiveness, guilt, guilt, fear that throwing it out might be a mistake, etc. It disempowers us. Also, when we are reluctant to throw something out because deep down we really want it, but think we *should* throw it out anyway, we are creating inner conflict. And inner conflict drains our emotional energy.

If you find that no other option works for you, should you truly find you can't let go, or you find you really do completely want this stuff, go ahead and put things in storage as a last resort. But wouldn't it be great to save that money and space if you can? Wouldn't it be great to stop struggling with something so simple as letting go of stuff you don't use or want? And in a matter of hours, or maybe even minutes, instead of months?

So what to do instead? I am not going to say just toss it. You may be able to soon find yourself doing so without feeling pangs of withdrawal, but you'll probably have to do some other things first.

When faced with stuff you can't seem to let go of ask what you are feeling and what is at the root of it. You may find it easier to write your thoughts down in a notebook. Or you may wish to just have an inner dialogue with yourself. Or try talking with an understanding friend or counselor. Allow yourself to say and accept whatever comes to mind, even if it makes you uncomfortable. The importance here is not so much to let go of stuff as to face and let go of the uncomfortable feelings involved. It is only by facing whatever thoughts or emotions that holds us back that we can let go of those thoughts and emotions. And perhaps let go of the stuff as well.

By doing this you don't have to draw out the process of letting go. You can find yourself readily giving up things that moments before you were reluctantly clinging to.

So, asking yourself if you've used things in X amount of time and sometimes temporarily storing it away for X amount of time are important strategies to consider. But in many cases asking ourselves how important something is to us, our lives, our family and such could be more helpful. Now that you have done this you can make a more informed choice as whether to keep, toss or put it into storage. And all without having to face the two versions of "Outta here in X amount of time" unless needed.

Organizing as Life Editing

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 17:23:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, Early July 2012

In my last Tip, I included a link to a video of a TED presentation by Graham Hill called "Less Stuff, More Happiness." In his talk, Hill refers to "the benefits of an edited life," a phrase I love both for its simplicity and for the way it presents organizing in a different light.

Very often, the thought of organizing brings to mind forcing yourself (or being forced) to get rid of stuff, having to give up things you love, or living like an ascetic. And if that's what organizing entails, who would blame us for being turned off by it? It sounds like a total drag, along the lines of a woefully restrictive diet or having to go cold turkey on watching TV.

A Different Perspective

But what if we think about organizing not as depriving ourselves but as a way of editing our spaces and our lives so they better reflect who we are, don't require us to spend money we don't have, and contribute to greater happiness?

Think of a book or a movie that's poorly edited: the story might meander and lose your interest, it might seem to go on forever, or it may feel like it has so much information that it's overwhelming. The same holds for a museum that's crammed full of art or other display objects: it can be hard to focus on or enjoy any one thing because there's just so much.

On the flip side, a well edited book or movie or a skillfully curated museum exhibit can capture and hold your interest, tell a compelling story, and give you enough information that you feel like you have a good sense of what's being communicated but aren't so bombarded with facts or ideas that your brain wants to shut off.

Life Edited

The same basic principles are easy to apply to space and stuff. Are there things in your home that give you the same feeling of overwhelm (and perhaps boredom and annoyance) as those extra 50 pages in a book that's too long? What could you edit out that would do the equivalent of turning a rambling, flabby movie into one that's well paced, engrossing, and thought-provoking? What's the excess in your own personal museum that detracts from your enjoyment of the stuff you truly love and want to highlight?

In his video, Graham Hill shares the story of his quest to edit his already-small apartment by using movable, modular furniture, very little décor, and a mostly white color scheme. He also suggests digitizing papers, books, and movies. That's some serious editing--for me, the equivalent of a Reader's Digest abridged book. (No thanks!) But he also acknowledges that different degrees of life editing will work well for different people. That may mean simply getting rid of the mystery boxes you've moved from home to home but haven't opened, for example, rather than giving up all of your books. Remember, the goal isn't deprivation or sacrificing what you love; it's cutting the fat so that it's easier to focus on and enjoy that meaningful stuff.

Give It a Try

In the weeks ahead, I encourage you to do a bit of life and space editing. What gets left on the cutting room floor as you trim? What's your newly edited and curated space like? Does approaching the organizing process as editing you choose to do make it feel different from decluttering you're forced to do? Leave a comment and let me know, or share your experience on The Organized Life Facebook page.

Organizing Tidbits for June

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 06:08:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, Early June 2012

Here are some of the organizing-related articles, ideas, and resources that have caught my eye this month.

A Day Devoted to Your Finances

Ron Leiber, the Your Money columnist for the New York Times, recently wrote an article suggesting a day-long financial tuneup once a year, during which you tackle tasks designed to get your money--and your financial paperwork--in order.

Also worth browsing is the blog post with his readers' replies to the question, "What did you do for your financial tuneup?"

And while we're on the subject of money, a colleague recently shared an online guide aimed at answering what is, for many of us, a perennial question: How long do I have to keep this financial paperwork? How to purge your financial clutter, by personal finance writer Liz Weston, offers a comprehensive set of guidelines.

Clever Ways of Putting Your Stuff to Use

Sunset magazine has a great feature on its website about projects designed to help you reinvent stuff you may have hanging around the house. Finally, a use for those cd cases and that decorative plate collection.

Common Clutter Culprits

I love Apartment Therapy's list of 12 Things You Probably Own Too Many Of. Want an easy clean-out project this summer? Tackle the things on this list one category at a time.

An Easy Way to Get Updated Addresses

Postable is a free online service that lets you send requests to friends, family members, and anyone else you want to keep in touch with via mail but may not have a recent address for. Sign up, send out a link to your personal address book, and have recipients add their info through a secure page on the Postable site. And if you're not a fan of online address books, you can export and print a copy.

Less Stuff, More Happiness

Finally, here's a short and sweet video that poses an interesting question: does having more stuff make us less happy? Graham Hill, the presenter, doesn't belittle or preach, which makes his message all the more appealing.

Have a great organizing or productivity article, idea, or resource to share? Leave a comment and let me know, or share your experience on The Organized Life Facebook page.

Outsourcing Organizing Support Tasks

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 16 Aug 2012 05:52:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, Late May 2012

I recently worked with a busy couple who wanted to tackle several trouble spots in their home. As we did a walkthrough, they pointed out several mini projects they'd started but hadn't finished, including assembling a new entertainment center (neither of them, they said, was particularly skilled with handy tasks); shredding several bags and boxes of paper with sensitive info (they had a small shredder, but it had jammed, and was painfully slow to use even when it worked); installing various hooks and doorstops throughout the house (back to not having a knack tasks like these); and getting out of the house the stuff they'd already weeded through and decided to get rid of (their schedules during the week were extremely hectic, and doing Goodwill runs wasn't tops on their list for weekends).

I noticed a theme as we talked: while these folks had both the desire and the motivation to get organized, they didn't have a lot of time each week to give over to organizing-related tasks, and they experienced bottlenecks when it came to dealing with mini-projects, especially those they didn't have the skills or the resources for.

Sound Familiar?

This couple's hurdle is one my clients often face: they try to do as many of the support tasks related to their organizing project as they can, even though those tasks can slow them down significantly--and sometimes bring them to a complete halt. If reorganizing your files involves weeding out and shredding the papers you no longer need, but you don't have a working shredder at your disposal, you may find yourself putting the project on hold until you can get a shredder--in itself another project.

The Benefits of Outsourcing

There comes a point when trying to tackle the soup to nuts of an organizing job on your own will do little more than slow you down (and possibly make you more likely to want to throw in the towel). Before you reach that point, it's well worth finding ways of enlisting others to help with the tasks that need to be done but--unlike making decisions on what stays and what goes--don't necessarily need to be done by you.

Outsourcing organizing support tasks like donation drop-offs, shredding, picking up supplies, and doing handyperson tasks like furniture assembly or hanging things on the wall is an excellent way of getting these tasks done quickly and well, allowing you to focus on other things and helping ensure that your organizing project doesn't lose momentum.

Finding Help

Luckily, I think it's easier than ever before to find good, reliable, reasonably priced help for organizing support tasks. With summer ahead, there's always the option of enlisting a trustworthy high schooler or college student who's on break and wants to earn a few extra dollars over the summer. And, of course, it's often worth asking around with friends, colleagues, and neighbors for recommendations of people who'll take on such tasks and do them well.

Rather hire a pro? I really like Task Rabbit, a service that lets you post the tasks you're looking for help with and then browse bids from people willing to do them. Unlike classifieds websites like Craigslist, Task Rabbit screens the its "rabbits" (by essay, video interview, and background check) before they're allowed to take on tasks, and also offers a feedback and rating system.

One of the things I like best about Task Rabbit is the range of tasks you can post, from dropping off donations at Goodwill to alphabetizing your cd collection to unpacking your luggage after a trip. For every organizing support task you come up with, there's a good chance you can find someone on Task Rabbit to do it. Want to give it a try? Use this link to get $10 off your first task. (Though Task Rabbit is only in a handful of cities right now, it's growing all the time, so check back if you don't see your area available.)

There are also other Task Rabbit-like services popping up, like Exec (which is currently only available in San Francisco), and the more such services there are, the better your chances of finding an assistant who can take care of the tasks that would otherwise slow you down.

Have you used a service like Task Rabbit or Exec, or found another way of getting help with organizing support tasks? What was your experience like? What would you suggest to others who are considering outsourcing these tasks? Leave a comment and let me know, or share your experience on The Organized Life Facebook page.

Organizing Tidbits

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Wed, 30 May 2012 05:43:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, Early May 2012

Here are some interesting, inspirational, and helpful organizing-related stories I've read on- and offline over the past month.

Spring Cleaning of a Different Stripe

The magazine Good devoted a month to daily email tips on spring cleaning, and they went far beyond the traditional cleaning routines and standard organizing projects. These were two of my favorites:

Better Ways to Sell Your Stuff--10 websites and services that can help you make good on your intentions to sell the unwanted, unneeded stuff that's cluttering up your closets and drawers.
A Dose of Your Own Medicine--Tips on bringing order to your medicine cabinet, including how to decide what to toss, options for safe disposal, and recommendations on how to stock a first aid kit with the essentials.

Get Real

Apartment Therapy is a website dedicated to all things home, including decorating advice, home tours, and how-to articles. Though some of the spaces they feature are too picture-perfect for my tastes, they often have down-to-earth articles with realistic advice.

One recent article I loved (and can relate to, as our "guest room" is an air mattress on the living room floor) was Real Life Advice: Hosting Guests Without a Guest Room, which includes both straightforward tips (invest in a good air mattress) and reminders for things it can be easy to forget (have an outlet for your guests to use for recharging cell phones and other electronics).

Smart!

Another Apartment Therapy article that caught my attention was 10 Snapshots You Should Keep in Your Phone's Photo Album, which suggests some of the best uses for your smartphone cameras. Two super-smart ones: take photos of the types of bulbs your light fixtures use so it's easy to replace burned-out bulbs, and snap shots of your prescription medications so refills are easier and you don't forget anything when your doctor asks what you take.

Well Said

Finally, two quotations I came across this month that have stayed with me:

"Creation is a better means of self-expression than possession; it is through creating, not possessing, that life is revealed." --Vida Dutton-Scudder, The Privilege of Age (I love this for its reminder that we're not what we own, but what we do and what we create in the world.)

"There are many trails up the mountain, but in time they all reach the top." --Anya Seton

Your Turn

Have ideas, suggestions, recommended resources, favorite organizing products, or tips to share? Leave them in a comment or post them on The Organized Life's Facebook page.

Practicing What I Preach

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 19:04:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, Mid-February 2012

Recently, my boyfriend and I found a new apartment and began the involved, time-consuming, exciting, and sometimes stressful process of moving from the homes we'd both been settled into (for nine years, in my case). During the course of preparing for our move, making the transition, and getting settled into our new house, I was reminded time and again why so many of my clients have enlisted my team's help with moving house, and found myself being my own professional organizer in a way I'm usually not.

It would be an understatement to say that having chance after chance over the past few months to practice what I preach to my clients has been thought-provoking and eye-opening, and has given me a totally new perspective on what it's like to try to be organized during a transition like this. I've also been reminded repeatedly that a few organizational basics can help you feel much more sane during big life events. Here are a few of my my thoughts, observations, and a ha moments from this experience.

It's Worth Making Hard Decisions

For all of its charm and benefits, our new home has one big downside: as is typical of San Francisco houses of a certain vintage, it has one--count it: ONE--closet. And aside from a pantry cabinet in the kitchen and a small drawer-and-shelves unit in the living room, it lacks other built-in storage. So we had to get creative to fit the contents of two apartments and a basement storage room (a luxury at my old place), and we also had to do some serious weeding.

As difficult as it was to part with some of the stuff I ultimately decided to let go of, and as much as I found myself sliding into "But I might need it someday!" thinking (But I might go backcountry camping again soon and need that big backpack, even though the last time I did was 2002), making tough, realistic decisions before we moved meant not having to find space in the new house for stuff we didn't truly use, love, need, or find beautiful in our lives as we're living them now.

Enlist Help, in Obvious and Less Obvious Ways

One thing we knew for sure was that we were willing to invest in professional movers, both to spare ourselves and our friends the strain of having to schlep our stuff down and up stairs and around tricky corners, but also to make it less likely that one of us wouldn't inadvertently damage anything or anyone, and to ensure that the move-out and move-in processes would be as quick and efficient as possible. The movers weren't inexpensive, but they were definitely worth the cost.

Another bit of help I enlisted was the expertise of Deb, one of my team members, who has an encyclopedic knowledge of how to responsibly reuse, donate, or recycle pretty much anything, and an excellent network of connections that can help get unneeded stuff into the hands of people who will gladly put it to good use. Having done a huge amount of weeding, I didn't have it in me during the time I was also unpacking and getting settled in the new place to find new homes for the stuff I'd left behind at my old place. Deb did a bang-up job of dispersing it, and knowing that almost all of it was donated to agencies that need it made me feel better about deciding to part with it.

Don't Expect Perfection Right Away

Finally, if you're wondering whether professional organizers' homes are perfectly orderly and organized within a day or two after a move, I'm here to report that the answer is an emphatic NO!--at least not for this professional organizer. As much as I wished we didn't have to spend the better part of a week surrounded by boxes and chaos, I reminded myself that getting settled would take time, especially since we didn't have a team to help us and were getting acclimated to our storage-poor house.

To keep ourselves sane, we focused on getting at least one room feeling settled, dedicated ourselves to doing at least a few hours of organizing work per day (but no more), and invited over for drinks friends we knew not only wouldn't mind the craziness but also would help give us new perspectives on how we'd started to set things up (and, as it happened, would also help us rearrange furniture to make a few of our rooms flow more smoothly).

We've got a few more spots that still need some attention, and several things that, even post-weeding, still don't fit where we hoped they would (who knew I had so many files?!), but little by little, we're getting organized and are creating a comfortable home. And over and over, I smile (or, ok, sometimes groan) when I find myself in a situation in which I more than anyone need the insight, coaching, and guidance I find so easy to share with clients.

So the next time you hear me say that I know what it's like to struggle with organizing challenges and make it through to the other side, know that it's not just lip service.

Now if you'll pardon me, several piles of random stuff seem to have sprouted up on the kitchen today, and I hear them calling my name.

"If the Old Doesn't Go, the New Doesn't Come"

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 06:17:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, January 1 and 8, 2012

My friend and fellow professional organizer Sophie O'Neill includes this saying in her email signature: "If the old doesn't go, the new doesn't come." I've read that line more times than I can count, but each time I see it, the power of it strikes me all over again.

We're so often used to holding on to things we have (or had) that it's hard to make space--physically, mentally, emotionally--in our lives for what's yet to come. If you've ever held fast to a relationship that didn't work out, to opportunities that didn't come to pass, to experiences you had that ended, or to objects that remind you of any of the above, you probably recognize what I'm talking about.

Why We Hold On

With the exception of those people who can easily shed the old, it's difficult, if not downright painful, to part with the past. We often think that letting go of that relationship that was happy and healthy for a long time (until it wasn't) is a way of protecting ourselves from future hurt. Keeping a grip on past experiences--and often the physical stuff that went with them--is a way of reminding ourselves what we were and what we've done. And keeping mementos is a way of connecting ourselves not only with our own histories, but often with the histories of those who've come before us.

Letting the New Come

As one who has boxes of memorabilia, hundreds of digital photos on my computer, and a head full of memories, I'm certainly not going to advocate walking away from the past and everything associated with it.

What I do preach, though, is the wisdom of that simple phrase I learned from Sophie: if the old doesn't go, the new doesn't come.

All of us--myself included!--have at least some old beliefs, limitations, mindsets, and, of course, stuff--that we've been holding onto for a while, sometimes for much of our lives. As we begin a new year, I challenge you to take a hard look at those things and to be ruthless in clearing out the old ones that have impeded the arrival of new relationships, experiences, and opportunities in your life. That doesn't mean tossing out the beloved old china set you inherited from a favorite relative; it means finally passing along the stuff you're keeping only because "it might be valuable" or "I might use it" someday to clear out space for the stuff you truly cherish, or simply to clear out space for new possibilities.

The new year is wide open. I hope these early weeks of 2012 give you the chance to appreciate the best of the past and to clear out whatever no longer serves you to make room for what's ahead.

What to Give Yourself This Holiday Season

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sat, 10 Dec 2011 05:55:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, November 13, 2011

While chatting with my parents on Sunday, they asked what day I'd be flying to Virginia for our Thanksgiving celebration next week, and for a moment I was baffled by their belief that the holiday would be coming so soon. But as I've been obliged to admit so many times before, they were right.

The start of the end-of-year holiday season induces in some people a wave of glee, in some a wave of nausea, and in many a wave of something between those two. Whatever your feelings about the season, I won't try to change them. What I will do, though, before things get too crazy, is to ask you to consider making real strides to keep yourself sane, solvent, organized, and as happy as possible over the next 6 weeks.

To that end, here are 5 things I hope you'll include on your list of things to give yourself in the weeks ahead.

#1: Freedom from unrealistic expectations

The expectation that you can and should turn your home into a winter extravaganza out of the pages of a magazine, or that every inch of your living space should be perfectly orderly before guests arrive, is bound to make you crazy or miserable or both, unless you happen to have nothing else to do for the next month and a half other than decorate and organize. (I'm going to guess that's not the case.) As I urge my clients throughout the year, the trick is to find your own reasonable equilibrium and aim for that, not to try to conform to other's expectations.

#2: The right to take a pass

While there may be some holiday events that require that you at least make an appearance (the office holiday party, a close neighbor's open house, Thanksgiving dessert at an important family member's home), forcing yourself to go to others that aren't particularly meaningful or appealing may leave you exhausted and resentful. Give yourself a few Get Out of Jail Free cards for those events, perhaps mailing a simple gift or note with your regrets and your wishes for the season.

#3: Permission to pass up a bargain

Supposedly good deals crop up everywhere over the next few weeks. If you find a gift that's already on your list at a particularly good price, but all means, go for it. Be wary of buying things you hadn't intended to, though--especially if you don't have a specific recipient in mind (if they're gifts) or don't have a very solid need for them (if they're for you). As is true year-round and especially so when stores encourage us to get up before dawn for "doorbuster" deals, buying things just because they seem to be bargains often means spending more than you'd planned and winding up with clutter.

#4: The gift of help

Even if your holiday preparations and celebrations aren't elaborate, chances are they involve time, effort, and energy, especially when you're also doing everything else you normally do. Don't try to be a holiday hero and tackle it all on your own. Whether you pay for help (by ordering your Thanksgiving meal from a catering company or hiring a crafty neighbor to wrap your gifts), enlist it (by having family members pitch in with food prep or pre-celebration tidying), or simply accept it when it's offered (many guests really do mean it when they ask what they can do to lend a hand), you'll save yourself time, stress, and frustration.

#5: Your own definition of "happy holidays"

Finally, tricky though this can sometimes be, do your best to define for yourself how you want to observe the season, whether that's an all-nine-yards weeks-long celebration with all the trimmings, a few small events with especially close friends and family members, or simply a week of watching cheesy holiday movies and drinking hot chocolate. By not trying to shoehorn yourself into others' ideas of what the holidays are or should be like, you'll be more likely to make it through the end of the year with less stress, less clutter, and more happiness, however you define it.

Get It Done Month, Week 2: Lessons Learned

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 03:24:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, October 9, 2011

Welcome to week 2 of Get It Done Month. (Missed the Tip from week 1? Read it here.) I'm very happy to report that I've accomplished the task I committed to last week: ordering a replacement shade for the broken one in my bedroom. What a relief to finally have that off of my shoulders! I'm ready to move on to a new project this week (more on that below).

I'm also happy to note that several readers shared with me the tasks they wanted to (and in some cases, successfully did) tackle last week. Kudos to those folks, and here's to your continued success in the weeks ahead.

What Kept Me Going
In the course of doing what it took to cross The Shade task off of my list, I was reminded of a few things that help make getting things done a lot easier. Here are those lessons learned, and how they can support you as you work on your own tasks and projects in the weeks ahead.

Done is better than perfect. At one point, I found myself wondering how closely the hue of the replacement shade I was looking at online matched the one currently hanging in my bedroom, and almost abandoned the order I was about to place out of fear that the two colors weren't close enough. (What exactly is "dove," anyway?) Then I realized the color match didn't have to be perfect: I don't spend a lot of time looking at the shades closed, and I can live with two slightly different hues. Plus, I wasn't willing to put off the task any longer in the name of perfection.
Aim small and low. Truth be told, had I made this task any more ambitious--finding and ordering curtains as well, for example--I probably wouldn't have done it, given everything else I had to attend to last week. Measuring, researching, comparing, and ordering a shade was just right: though there were several steps involved, they were straightforward, and the overall project was a small one.
Let accountability do its job. A big motivator throughout the week to finish the task I set out to do, especially in the (multiple) moments when I was tempted to do other things, was the thought that if I didn't complete it, I'd have to confess as much to all of you. Having promised to report my progress, I didn't want to have to admit that I'd fallen short.

Next Up
With task #1 crossed off my list, I'm ready to move on to a new one this week: updating the information in my PortaVault, the grab-and-go system I use for vital records, financial account details, and other info I'd want to have with me were I ever to need to leave my home in a hurry. Some of the stuff in there has grown a bit outdated, so it's time to replace it.

What task or project will you commit to this week? If you completed one last week, great! Let that feeling of accomplishment motivate you as you tackle the next one. If you're just getting started, keep the tips above in mind and remember that getting one project done is better than getting none done.

Once again, I invite you to share your successes and this week's projects on The Organized Life's Facebook page, tweet them with the hashtag #GetItDoneMonth, or leave them in a comment.

Good luck with week 2!

Welcome to Get It Done Month

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 02:28:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, October 2, 2011

Let me tell you about The Shade.

Back in--yikes--March, the cord on one of the two shades in my bedroom snapped, making it impossible to open. For the past (cough, cough) several months, then, it's been permanently drawn, waiting wearily for a replacement. Quite literally every week I vow to call the shade company and order a new one, and quite literally every week between March and now, I have not. It's time to change that.

Sometimes no matter how good our intentions or how seemingly strong our resolve or how important a task, it takes some sort of kick in the pants to get us to tackle it. As that much-needed dose of motivation for myself--and, I hope, for you, too--I'd like to officially declare October Get It Done Month, and to encourage each of us to use the next few weeks to deal with tasks and projects we've been putting off. Here's some background info on why we procrastinate, how to move beyond, and how to get started on your own accomplishments for the month.

How Hard Can It Be? Why We Put Stuff Off
Given that I've been living with a broken shade for 7 months, you'd think that replacing it would involve weaving a new one myself from the hair of a rare Himalayan animal, not picking up the phone and making a call.

What's with the procrastination? For me, it's a combination of things:

It's not a fun task.
It involves several steps (measuring the window, going through my household files to find the make and model of the shade, finding a provider, contacting them, and so on).
It's not important enough to rise to the top of my list, so it often gets pushed off altogether.
Despite the annoyance (and semi-darkness) of only being able to open one shade, I've kind of gotten used to it.

Of course, the downside of my endless delaying is not only that my bedroom doesn't look and feel the way I want it to, but also that I think about this task every single time I look at The Shade. There are plenty of other things that deserve my mental energy and attention more.

Getting Beyond Putting It Off
The best methods for overcoming procrastination and taking action on a task depend on what's behind the delay. Here's what I need to do to get myself moving, based on my reasons for stalling:

Come up with a reward for finishing the task so that while the work itself may not be fun, what comes after it will be.
Write down each of the steps involved and tackle them one at a time; it's a lot easier to think of measuring the window or finding the receipt for the shade in my file than to think of finishing this project in one fell swoop.
Enhance the importance of getting this done by reminding myself every day that finishing it means I never have to do it again.
Keep my eyes on the prize: I want my light-filled bedroom back!

How Get It Done Month Works
And, of course, one of the biggest motivators for getting this done is the fact that I'm making this commitment to all of you: by the end of this week, I will have ordered a replacement shade. I encourage--and request!--you to leave a comment and ask me how I did (and, of course, I'll share my progress in next week's Tip; for October, we'll go back to a once-a-week Tip schedule).

While you don't need to share the task you want to accomplish with hundreds of people, I invite you to take the opportunity each week this month to commit to a task or small project you've been putting off. Each week, ask yourself these questions:

What do I want to accomplish?
Why have I been putting this off?
What can I do to get beyond procrastinating on this?
What's the first step I'm going to take to get this done?

Want a boost, or want to share what you're committing to? Post it to The Organized Life Facebook page, tweet it with the hashtag #getItDoneMonth, or leave it in a comment.

I'm excited to get my stalled projects into gear (especially before the busy holiday season starts), and I hope you are, too.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have a window to measure.

Get Real to Get Organized

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 05:18:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, August 28 & September 4, 2011

As much as I love Elfa closet systems from The Container Store (and no, I'm not getting paid to say that; I adore them of my own volition), I'm chagrined by the number of clients who point to an image of an Elfa'ed space in one of the store's catalogs or on the website and say, "I want that." That tends to be a clothes closet with ten beautifully color-coordinated pieces on hangers spaced at two-inch intervals, with matching shoes and accessories neatly stored nearby.

The photos do a great job of showing off the system components (which is just what they're meant to do), but they're not intended to be exact blueprints for how any of our own closets will look with even the most fabulous system in place. Using photos like these as anything more than inspiration, general motivation, and a guide to what kind of storage setup might work for you tends to be a recipe for disappointment.

The Organizing Equivalent of Fashion Models
For the 99.99% of us who don't look like fashion models, flipping through magazines or even looking at billboards can be a harrowing experience. The same holds true of looking at images of organization: seeing absolutely perfect photos of immaculately organized spaces can make us feel instantly inadequate and can inspire negative comparisons. Wow--my pantry certainly doesn't look like that! If that's what an organized family room is meant to look like, I'm hopeless! I didn't know my hall closet was such a raging disaster.

To quote a mid-1990s infomercial, "Stop the insanity!" Being organized doesn't mean having to adhere to the immensely high standards someone else has come up with, whether we see those standards in magazines, on TV, or in others' homes and offices. It means getting real about what more organized, orderly, functional, and comfortable spaces would be like for us and then realistically working on creating those spaces, whether or not they bear any resemblance to what we see elsewhere or what anyone else considers "organized."

Go Your Own Way
I recently worked with a client I've had the chance to collaborate with on a number of projects over the years. At the start of our session, she showed me the closet in her home office, one of the spaces we had worked together to transform. As she gave me a tour of the space, pointing out the changes she'd made, she told me that, as she'd worked on organizing the closet, she had kept in mind my advice to focus above all on ensuring that it was functional and usable for her, no matter whether it looked perfect or would be up to anyone else's standards.

The result? She'd created a space that was significantly better for her than it had been, that allowed her easy access to the stuff she needed most often and ample storage for things that were more archival in nature, and that was no more organized than she needed it to be. That meant no perfectly matching boxes, no worries about the fact that some of her 3-ring binders had seen better days, and not a care in the world about what anyone else might think of how it looked. It was, in short, a space that was perfectly organized for her--and that, moreover, she'd kept that way for several months.

Get Real
As you contemplate your next organizing project, take a cue from my client: forget about perfection. Don't force yourself to aim for a space that looks like it came from a catalog when what you really need is one that's functional and useful based on how you actually live and work. Get real about what "getting organized" really means to you and you'll be far more likely not only to reach that goal, but also to keep up your success long term.

When Is It Time to Call in Help?

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 04:19:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, August 7 & 14, 2011

Despite being in the business of helping others, I'm the type of person who often finds it difficult to hand off tasks or to enlist the help of other professionals. There's just something in me that stubbornly insists on trying to be independent and tackling things on my own, even if they're boring or annoying, aren't tasks I'm good at, and take me a painfully long time.

But earlier this year, trying to do my own taxes--a complex undertaking in the best of situations, made even more convoluted by the intricacies of owning a business--finally put me over the edge, so I sent the IRS some money, filed an extension, and vowed to hire a CPA to take this weight off of my shoulders. I meet with him next Tuesday, and I can't wait. Yes, having him deal with all of my tax-related work will cost me money, and yes, if I had infinite time and patience (not to mention the desire to try to understand the tax code), I could do this work on my own, but it's time for me to wise up and acknowledge that it's best to enlist a pro.

Hey, All of This Sounds Familiar...
Here's the funny thing: I go through this logic with clients all the time. They're often convinced that they should be able to get organized on their own--after all, it's not rocket science (or the tax code)--if only they try harder or spend more time at it or just will themselves to do it.

But I remind them time and again that spinning their wheels or beating themselves up won't do them any good, and it certainly won't make them any more enthusiastic about doing what it takes to get organized in a lasting way. Why did it take me so long to apply this thinking to myself and my taxes? Both because I'm sometimes too stubborn for my own good, and because, like many of my clients, I had to reach the point at which trying to go on like I had was clearly not serving me anymore.

How Do You Know When It's Time?
When my clients email me or pick up the phone to call, they've often tried several times before to get organized on their own, to varying degrees of success, or they know right off the bat that the process will be less painful for them if they have someone there to lend a hand, whether that involves simply spending a few hours to help them get started or sticking with them every step of the way. But I never press anyone to work with me before they're ready, because I know the importance of reaching that point organically (see above!).

Generally, my clients know it's time to call in help when they don't know how or where to get started on their own, when they're tired of getting started but never really being able to finish, when they're feeling stuck, when they're overwhelmed, when they're bored, or when they've come to realize that they want to be more organized but just don't yet have the skills to make that happen solo.

If any of those reasons resonates with you, it might be time to enlist someone else to help you tackle whatever you've been avoiding or dreading, whether that's getting organized, undertaking an exercise program, or, say, finally wrangling your tax return into submission.

It's Not All or Nothing
Here's one final thing to remember about seeking assistance: it's not an all-or-nothing proposition. Find whatever balance of professional advice/assistance and do-it-yourself effort works for you.

For me, that means having all of my ducks in a row--my numbers crunched, my expense receipts organized, my past year's tax return at the ready--before I hand things off to Jason next week. For many of my clients, it means using our time together to plan, strategize, and deal with the most challenging or unexciting parts of their organizing projects and then committing to doing homework on their own to keep the progress going.

Whenever you might opt to call in help, for whatever reason, and in whatever way, I hope you'll find it as motivating and as liberating as I've found the prospect of finally enlisting someone to deal with a task I dread, and to do it far more efficiently and well than I ever could on my own. Here's to practicing what I preach, and to enjoying the same sense of accomplishment and relief that my clients do.

Take a Vacation from Organizing

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 00:23:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, late July 2011

I had the good fortune to spend the past ten days on the east coast, working for a few slivers of that time but vacationing for most of it. Having the opportunity to spend time with my friends and family doing things that aren't part of my everyday--such as visiting museums, playing at the beach with my niece, and wandering around New York City with absolutely no agenda--was the perfect way to take a temporary break from my regular tasks and responsibilities, and I came home relaxed, renewed, and ready to get back to work.

Benefits
The temporary pause that a good vacation offers always reminds me of how beneficial it can be to take similar breaks in other areas of life. It's generally much easier to stick to a healthy eating plan, for example, when it includes the flexibility to enjoy an occasional treat, and committing to an exercise routine long-term tends to feel more reasonable if it includes days in which you're allowed to do little more than kick back on the sofa.

And, of course, the "vacation" benefits apply to organizing, too: giving yourself the chance to take a complete break from organizational tasks for a set amount of time--an afternoon, a day, a week--can be a super-effective way of regaining the motivation and inspiration to keep your space and your life orderly and running smoothly on a daily basis.

Choosing Your Ideal Vacation
The best type of organizing vacation to take depends on a few factors. If you feel like you've generally got things under control, have strong maintenance habits in place, and find that it's easy to get back to a point of equilibrium after a bout of chaos, a longer break from organizing tasks (a week or so) may be the way to go. During this break, you might opt to let all of your regular habits slide (temporarily): let the mail pile up without processing it, don't worry about keeping your daily schedule in tip-top shape, and let the coffee table get buried under a mountain of books, magazines, and newspapers.

On the other hand, if you're in the midst of a larger ongoing project--decluttering your house as you prepare to downsize, say--a short "vacation" may be better, as you'll reap the benefits of a bit of downtime without losing momentum (or, worse, starting to backslide). Your vacation should include not just a temporary reprieve from your organizing work, but also a task that's pleasant and relaxing enough to be an effective antidote, such as going to a movie, losing yourself in a guilty pleasure book, or catching your favorite sports team in action--whatever renews and re-inspires you.

When to Take It
As with a regular vacation, it's worth scheduling your organizing break for a time when it won't throw you off or make it difficult to return to "real life." If you're opting for a week-long let-things-slide fest, for example, choose a week when a bit of chaos won't make you or anyone else in your household stressed, and when you have time at the tail end to do a few hours of catch-up work. (Think of it like unpacking after an actual vacation.)

Taking a pause from a larger project? Aim for a day or two somewhere in the middle (or, if it's a truly hefty undertaking, go for a few short "vacations" every few weeks); that way, you'll make some progress but won't reach the point of being so burned out that you may never want to get started again once you're done with your break.

Share Your Stories
Once you've taken a vacation from organizing, leave a comment and let me know how it went. What did you stop doing during your vacation? What did you do instead? What was the time off like?

Here's to the rejuvenating, relaxing, reinspiring benefits of taking a well-deserved break.

50 Things Challenge: Wrap-Up & Celebration

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 05:37:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, July 3 and 10, 2011

We've reached the end of the 2011 Get Rid of 50 Things Challenge. If you successfully completed the challenge and cleared out 50 (or more) unwanted, unneeded things from your life, congratulations! Even if you didn't quite get to 50, you deserve a pat on the back for making the effort to become more aware of what truly deserves space in your life, and to part with the stuff, beliefs, and limitations that don't.

As I mentioned when I introduced the Challenge this year, I, too, participated, both because I like to practice what I preach and because it was time to reconsider some of the stuff that had been lurking around my house for the past year. All told, I managed to part with 182 things, from catalogs to old cds, from excess office supplies to worn-out shoes. Here's some of what went, along with insights I gained as I weeded out.

Several small kitchen gadgets. Why was I still holding onto that 2-part mini citrus juicer, even though it never really worked well and didn't fit anything larger than a medium-sized lime? And when was the last time I pressed garlic, scooped ice cream with anything other than a soup spoon, or found myself in need of a bowl scraper? Everything in my kitchen drawers had to pass muster as being tools I actually use; those that didn't were destined for the give-away box.
File folders, report covers, business card stock, and other office supplies. Over the years, I've accumulated lots of office supplies (which I admit are my weakness!), and they've lingered because they all could potentially be useful. But I challenged myself to admit that I only use one kind of file folder, and that I'm unlikely to ever print my own business cards, and that there are only so many pens I need.
Orphaned socks, old sneakers, and miscellaneous other bits of clothing and shoes. Because my closets and dresser aren't overflowing with clothes, and I don't usually struggle to find or put things away, I tend to let the contents of those spaces go unchecked. But why was I saving single socks whose mates I hadn't seen in months, or that shirt that was so lovingly worn as to have sprouted holes along the seams? It was time to make some conscious decisions about what got to hang around.
Miscellaneous books, catalogs, and magazines. A close look through my bookshelves revealed several volumes I'd already read and was unlikely to go back to, along with a good handful that, if I were honest with myself, I wasn't likely to dive into at any point in the near future. I'd rather get these into the hands of people who will read them, so off they went. As for the catalogs and magazines, I held onto a few that felt like actual current, useful references and recycled those that didn't.
Several but-I-might-need-it! bits and pieces. Ball jars whose lids were a bit worse for the wear? Sure, potentially useful in a pinch, but I have others in better condition (and am happy to pay 50¢ a pop or so for new jars if ever I need them). How many shipping boxes did I need to make storage space for in my basement? Not nearly as many as I'd been keeping around. Old travel toiletry bottles? Those with mystery substances inside, or with lids that never quite stayed shut, hit the recycling bin.

I sometimes found it difficult to make decisions on the stuff I came across, especially those things that still seemed potentially useful (which, really, meant pretty much everything). What spurred me on, though, was the sense of accomplishment I felt as the list of stuff I was parting with grew, and as a few previously cluttered spots throughout the house started to open up. That, for me, is one of the greatest things about the 50 Things Challenge: it spurs me on to really reconsider what deserves space in my life and my home in a way that I don't always consider throughout the rest of the year.

Share Your Successes
Now I'd love to hear your successes with the Challenge. If you participated, leave a comment with a list of the things you parted with--and, if you'd like, let me know what realizations you came to as you weeded, or what you learned as you went through the Challenge.

I hope you enjoyed this year's 50 Things Challenge, and that it'll inspire you year-round to make room in your life for the things that matter most.

50 Things Challenge: Stick With It

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 05:34:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, June 12 and 19, 2011

Welcome to the last two weeks of the 2011 Get Rid of 50 Things Challenge! This home stretch can be both exhilarating and exhausting: you may find yourself inspired to make one final push, or, on the flip side, you might be ready to throw in the towel, whether you've parted with only a few things or have come within an arm's reach of the goal of 50.

The desire to give up is one I encounter frequently in the midst of organizing projects, for both my clients and myself. By this point, the excitement of making decisions on what to clear out from your life (and then actually doing it) may well have worn off, and even if you've been reaping the rewards of a less-cluttered space and a more open life, there's a chance you've gotten used to them, making them less motivational than they were when you started.

If you find your inspiration waning during these last few weeks (the Challenge ends on Sunday, June 26), here are a few ways to give it a boost and to keep yourself going.

Keep your eyes on the prize. Decluttering for the sake of decluttering is effective for some, but for most of us (myself included), there needs to be a stronger motivation behind it. Take some time this week to remind yourself of the benefits of clearing from your life whatever's unwanted and unneeded--why you took on this Challenge in the first place--and then keep those benefits at the front of your mind as you continue working.
Think marathon, not sprint. As with any organizing project, it's almost always easier and more effective to work slowly and steadily than it is to go on a decluttering binge. Challenge yourself to find 4 or 5 things each day over the next few weeks that you're ready to part with, rather than trying to scrape up 50 things at once.
Enlist a buddy. You've heard me say it many times before: like exercise, sometimes organizing is just more fun (or at least more bearable) if you don't have to do it alone. Find a supportive friend, family member, or neighbor who can help keep you on track and help keep your spirits up over the next few weeks.
Get stuff out of the house. If you've already collected things you know you're ready to part with, make it a goal this week to move them out of the house--and no, I don't mean into the garage! Bring them to a local charity, share them with friends, dump them in the recycling, or do whatever you need to do to remove them from your space so you can really see what you've accomplished.
Celebrate the progress you've already made. Finally, no matter how far along you are in the Challenge, if you've managed to clear unwanted, unneeded stuff from your life, give yourself a pat on the back--and a bottle of wine, a night at the movies, a day at the beach, or whatever else will let you mark your progress.

It's natural and normal to feel slightly (or seriously!) burned out, bored, disconnected, or overwhelmed by this point in an organizing project. If you find your motivation slipping, use the tactics above to get yourself back on track for these last two weeks of the 50 Things Challenge.

Good luck, and I look forward to hearing about your successes!

2011 50 Things Challenge: Identify Your Triggers

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 03:26:00 +0000

Tip of the Week, May 26 and June 5, 2011

Welcome to weeks 3 and 4 of the 2011 Get Rid of 50 Things Challenge. (Missed the Tip that introduced this year's Challenge? Read it here.) I've loved hearing from Tip readers who've already been inspired to identify--and get rid of--stuff that's cluttering up their lives, and I've had a great time (seriously!) finding things in my own space that I'm ready to part with.

We've got four more weeks to go (the Challenge ends on Sunday, June 26)--plenty of time to get involved, even if you haven't yet started. For the next two weeks, I have a special mini-challenge for you, and it comes with the opportunity to earn another entry in the end-of-Challenge prize drawing. (Remember, you get one entry for the first 50 things you get rid of, and another for each additional 25 things.)

The Mini-Challenge: Get to Know Your Triggers
As you sort through things to come up with at least 50 to part with, chances are you'll start to see some patterns:

Maybe you discover stuff you bought not because you wanted, needed, or even especially liked it, but because it seemed like a bargain.
Perhaps you find yourself holding onto gifts you've been given over the years because you feel guilty at the thought of passing them along.
Or it could be that there are aspirations or intentions behind your clutter that you never quite get around to fulfilling. (Those tools you've been collecting? You intend to use them someday. That shelf of classic literature? You aspire to read it all at some point.)

The mini-challenge for the next two weeks is to identify what triggers you to accumulate and hold onto stuff that winds up as clutter in your life, and then to make a solid commitment to overcome those triggers.

For example, if your trigger is holding onto stuff because you aspire to use it someday, you might commit to putting a non-negotiable "expiration date" on things: if you don't use them by that date, out they go. You might also enlist a friend or family member who can offer some tough love to help you stick with that plan and get "expired" stuff out of your space.

Here's how the mini-challenge will work: email me your answers to the two questions below by 11:59 p.m. PDT on Saturday, June 11 and you'll get an additional entry in the end-of-Challenge drawing.

My clutter trigger is:
I will commit to overcoming this trigger by:

For an extra dose of accountability, you can instead post your trigger and your commitment on The Organized Life Facebook page. In addition, be sure to visit the page over the next few weeks for more Challenge-related support and updates before the next Tip comes out.

Good Luck!
Enjoy the next few weeks of the 50 Things Challenge, and be sure to keep me posted on your progress, especially as you work through the mini-challenge. I look forward to hearing what you discover!

Introducing the 2011 50 Things Challenge!

noreply@blogger.com (Emily) — Tue, 31 May 2011 04:38:00 +0000

Weeks of May 15 and 22, 2011

Drumroll, please: it's that time again! Once a year for the past several years, I've challenged Tip of the Week readers to join me for my Get Rid of 50 Things Challenge, and it's time now for the 2011 version of this event. The 50 Things Challenge is a fun, structured, and motivating way to clear from your life the stuff, habits, and beliefs that are cluttering up your space and your head, and to celebrate as you let go of them.

This year's Challenge is a bit different from past years' (think bigger and better), though the core goal is still the same: to help you part with what's holding you back to make space for what really matters.

Read on for a bit of background, along with an overview of how the 2011 50 Things Challenge will work.

The Background
In 2007, I read an article in Real Simple magazine by life coach Gail Blanke in which she made a connection between the physical stuff in our lives and our emotional well-being and challenged readers to get rid of 50 things bits of clutter. Inspired, I extended that challenge to Tip readers, and then repeated the 50 Things Challenge for the next several years. (Read my original Tip introducing the Challenge back in 2007, and check out the book Gail Blanke wrote on the basis of her article.)

How It Works
The Get Rid of 50 Things Challenge spans several weeks. Over the course of those weeks, I challenge you to identify 50 things that no longer belong in your space and in your life, and to get rid of them by donating, selling, or recycling them, or by passing them along to someone you know will use and love them.

Throughout the Challenge, I offer support and motivation, along with resources for getting rid of the stuff you're ready to part with. At the end, I invite you to share with me your list of 50 things; each person who successfully completes the Challenge is entered into a drawing to win a prize.

What's New in 2011
To keep things fresh, and to up the ante a bit (because, hey, this should be challenging!), a few things will be different this year:

The Challenge will run for 6 weeks total, beginning now and ending at 11.59 PDT on Sunday, June 26.
Instead of just 50 things, I challenge you to part with at least 75 things over these weeks. Remember, a "thing" can be as large as an old sofa or as small as a single earring. Stuff you'd already be likely to get rid of, like regular household garbage or junk mail, doesn't count. What does count is anything you've been holding onto that doesn't support or add value, beauty, or enjoyment to your life as you're living it today.
For the first 50 things you get rid of, you'll gain one entry into the end-of-Challenge prize drawing. For each additional 25 things you part with, you'll get one more entry.
Throughout the Challenge, I'll be offering ways of earning more drawing entries: by donating still-usable stuff to charity, by making solid steps toward changing your habits around the stuff most likely to become clutter in your life, and more.
Prizes that'll be up for grabs at the end of the Challenge include such clutter-free goodies as a half-hour phone consultation with yours truly, one of my e-books, movie tickets, and more.

As always, I'll be participating in the Challenge as well, and will share with you my experiences, my roadblocks, and what I do to motivate myself to identify what's really important to me--and to clear out the rest.

On Your Marks, Get Set...
Ready to join the Get Rid of 50 Things Challenge? There's no need to register. Simply start identifying things in your life that no longer deserve the space they've been occupying and give them the heave-ho. As you sort and weed, keep a list of what you part with, and once you make the decision to let something go, make a solid effort to get it out of your space ASAP so you can start to enjoy the clarity and lack of clutter that will be the fruits of your labor.

I'm extra excited for this year's Challenge, and I hope you are, too. Here's to your success over these first few weeks!