Archive for the ‘Organizing Strategies’ Category

How to de-clutter sentimental items

Monday, May 15th, 2023

sentimental items evoke beautiful memories

Sentimental items are difficult to de-clutter

If an item stirs up feelings, the item is sentimental. We have the item(s) because we want to keep the “thing” that triggers that memory in our lives. For some people, a sentimental item could be a book, a photo, or a nostalgic object. It’s difficult to de-clutter sentimental items. Should we keep them or de-clutter?

Is it sentimental?

First you have to decide if the clutter really is sentimental or if you’re keeping it for another reason such as guilt, obligation or “it cost too much to let it go.” This is the time to be bluntly honest with yourself.

Rules of thumb for sentimental clutter

If we want to de-clutter, one rule of thumb to follow is to gather up all of the items that stir up a memory. Select the memory of just one thing, such as one of a dear deceased loved one. Sort through all of those items that trigger his/her/their memory. Display everything related to that entity. Know that you have choices to keep or eliminate specific pieces. As this is an emotional experience, you may want to carve out “alone time” or enlist the support of another.

Continue the process for each entity. Making the decisions to leave it be, store it or eliminate it may stir sadness, anger, joy and many other feelings. It’s important to give yourself the freedom to experience.

Choices for sentimental items

If the item is a treasured possession, and you have the space, display it. As one would decorate for a holiday, display your treasured item seasonally or permanently. Have fun with your décor. Hire a stylist to help you find the best place to exhibit your treasure.

If there are too many treasured possessions to display, you can store them or re-purpose them. A labeled, beautiful memory box can keep your sentimental items safe and clean. Label the box for the memory it elicits. Some items can be re-purposed such as clothing items that are made into handmade quilts, or wedding dresses transformed into Angel Gowns by the Emma and Evan Foundation.

Every sentimental item has a story. Maybe it’s not the item that is sentimental but the story itself. These stories can be recorded and the item can be digitized with apps like iMemories or Artifcts. Create a forever gift by working with a professional to compose a memoir such as Memoirs Plus, and convert all the memorabilia into a story book.

Some items may be more meaningful to someone else. Connect with a relative or friend who may appreciate those past treasures. The keyword is past. If the item no longer fits in your life today, let it go. If you want to raise some cash, partner with an e-bay seller or post on another selling site like Craigslist. Buy Nothing or Freecycle sites give you options to give away to someone in your community. You can also donate to a charity such as Pick Up Please that sells your items and donates the money to the Vietnam Veterans (VVA), or Go Green Drop to raise funds for The Red Cross.

Do you need help with sentimental clutter?

If you’re a DIY’er you may refer to books written specifically about de-cluttering sentimental items e.g. The Sentimental Persons Guide to Decluttering and/or Don’t Toss My Memories in the Trash.

An empathetic yet practical partner can help you decide whether to keep or eliminate specific sentimental items from your space. That partner could be a friend or a Professional Organizer, Therapist or Coach.

For additional guidance on de-cluttering sentimental items, review the tips written in this article in Homes and Gardens which features Under Control Organizing:
https://www.homesandgardens.com/life-design/how-to-declutter-sentimental-items

Typical places where you may forget to de-clutter

Monday, February 13th, 2023

De-clutter your space

There are SO MANY PLACES where people typically forget to de-clutter.

De-Clutter the “STASH”

First, when you’re expecting company, where do you stash your stuff? Those are the most likely places where people forget to de-clutter. Clutter is simply stuff that’s placed in the wrong space, or forgotten items that accumulated over time. When it’s hid away, there’s usually no thought given to where it belongs. Where is it?

  • Under the bed/ platform bed drawers
  • “Junk” drawer(s)
  • Inside cabinets with doors that HIDE stuff
  • Bottom of closets

The Hidden Places

There’s also the stuff that’s under or behind the items you use most:

  • Back end of the drawers – the clothing and accessories that got stuffed back as new ones came in
  • Medicine cabinet – Makeup and sundries
  • Kitchen cabinets – storage containers and utensils

The Rarely Used Places

Of course, there’s the collections and papers that we only use once a year:

  • Top of closets with seasonal items
  • File drawers, Prior years’ tax papers

Don’t forget digital clutter!!!!

How to De-Clutter

Wherever those places are, here are the best ways to go about de-cluttering them:

Avoid the spontaneous stash by visualizing a place for everything. Think ahead and designate a category for your belongings. Labeling your spaces is a good reminder of where stuff belongs. Spend some time at the end of each day putting stuff away. Clutter is just homeless items. Once you get into the routine, you will have no more homeless items.

I find the best method for busy people to tackle clutter is to schedule an uninterrupted appointment with yourself. Decide on a small area to start (like a drawer), and set a timer for 30 minutes. Sort out the stuff into defined categories. See how far you get (in your designated time frame), then put it all away for another 30 minutes. The key to success is leaving enough time to clear the deck.

How to Maintain Organization

Here’s some guidance for maintaining limited spaces and keeping them tidy. When one new item comes in, 1-2 go out. When buying new clothes, accessories or cosmetics, think ahead about where they will be stored. If you’re unable to let go of items, there’s always the option of (temporary) storage rooms. There’s always a price to pay for accumulating.

Finally, if you have difficulty de-cluttering on your own, enlist the help of an accountability buddy. This is someone you trust with whom you share your goals. They should help keep you on track without judgement.

Make the process of de-cluttering a game. Make it fun and motivating.

For more ideas, read this terrific article to the end https://www.realhomes.com/advice/places-you-forget-to-declutter-and-organize  which features Under Control Organizing as well as another Professional Organizer.

Small Accomplishments, Great Strides

Monday, August 5th, 2019

Individual steps are small accomplishments toward the ultimate goal.“Great things are not done by impulse, but by a series of small things brought together” – Vincent Van Gogh

A master artist knows that a great piece is accomplished in small steps.

We’re all artists of our spaces. We choose our surroundings. We schedule the time to manage our stuff.  Sometimes, “Life” takes over and we abandon our own home base. We become the victim of our space, and our relationships are tested.

Small Accomplishments Create Motivation

Before we met, Robert (fictitious name), a master in his own profession, wrote this poem:

Ode to Clutter

Clutter, clutter, clutter
Clutter, clutter, clutter
You’d think that I lived
in a box or a shoe
or maybe the gutter.

In fact, it makes me so angry
I almost start to mutter.
Or if I were a cookie,
I’d be looking for a cutter.

For it’s papers and boxes
But no Goldilockses.
Not even bread and butter.
And for every word you utter,
There’s more clutter, clutter, clutter.

Because of professional and personal issues, Robert’s work space became Out of Control. He could not dig out from under his “mess”, until he scheduled a consultation with Under Control Organizing.  We created a plan and time line to break down the accumulations.  The piles, boxes and binders full of papers were on shelves, on the floor and in cabinets. The first step was to carve out a workspace so we could sort and identify what needed to be shredded, recycled or archived. With a custom solution, Robert felt pride in his office, and confidence in finding his important information. He felt Under Control as he made small accomplishments toward his goal.

Do you have a project that you’ve postponed because you did not know where and how to begin?  Are you stuck on what to do next? 

I can help you plan, organize and accomplish great things.

Can we manage time?

Monday, February 4th, 2019

Time

Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, states that “Time management is a misnomer, the challenge is manage ourselves.” Yet, we have this obsession to learn “time management?”  Time is a commodity.  How do you spend time?  Can you make time? When the day is done, what have you accomplished?  We can’t get it back.  That ship has sailed.  Did you feel good about what you do did today?

We often hear ourselves, or others, say, “I don’t have time.” What then, do we have?

We have too many commitments, too many choices, too much food, substances and distractions.  We can’t decide.  We can’t say no.  We can’t diet.  We can’t quit habits that aren’t good for us.  And, we don’t accomplish the tasks and goals that we hoped.

Maybe we can’t manage time, but we can work at managing all the components of our lives and manage ourselves.  We can plan ahead, budget our time, set a target and commit to a schedule  like you would a vacation.  We can select a task, set a timer and accomplish a small assignment.  We can break down a large project into small pieces, and little by little, whittle away at it.

We can manage our expectations, set boundaries, and learn about planning and estimating.  We can examine our schedules, write down our priorities and schedule them.

How do you handle interruptions?  Do you get caught up in major distractions?  Do you try to start too many things at once, and end up finishing nothing?  Do others’ priorities absorb your day?  Have you examined ways to make your life easier? Can you delegate a task to someone able, willing and mutually accountable?

Learn about how you approach new things.  Do you instinctively jump in like a bull in a china closet, or procrastinate until you find the perfect way to do it?  Linda Sapadin’s book, It’s About Time: The 6 Styles of Procrastination and How to Overcome Them is eye opening and life changing.

Stuff happens….emergencies, illness, demands of others.  But, we can’t abandon our dreams.  We must get back on track, and schedule our priorities.

Let’s recap how we can manage ourselves by learning about:

  • How we spend time and handle interruptions
  • Setting boundaries: physical, mental and emotional
  • Focusing
  • Budgeting
  • Planning
  • Estimating
  • Scheduling
  • Setting goals and priorities
  • Delegating
  • Avoiding multitasking
  • Managing distractions
  • Managing expectations
  • Managing lists

Plato said “the beginning is the most important part of the work.”  Let’s begin.

Do you want to learn more about time and managing yourself, contact me.

Why You Can’t Get Organized: When Organization is a Phobia

Monday, July 2nd, 2018

Clutter / Organizing

Is it “can’t” or “won’t” when it comes to summarizing the reasons people fail to organize their stuff? And does it apply to you?
“Can’t” implies inability.
“Won’t” is the lack of initiative or desire.

The five main reasons fall into BOTH camps: Can’t AND Won’t.

CAN’T – Don’t know how
Mindy (fictitious name) tells me “I just don’t have the gene to organize.” Could it be genetics that stop Mindy from organizing her important household stuff? Could it be a neurological issue? Mindy is a very creative (right-brained) individual.

For decades, Mindy has tried to read books in many failed attempts to follow guidance on organizing papers and assorted stuff. Does it sound familiar? She feels like a failure because she can’t maintain a system of organization. Plus, She rarely remembers where she puts her stuff.

Yes, many disorganized people complain about their memory. While cognitive decline is a real thing, finding yourself overwhelmed can affect thinking, especially, in my experience, with creative people. Reader, you may be chuckling as you recognize the trait in yourself, but you know it’s not funny. It can be painful. People spend hours each year searching for important information that they put “in a good place.” They spend more money than necessary to replace items that were put away but can’t locate.

Organizing overwhelms, and many smart people truly believe they’re hopeless. They develop bad habits, leaving things around their home and office because they think that the “stuff” will be visible to find at a later date. But nothing can be found when you need it. The lucky ones find help, or find a partner to assist, and to compliment this “missing gene.” Some, however, don’t let others in, and end up unhappy.

CAN’T – Can’t get started/ Can’t manage interruptions/ Gets Distracted
Starting a new project can be daunting.

Some people need to be in the right frame of mind to start a project, while others can “Just Do It.” If you are easily distracted, especially if the project is that dreaded ORGANIZING. Distraction can be a disorder and a house filled with stuff, with dozens of unfinished projects, may point in that direction. If you think you’re overwhelmed because of Attention Deficit Disorder, get an evaluation. The right treatment can make the job of organization a thousand times easier.

With or without ADD, many people don’t know how to begin to sort through all their stuff. When sorting through the past, the trips down memory lane can divert you off on tangents. It is a normal hazard when going through old things. It’s not hard to reminisce the day away.

Robert (fictitious name) wanted to transition his business. He had an office filled with papers: client material, marketing material, and personal papers. He also had a habit of making multiple copies of each paper to be sure he always had a copy. This compensatory mechanism made his office look like a sea of random papers and files.

The task of “organizing” the papers of the old business was impossible. He lacked the motivation to get started because he didn’t know how. And, so the business transition could not begin. The old business made Robert unhappier each day, and he was stuck. Each folder he touched stirred up old (good and bad) memories. He couldn’t get out of his own way to organize. Empowering himself to learn how to get started, and stay focused, helped change his life. Also, learning how to conquer his personal challenge of starting new things gave him a new confidence.

WON’T – Don’t feel like it
Yes, our feelings get in the way – with relationships and our relationship to stuff. Rhonda (fictitious name) refused to keep a calendar/date book because she wanted her life to be flexible, be a butterfly, do as she pleased. Often, any plans made in advance were forgotten unless a good friend called her to remind her. Now, that’s a good friend, but then again, maybe that “friend” actually enabled her fairy tales.

More often, her plans were cancelled at the last minute because something better to do came along. Bills went unpaid. Piles of mail, and assorted papers and household items, collected on tables, under tables, and inside cabinets. Rhonda did as she pleased, until her husband wanted to refinance the house. Their credit rating was so low because of so many unpaid or late paid bills, their refinancing was rejected. Rhonda only wanted to do things that were fun. She constantly compared her life to others’. She festered over the thought that someone else’s life could be better than hers. I could tell you how her life turned out, but this time, I’ll let you fantasize.

CAN’T – Have to clear up first
We think too much. Some think they have to clear the decks before they can plan or organize. They have so much stuff in the way, they think they have to clear away the “stuff” before organizing.

Angela (fictitious name) had boxes and files full of personal memories and professional accomplishments, all mixed together. She wanted to embark on a new job search, and needed to put together a resume. Angela wanted to use some examples of the materials located in these files as resume points. She was FROZEN. Angela felt that she had to go through EVERYTHING before she could even START organizing her resume. She needed guidance, and fortunately found that guidance so that she could begin her journey to find her dream job. Clearing and organizing go hand in hand. As you start to clear, you get a clearer idea of what is left to organize. Then, the organizing process will flow easier as you’re gradually familiar with your “stuff”.

CAN’T – Need the right “tools”
Every craftsman knows that “Good tools aren’t cheap; Cheap tools aren’t any good.” There are so many good organizing “tools” at varying price points. Have you been to The Container Store, Bed Bath and Beyond or Home Goods lately? You’ll find a dizzying array of organizing “tools” in those and other stores, as well as online sources.

Those who can’t organize, because they need to find the “right” tools first, are land locked in their stuff. Others may purchase a wide variety of inappropriate tools, adding to the accumulation of clutter.

Organizing is an ongoing activity. Oh, did you think that once you’re organized, you’re organized? The organizing process evolves just like we do. Our needs change, as do our systems. There’s never a right time to organize. We make the time.

If you learn to organize each day, just a little, a great deal can happen. Start with your bed, and move on to your work or your house. Tackle a little at a time, and learn not to be afraid of clearing, organizing and discarding. Soon it will become natural.

Finally, whether you CAN’T or WON’T organize your stuff, enlisting help will empower you to accomplish these and other Herculean tasks. Yet, once things begin to clear out, you’ll begin to feel freer, only to have the energy to do more. Organizational phobias do exist with multiple can’ts and won’ts. As with most phobias, the best way around them is through them.

(Reprinted from Mark Banschick’s blog in Psychology Today)

The Right Strategy for Paring Down

Monday, October 9th, 2017


“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.”
– – A. A. Milne, author of Winnie the Pooh

Before you tackle your next organizing project, will you plan and strategize?  What motivates and inspires you?

I have helped 600+ individuals to successfully accomplish their organizing goals with solid plans and strategies.  I believe that there is no “right” strategy.  As your personality is unique from your friends and relatives, so are your styles to succeed.  We cannot compare our stuff with others’, nor can we compare our ways and lives with that of others’.  Each project and each individual is unique, and there are so many different strategies to pare down and/or organize your “stuff”. 

Recently, a new client asked for my help.   Sheila (fictitious name, real person) had experience paring down possessions, but this time it was too emotional for her to do alone.  Her mom had passed away, and the home needed to be cleared out.  Sheila was afraid that she would procrastinate and it would not get accomplished.  Her budget was limited, too.

Sheila accepted my first recommendation which was to complete a specific task on her own within one week.  Sheila completed her assignment successfully. She trusted the idea to work with me virtually to achieve ultimate success, and keep her expenses low. Her next assignment was also completed on time. I estimated the project to complete in six months, this was agreeable to Sheila.

With my feedback, advice and encouragement, Sheila was motivated and held accountable for her success.  Her organizing/paring down project was completed in 3 months….way ahead of schedule. The strategy, that I recommended to Sheila, worked! 

Part of our strategy was to start with easy decisions.  The easier the decision, then the organizing process flowed.  If you start with the hard decisions, one could get stuck.  I vote for easy, and small changes over time.  Leo Tolstoy, the great author of War and Peace, knew that great success was achieved by taking baby steps. He said, “True life is lived when tiny changes occur.”   Taking baby steps give us a chance to experience the changes in our lives.  When we give ourselves time to make decisions, (to keep or eliminate our things, relationships and/or relationship(s) with things or people), we have great opportunities for success.

The industry of Professional Organizing officially began in 1985 by a handful of bold women.  Today, there are thousands of professional organizers in the world, each having a specialty, unique personality, style and philosophy. Marie Kondo, a new popular author of simplifying, emphasizes that if “the thing” does not resonate with you, “it” no longer belongs in your life.  That makes for an easier decision to keep or eliminate. 

Be successful at organizing your space and your life.  Make thoughtful decisions to keep or eliminate, and organize the “best way” for you.

Winnie the Pooh and his friends gave everyone, at every age, a sense of joy, adventure, loyalty and accomplishment.  Allow them to be inspiration for your next organizing project.

The Rewards of Organizing

Monday, March 6th, 2017

The Rewards of OrganizingThis story is true but the names have been changed to protect the privacy of the innocent.

Given a choice, would you choose freedom or burden?  Pierre chose to fly like a kite, free from the burdens of his “stuff.”

Pierre is 60 years old.  For decades, he ran a successful business and was the family member in charge of multiple generations’ history.  Can you imagine the collection of papers and artifacts that accumulated in his home, office and multiple costly storage rooms?

Each storage room cost Pierre $4,800 each year.  The thought of facing the contents of the room was stressful, causing daily anxiety.  He was determined to simplify his life but overwhelming feelings influenced his procrastination.  Finally, with lots of caring, non-judgmental support and the dedication of 5 hours organizing with me to sort through and make decisions, here are the results:

  • Emptied one storage room.
  • Found forgotten items to be used today.
  • Enjoyed various memories.
  • Connected and shared with assorted family members interested in artifacts.
  • Employed a shredding company to shred 25 boxes of old tax info and dated material.
  • Made charitable donations of supplies, electronics and furniture to a local children’s after school center.
  • Added tax deductions for donated items.
  • Received help from an intern in exchange for a well-deserved college recommendation.
  • Saved $4,800 per year on storage bills.

Pierre is now relieved of much stress and anxiety, feeling lighter, happier and energized.

As you can see, simplifying and organizing is not only freeing, it’s giving, sharing, connecting, and empowering; in addition, it’s making others happy and successful.  It’s also cathartic, emotional and strengthens relationships.  The costs of storing “stuff” are more than monetary.  They can take their toll on our emotions and relationships.

Pierre chose to take the time to reduce his burden and feel the freedom.  Can he tackle another storage room and gain more freedom and joy from the burden of excess?  I think he knows he can.

Now that you know what is possible, think about your “storage costs”.  Is it overwhelming?  Now, count to 10, and recapture your senses from the burden of your own overwhelmed accumulations.  Can you tackle your stuff, and rejoice in the same accomplishments that Pierre achieved?  The rewards of organizing and de-cluttering are beyond monetary.

Organizing Options for Care-giving and Care-getting

Monday, August 29th, 2016

balance-1372677-1024x682I heard it said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. The other day, I received a call from a client who confidently exclaimed When I get stuck, I ask myself What would Marcia do?” Wow!!!! I was flattered and glowed with pride. I pride myself in setting a good example by practicing what I preach. Managing time, for instance, is self management. If you had a brief 20 minutes to get something done or started, what would you choose to do? The following are options for accomplishing something in 20 minutes from which this Veteran Professional Organizer would choose.

Enrichment Creative
Learn something new Draw, paint, craft
Practice a skill Cook, Garden
Read Play Music
  Photograph
Social Write, Visualize
Catch up on Social Media De-Clutter/ Organize
Call Someone  
Write a note Well-Being
  Snuggle your pet
Tasks Meditate, pray
File, Put stuff away Yoga, Exercise
Clean/clean out Healthy snack
De-Clutter/ Organize Personal hygiene

Did I leave out any choices? One cannot say there is nothing to do, unless your choice is to do nothing. We have to capitalize on downtime, if not create it.

We all enjoy having choices, but we often fritter away precious moments. What can you accomplish in 20 minutes? What do you need? Is it an urgent need, or a plan for some future important event? If you’ve thrown away precious time in the past, start new. Set a timer. Eliminate distractions such as silencing electronic alerts (except for emergencies).

Life is full. We’re so busy as care-givers to ourselves, our families, our businesses and our loved ones, that we forget to “care-get.” We’re filled with obligations to others, demands from new life, and expired life, let alone our own deadlines. And because we care-give so much, there are more demands on us to organize. We can’t properly help others unless we help ourselves first. The flight attendant’s announcement before every flight includes “In the event of an emergency, make sure your oxygen mask is securely tightened before assisting a child.” Ask YOURSELF, “What do I need to help myself?” Should I write another post on how to ask for help?

Take heed this quote by Amelia Earhart, “Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace. The soul that knows it not, knows no release from little things.” Have the courage to organize, grant yourself peace of mind, and ask yourself, “What would Marcia do?”