Archive for the ‘Organizing’ Category

How to Organize Your Spices

Tuesday, June 16th, 2020

How to organize your spices. Organize your spices, organize your life!

I’ve learned that the process you use to organize the smallest things in your life, like your spices, is a metaphor for how you organize YOUR LIFE. American poet Emily Dickinson (1830 – 1886) famously said, “If you take care of the small things, the big things take care of themselves.” Let’s look at the details to consider when organizing your spices, and how the decision-making process may apply to organizing your life.

Examine your space available and the spices you like to use.

Do you prefer your spices to be visible or hidden from sight?
If hidden from sight, will your spices be stored in a cabinet, a drawer, or a closet?
Do you prefer the symmetry of spices in same-sized containers, or do you like mixed shapes and sizes?
Do you use a large variety of spices, or do you prefer a limited palette?
How do you know when to get rid of spices or replace them?
Is there room for additional spices once you’ve organized what you have?

While you’re answering those questions, you may want to do a bit of exploring. Online, you’ll discover an array of products, from the simple and practical to the wild and ingenious. See, for example, the ones found in this link: Spice Organization, or this link: Vertical Spice. You may wish to create a craft project spice rack like the one on this Good Housekeeping link. You may prefer to design your own and have it custom built, as I did (pictured above). There’s no right or wrong way to organize your things. It’s YOUR way. The questions you ask to organize your spices are so similar to the questions to ask yourself when organizing many areas of your life.

I have been helping individuals organize their personal and work spaces, their private and confidential information on paper and digital files, and even small details like their spices. Each of my 700 clients has been unique, with intriguingly individual preferences. Some like visual systems, while others prefer their possessions hidden from sight. I help people of all ages discover the best organizing solutions to fit their needs, their space, their lifestyle.

Organizing your spices requires thinking, planning, and measuring.

Organizing the small details of our lives are worth the thinking, planning, and measuring. We may feel a better sense of control of our lives if we pay attention to the small details, especially during times of stress, discomfort, grief, right-sizing, or growth.

The hardest part is ALWAYS getting started. What project will you select to begin to organize? A seasoned organizer can help guide you away from overwhelm and motivate you to a successful finish. Do you want to feel good that you have accomplished your long-postponed tasks? Together, we can get those projects Under Control.

Will you share a photo of your organized spices on my Facebook post?

 
 

Is “Organizing” Therapeutic for You?

Saturday, April 4th, 2020

Organizing is Therapeutic

The Huffington Post published an article the other day about why cleaning and organizing is therapeutic in stressful times. Although there is some controversy about equating organizing with cleaning, the topic spurs some thought.

For some individuals, not cleaning nor organizing is a therapeutic task. For some, the task of organizing is additional stress!! Regarding organizing: Where to begin? How to do it? Do I toss, donate, give away, sell? Where/how do I store the things I keep? It can be overwhelming.

In 1985, a handful of individuals began an industry call Professional Organizing, now called NAPO, The National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals. We, Professional Organizers, help individuals alleviate the stress of organizing: paper, digital, financial, spaces, collections, projects, etc.

How do I personally alleviate stress? For those who know me well, I LOVE to organize, and my career tests proved “I am exceptional at organizing skills.” Organizing is my mojo – the gas in my tank. Whether in person, by phone, text, Skype or Zoom, my organizing aura is contagious. The stress of organizing melts away with me (and you may learn a little too). If you need a little Organizing Mojo, contact me.

How do you get your “mojo”? What makes you smile….cooking, baking, dancing, singing, pet training, crafts, art, meditating, poetry, writing, gardening, reading….? While we’re sequestered in our homes, we’re all looking for ways to motivate, heal, connect and/or disconnect. Let us connect. Maybe you can teach me something, and I can help you organize in return. Let’s motivate each other.

In 1985, “We Are The World” was recorded to support a crisis. Now, 35 years later, we are in need globally to join together to support one another. Introvert, extrovert and everyone in between, “there’s a choice were making, we’re saving our own lives.”

What’s Your Style? Setting Up Organizing Systems.

Monday, December 16th, 2019

Organizing systems for every organizing style

 

“I put it somewhere.”  But, can you find it?

Finding It

Are you setting up organizing systems for piles of papers, collections, or supplies?  Some may suggest that cookie cutter systems suffice, but not everyone thinks the same. To be successful at finding “it” in the future depends on several factors. There’s a better chance that you’ll find “it” when you need it, if you consider your style of organization.

Store Inside or Display

Organizing styles vary.  Creative people think differently than linear thinkers.  There’s not a better way. It’s your way.  For instance, are you an In‑ie (order based on systems placed inside drawers or cabinets) or an Out‑ie (order based on visually displayed systems)? The In-ies: there are drawers, cabinets, binders and boxes. The Out-ies: there are other options such as vertical spaces, clear wall files, cubbies, and hooks.

Keywords and Categories for Organizing Systems

When you’re setting up organizing systems, consider a keywords or categories. That’s where you’ll find it. If an item is related to hiking, do you store it with your hiking gear or other outdoor related items? Where will YOU think to find it? 

Where do you store your Insurance Policy…in an alphabetical file with other Insurance Policies, or specifically with your Home, Auto (Car), Business, or Medical information? Remember, there’s no RIGHT WAY, it is stored where YOU will think to look for it.

There are so many factors to your personality to consider when setting up an organizing system in your home or office.  Labels and color coding can enhance your system. Discuss your preference with an organizing professional.

You can transform your out‑of‑control spaces to Under Control after discovering your personal style of organizing.

Minimalism and Organizing

Monday, April 29th, 2019

 

Imagine a blank canvas: Minimalism or something else?

Will you fill it with stuff, select minimalism as an approach, or something in between?  There’s no right or wrong way, just your way.  It’s YOUR life, not someone else’s.

Fill your canvas with what makes YOU happy. 

Now, compare this canvas with your actual life today.  Are you burdened with past possessions, or motivated by them?  Do they energize you or enervate?  Should you keep your mementoes or eliminate them? Is it time to reevaluate?

I was so fortunate to be interviewed by Nicole Pyles, an imaginative journalist whose article on the Minimalism movement was just published in 44691 Magazine.  The essence of the movement is to achieve balance and we do that by learning about ourselves.

In Nicole’s article, she reviews the book by Joshua Becker called The Minimalist Home. Nicole writes, “[Getting to know ourselves] is exactly the type of approach Becker suggests. His priority was to spend more time with family, entertain friends and invite people over. So, he kept the things that helped him do that and got rid of the things that inhibited him. Another approach Becker suggests is doing a trial run and experiment with less...”

Minimalism: Just One Approach

Minimalism, although very popular today, is only one approach to enjoying our “space”.  As Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “It’s common sense to take a method and try it. If it fails, admit it frankly and try another. But, above all, try something.” 

A thoughtful approach to de-cluttering gives you the chance to review your priorities, surround yourself with the things that make you happy and have a balanced life.  Contact undercontrolorganizing.com .

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)

Why People Hold Onto Stuff

Monday, February 12th, 2018

Why people hold onto stuff

“Y is a crooked letter.”

This was my grandfather’s standard response to the basic question of childhood “Why, Grandpa?”.  My interpretation of that expression is that the answer is complicated.  And, when it comes to human behavior,  it almost always is.

Why do people hold onto stuff?

The answer is complicated because there are so many different kinds of “stuff “, and there are so many different kinds of people.  No two individuals are alike.   No situations are alike.  Each is unique in their environment, and although you may empathize, you cannot compare your situation to theirs, nor can you judge them.  You, the reader, may suggest “Why don’t they just toss it?” 

These are SOME of the reasons:

Lack of permission
Lack of instructions
Lack of knowledge
I didn’t know it had a deadline
Not aware of an alternative
I borrowed it, and don’t know if they want it back.
Out of sight, out of mind
I may need it someday
Hope
Future
Can’t waste
Someone else may need it
Belief that it is, or will be, useful
Sentimentality
Overwhelmed
Don’t know where to begin
Unable to bite off small pieces to downsize
Not ready; waiting for the right time
Not a priority
Fear of letting go
This is not the first thing on my agenda

I remember a client who received an envelope in the mail marked “Do Not Discard”.  She didn’t know why she wasn’t allowed to throw it out, and asked for my direction.  The envelope dictated “Do Not Discard”.  The envelope contained a promotional offer which she was not interested in, but the envelope dictated TO HER “Do Not Discard”.  Most people would ignore that demand, but she was confused.  The instruction “Do Not Discard” meant do not discard, period.  It’s a real story, yes!  So, you don’t believe that there are people who could think that way?  This case may be an extreme, but this is the perfect example of the #1 reason why people hold onto stuff.  Many people simply don’t feel that they have permission to get rid of things. They need to be reassured that they are adults, and it’s their stuff to do with as they like.

Clearing out a garage, a closet or a home often requires empowerment.

I had another client who presented me with shopping bags filled with mail (some unopened) and assorted papers.  She can’t decide WHAT to do with each piece, and asked me to explain what they were, so she could make the decision to keep or toss.  Lack of knowledge (“something MIGHT be important that I’m not aware of.”) or instructions (offer expired last month) kept her from making decisions. And this is the #2 reason why people hold onto stuff.  They simply can’t imagine how to proceed – it’s overwhelming. Attics, basements and garages are filled with boxes of past taxes and paid bills because the owners don’t know when they can discard or shred the material.  Pantries, refrigerators and bathroom cabinets are filled with expired food items, medicines and cosmetics.

Where do I start? What’s important? What if I make a mistake?

The future is a mystery to everyone.  “ I may lose the weight, and get back to that size.”  “What if I gain weight again, and need the larger sizes?”  “What if I need it someday?” “I once wanted to travel to those destinations.”  “I used to like to participate in those hobbies.”  These are familiar comments and questions from those who hold on to old clothing, accessories, papers, books and household items.  Closets, cabinets, files and drawers are filled with hope and future possibilities for many.

The environmentally conscious individual will always be concerned about waste.  They wonder if someone else could use the items they own.  Therefore, they will hold onto their stuff until they know the answer.

Some individuals cannot distinguish whether a book or collection is clutter or a treasure.  You might think of clutter as you might consider a weed in the garden.  But, some people enjoy weeds, a.k.a. wild flowers.  Defining irrelevance is not cut and dry. 

My grandfather knew that education is a necessary response to the most tough questions.   The answer to “Why” is complicated, and helping someone to let go of their stuff (or to organize their belongings), begins with learning more about themselves.

It’s a virtual cycle. Clear your mind and then reorganize.

Reorganize and in turn, your mind will feel clearer.

Plus, you may even remember where everything is!

(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.

Twenty Five (25)

Monday, June 26th, 2017

Twenty Five (25)

When you think of 25, what comes to your mind?

Twenty five is:

  • also known as quarter of a century
  • the number of cents in a quarter
  • the atomic number of Manganese
  • the number typically reserved for the best slugger in Baseball
  • the name of Breckenridge Brewery American Porter Style Beer
  • the name of George Michael’s (rest in peace) 2016 greatest hits album

Twenty-five is also 24 + 1 hours in a day, enjoyed once a year at the vernal equinox.

And, June 2017 marks the 25th year anniversary of my business, Under Control Organizing.  

It’s hard to believe that it has been 25 years since I started organizing professionally. In 1992, when I began Under Control Organizing, I knew that I had the ability to assist, teach, motivate, and guide others toward a more organized life. My career tests had demonstrated strength in “organizing”, and I deeply felt that I could successfully share that gift with others.  

I am honored to have helped almost 700 individuals with their spaces, paper, “stuff” and lives.  The spectrum of these organizing projects over the past 25 years is wide. They include simplifying, right-sizing, enhancing productivity, and managing transitions into different phases of life. The relationships that developed from these projects was not predictable, and certainly a bonus.

Many requests which began with sadness, frustration, embarrassment and/or shame, ended in elation, hope and pride. Closets, cabinets, storage rooms, RV homes, (home) offices, kitchens, attics, garages, playrooms, and art studios are some of the spaces that I tackled with my clients.  Those spaces held supplies, collections, files, inherited items, minutiae and prized possessions. From arranging furniture for maximum functionality, identifying and sorting “like things together” for easier access, tabulating spreadsheets to keep track of costs, and managing digital files for cloud access, each individual and situation has been unique.  I have always said that there is no cookie cutter solution to organizing challenges, and the results of the past 25 years have proved that notion.

Some of my current organizing projects include:

  • Downsizing homes, offices and storage for retirement or transition
  • Planning moves to smaller homes
  • Settling into new homes
  • Modifying living and work spaces for better efficiency and comfort
  • Managing paper, digital files and cloud storage
  • Tackling your unique “situation”

I am grateful, to all of my customers (and those who referred you to me) over these last 25 years, for your trust in me to “invade” your homes, offices and lives. You can count of me to be there for your next organizing challenge. In the words of Robert Frost, “The woods are lovely, dark and deep.  But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep.”