Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category

CHAOS! How my disorganized basement gave me hives

Monday, March 28th, 2022

 

Disorganized Basement

Do you shudder when you enter a room, open a cabinet door or see your disorganized basement because you face “stuff” that you’ve postponed tackling? Have you procrastinated a project that you really want to accomplish? Looking back at her process of dealing with an accumulation of “stuff” in her basement, client, Lynn Amos journals:


CHAOS! How my disorganized basement gave me hives.

Well, not literally. One’s basement is out of sight, out of mind. So, unless I went down to do laundry or scoop the litter box, I really didn’t have to confront the teetering piles that had accumulated so that I had to shimmy and limbo to reach the far corner where the camping equipment bin resides. Over the years, when there was no place in the main rooms to store something, down the stairs it came and it rested wherever it landed in the basement. Slowly the space in which to move became smaller and smaller and with it my anxiety at the sight became greater and greater.

Could it be that I’m a hoarder?

Perish the thought! One day I really will fix those wobbly, mismatched chairs I picked up at tag sales with a vision of painting them different colors for my eclectic dining room. I haven’t put up a Christmas tree in my own home in almost 20 years (felines within reach; family afar). But I will again someday. At $20 the pretty green glass vessel sink for the bathroom was a great buy until I realized I would have to switch out the vanity and all the fixtures as well. What’s a frugal homeowner to do?

Finally, the stress that met me each time I descended the stairs was too much to bear; I had to bring order back into my life. It was time to call in the big guns!

I Needed Objectivity About My Disorganized Basement

Marcia worked with me in two three-hour sessions to sort through the mess and choose what to donate or discard. Her objective eye was invaluable. Early, during one session we put the artificial Christmas tree out by the curb (OK. I won’t really be using it again.) along with some other flotsam and jetsam with a sign proclaiming, “FREE.” By the time we were finished that day all items had been taken and were well on their way to living useful lives in other homes, out of the dark.

We uncovered more than a dozen paint cans. Marcia prompted me to identify which ones belonged to which rooms to label and save. We discarded the dried-out cans and put kitty litter in the others to let them dry before putting them in the trash.

The Rewards Are Immeasurable

Once we determined what items I really wanted to keep, Marcia’s organizing skills came into play. She has a keen eye for space – what will fit where, which items need to be most accessible, and how to store things so I’m more likely to put them back where they belong. She brought along her label-maker and we tagged the boxes and bins so I could easily find articles in their new, visible slots. 

I am thankful for the organization Marcia brought to my home. I feel a great sense of accomplishment and am motivated to keep things in good shape going forward. But even more so, I’m grateful for the relief I feel each time I go down to do a load of laundry and scan my orderly basement that no longer causes me to break out in a stressful rash.


When it’s difficult to make decisions, and you value the support of a non-judgmental partner with organizing skills, consider working with a professional organizer to help. You can turn that fear into relief, and that furrowed brow into a smile.

What’s your next project? Is it a disorganized basement?

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?

 
 

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)