Category: Organize Your Stuff

Shop Your Own Stuff First

It’s fair to say, most of us have plenty of stuff.  Sometimes, more stuff than we need!  And sometimes, we have excessive amounts of things, but we STILL CAN’T FIND THEM!  ( So frustrating, I know.)

I taught two classes in Woodbridge this summer. A participant who attended both was chatting with me before the second class began.  She said that my advice to “shop your stuff first” had really resonated with her. She used the example of deviled ham:  Her husband had a taste for deviled ham, and asked her to pick some up at the store when she was out. She asked him if he had checked the cabinet first, and proceeded to find 4 cans of ham in the cabinet already. This is not a criticism, by any means, because many of us operate exactly that way! It happens!

Cleaning out a client’s linen closet last week, she kept exclaiming “Oh great, I was just going to have to go buy this or that” when we came across new items like cleaning supplies, unwrapped pillowcases and sheet sets, first aid supplies, light bulbs, etc.

I’ve been in homes with overcrowded bathroom storage and linen closets, with a dozen rolls of toilet paper in every storage space… except the bathroom that needed some!

The moral of this story (or this blog article, at least), is to Always Shop Your Own Stuff First.

Shopping Your Own Stuff First helps you:

  • Save money by not re-buying items, and by using up your stuff before it has a chance to expire;
  • Save time by reducing your errands and shopping; and
  • Cut down on clutter by avoiding excess stock piles of stuff

But to make the “Shop Your Own Stuff First” advice work, we need to set our homes up to succeed.

Determine what you have.

Explore all those places in your home where you stash purchased inventory.  Perhaps your closets, cabinets, laundry or utility rooms, your car’s trunk, the garage, etc.?

Establish a home (or homes)  for storing your inventory. 

We have chrome shelves in the laundry room where we keep our extra pantry supply inventory like paper towels, toilet paper, light bulbs and cleaning supplies.  As we use items, we restock from this inventory.

For the client and her linen closet I mentioned earlier, we established one shelf in her large closet, at eye level, for all her different types of inventory. Now she can tell at a glance what she has and what she needs to restock.

Always shop those storage areas first!

Working with a client last week, we were preparing for a party.  She had pulled out her stock of tea lights, other candles and candle sticks, and filled in as much as she could with what she had before purchasing more.

We have a cabinet with school supplies like new notebooks, folders, loose leaf paper, pens, etc.  Today before we headed to Office Max / Depot, the high-schooler first checked our supplies to determine what we already had and what we still needed.

Shop differently:

  • ALWAYS Shop Your Stuff First!
  • Always use a list.
  • Know yourself and your family.  Don’t buy what you won’t use.  An 18 pack of toilet paper that no one likes is not a deal, no matter how cheap it was.

Creating this one good habit, of Shopping Your Own Stuff First, can save you time and money and eliminate hassle and clutter in your home!

To:

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Deep, Philosophical Towel Questions…

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Towels.  Have we ever chatted about towels?  We should.  These underappreciated workhorses in our homes get used all day every day, without a thought.  So let’s think about towels.  There are deep and philosophical towel questions like:

  • How many is too many?
  • How old is too old?  Do you need a rag bag?
  • How often should you wash them?
  • Does every one get their own towel?
  • How should you store them in the closet?
  • How should you store them in the bathroom?

How Many is Too Many?

If you are asking if you have too many towels, the answer is probably Yes.

In my organizing classes, I talk about Towel Math.  How many of certain items, like bath towels or coffee mugs, do we really need?  How many dirty people will ever be showering in your home at one time?  This is an extreme example, I know, but it helps us realize that most of us have WAY too many towels.  Bath towels, beach towels, kitchen towels, hand towels, etc.

Our linen closets are full to bursting.  Even if we did catch up on all the laundry, there is no room to put all the towels away.  Sound familiar?

Let’s talk about where to get rid of towels.  If they’re in good shape, consider sharing them with a friend or college student , or selling them.  Donate clean old towels to your local animal shelters (old bedding and t-shirts, too), like PAWS in Tinley Park.

How Old Is Too Old? 

Review the status of your towels.  Can you see daylight through them?  Are they stained, discolored?  Would you offer them to a guest? Do they match anything in the house?

Our oldest towels graduate to Dog Towel status.  Keep in mind, we have not owned a dog since 2007, but we still call them dog towels.  And instead of being used to dry off the dog after a bath (hence the name), now they mop up large spills, dry cars, line boxes for moving stuff, etc.  To cut down on confusion, once an old towel is relegated to dog towel status, mark it with a Sharpie on one corner with an X, or cut a corner out of the fabric, and then store them where they are needed, like on a laundry room shelf and not back in the linen closet with the actual people towels.  Also, set a limit for the number of dog towels you have.  We want the oldest dog towels purged as new ones arrive, too.

“How old is too old?” leads to the Rag Bag question.

Do you need a rag bag? 

No.  Seriously? Just No.

We may dedicate a “rag bag”, but few people actually use their rag bags.  Towels, t-shirts, random fabrics pieces – all end up in the rag bag but nothing EVER COMES OUT.  The bags sit and mold and take up space without accomplishing anything.

Perhaps a rag pile (no more than 10), or a ventilated rag bucket?  No bag.  Trust me on this one. And if you really plan to use them again, don’t call them rags. Call them cleaning cloths or painting cloths, or anything BUT rags.

Better still, invest in microfiber cloths, re-use and wash them a MILLION times, and ditch the rags all together.

How Often Should I Change / Wash Towels? 

I know folks all over the towel spectrum, between “Wait, I’m supposed to wash my bath towels?” to “I use a new towel every time I take a shower.”  As in all things, the truth lies somewhere in the middle.

If you google the “Wash how often?” question, the leading answer is ‘after 3 or 4 uses’.  Bath towels need a chance to dry out before being used again, but can be re-used a few times before washing.

Dish towels and hand towels, on the other hand (pun intended), should be changed every day.

And PLEASE – every body gets their own bath towel.  Just because, you know, ewwwww…

How To Fold Towels? 

This was a conversation early in our marriage, as each of our families fold towels differently.  I come a “fold in thirds down the long edge, then folded three times so it fits on the shelf AND easily hangs on the towel rod” family.

My husband came from a “a half across the short edge and then half  again, so they fit better on the hall closet shelf” family.

Then there is the popular “rolled” approach…

I’m not going to tell you how to fold your towel, but I suggest you pick a way and be consistent, so your stacks look and work better.  I still hold to the triple / triple fold, because it fits my towel shelf best.  Take your pick, just be consistent.

Finally, How To Store Towels In Use?

Remember, ventilation is key for towel storage.  A wet heap – whether it’s a dish towel, bath towel  or beach towel – serves no one well.  So, make sure your towels get some air.  I love the standard towel rod, but space becomes tight if more than 2 people use a bathroom.

A towel hook works, and can be personalized to hold each person’s towel.

You can also set up an over the door towel rack, either in the bathroom or in a bed room,  for good ventilation and storage!

Just make sure the towels get hung up and the hooks get used!

I bet you didn’t know there were so many towel questions to ask! (Neither did I, until I started to writing!)  But show your towels some love this week, purge the old and take care of the good!

Things We Adults Have To Do Sometimes: The Ultimate “What-If?”

A conversation about life insurance turned to a serious statement for me and my husband – we needed to update our wills.  Our sons are older, our needs have changed.  It’s time.

Regardless of age or situation, organized people get their affairs in order.  We needed to make that happen.

But who wants to tackle the tough subjects, right? Either for our self or with a loved one? It can be difficult, uncomfortable, upsetting and even depressing. But we have to do it, for the Ultimate What If.

These are tough topics, I know.  But I also know that making decisions for yourself and your stuff can be a positive experience, bringing peace of mind, comfort, clarity and relief.  Here are some ideas about the process.

Make sure someone knows where your vital information is.  You don’t have to share it all, but a trusted friend should know where it is.  Your vital information might include:

  • Password info for your online information
  • Banking, tax and financial highlights
  • Your Will and Powers of Attorney for Health Care, Financial or Legal Matters, etc.
  • Anything else you would like someone to know about you, should you no longer be able to speak for yourself.

Find and Utilize Your Expert.  Last week, we met with our lawyer Eileen (http://kerlinwalshlaw.com/) to complete our Will and Powers of Attorney.

I wish I could take credit for the hard work, but our attorney took care of that.  We delivered our information and answered questions, then she and her wonderful office turned our information and decisions into the finished product.  We explained our needs – in the event of a tragedy, we need to provide guardianship for our youngest plus for the educational needs of all three sons. Beyond that, we also talked about health care decisions and planning for the future.  And since she is our expert, she was able to explain different strategies and options to us to meet our goals.  Find your own expert (or contact Kerlin Walsh Law), and make the call.

Make Decisions About Your Health:

  • One of the documents we signed was our Power of Attorney for Health care.
  • A few years back, a client asked me if I would sit and read through her own Power of Attorney for Health Care and Finances, plus her End of Life directives with her.  The topic upset her children too much to talk it through with them, and she really wanted closure with the process.  Conveniently, I’m a notary public, so I could notarize her signature while we were working.   She also recommended “5 Wishes”, https://fivewishes.org/, as a guide to help with these tough decisions.

Make Decisions About Your Stuff:

  • If you have specific items to share, write a note now about who should get the item, but more importantly – write a note about Why?  Why do you want the crystal vase to go to your niece, and what makes it important to you?  Tell your story, and the story of your gifts.  I would even suggest  – if you are downsizing or just in a mood to purge, give the treasure to your loved one now, while you can share a story in person.

Make Decisions About Your Service: 

  • The Dress.  Early in my career, I cleaned out a closet with a dear client.  There was a dress hung in the back of the closet, with the dry cleaner bag still on it.  The client was active and healthy at the time, but she told me that was The Dress, and if her family asked, that was The Dress she wanted to be buried in.  I respected her wishes, and we talked a little more about her plans, and then moved on.  She had many more good years.  Last summer, at her wake, seeing her in The Dress made me cry and smile at the same time, I was so glad she had shared her wishes with her family.
  • You may not know this, but in addition to a certified professional organizer,  I am also a liturgical musician and have sung for dozens of funerals.  If you have a favorite song or scripture reading, let someone know now.

This is a weighty topic, I know. But taking a calm and organized approach to getting your affairs in order now will save everyone stress or heartache later.  Just do it!

Big Summer Organizing Projects – You Need a Plan!

I presented my Large Organizing Projects presentation the last two evenings at local libraries.  This is a popular class this time of year because those big organizing projects we tackle in the summer, like garages or basements, can be intimidating!

It is understandable to feel overwhelmed, but don’t let that feeling stop you from positive action!

You need a plan.  

  • Set a date, create a deadline!
  • Don’t get overwhelmed!
  • Enlist aid.
  • Plan your attack.
  • Assemble your supplies.
  • Don’t be a butterfly.  (Get to it, and if you get distracted, get back to it!)

Give your self a deadline, and stick with it.
“Everyone needs deadlines… If we didn’t have deadlines, we’d stagnate” – Walt Disney

Without a deadline, we may never feel the urgency, the drive, to accomplish a project.  Real or imagined, deadlines get us moving!  Create your own if you don’t have one!  Finish the project by: July 1.  July 31.  The time the kids go back to school, the time your company comes in (insert month name here).  Make an appointment, if that would help!  Order the dumpster to be delivered, or the donation truck to pick up!  Schedule a friend or family member to come and help you on a certain Saturday morning for a designated couple of hours.  Having that scheduled time in mind will help you get things done!

If your big project is intimidating, imagine it as a series of little tiny projects!  For example… “cleaning the garage” may feel like a major undertaking, but imagine setting a timer and tackling one small pile of stuff or one small area every day, instead of jumping in all at once.  Conquering a shelf or drawer at a time, and then allowing a break or a change of task, can helps us make progress in small steps towards a big finish line!

Enlist Aid.  Some folks like to organize alone, but many of us benefit from having company!  Your assistant doesn’t have to be a professional organizer, they might be a friend who’s opinion you value, a family member or two that are willing to do some heavy lifting, or even a paid service like movers or junk haulers.

Plan your attack.  If you have helpers, plan the work around skill and activity levels.  And DO NOT START with opening up every cabinet or dumping every box.  Pick your starting spot, and move steadily from there.  No zig zagging, no making a bigger mess!


Once you have your plan of attack, consider your supply list.  Plan on having garbage bags to bag garbage or items to be donated, boxes for oddly shaped items that need to go, storage containers for the items you plan to keep.  I always have sharpie markers, post-it notes, packing tape and scissors with me, too.  Have cleaning supplies on hand – for example, if you’re working in the garage, plan to sweep up in the spaces you clear before putting stuff back!

Don’t be a butterfly! 
In my organizing classes, I remind people that butterflies are not very good organizers.  They fly lightly from here to there and may be lovely to watch, but we won’t get very far in our organizing projects if we fly from here to there without getting anything done.  So, when your work day arrives, Get To It!  And if, during the process, you get distracted, Get Back to It!

Real and Imperfect, That’s Me! But Continually Improving!

A reader shared the following with me last week:

“… Even though you are a professional and experienced organizer, I love the way you admit your own struggles and challenges. It’s not like you try to paint yourself as this perfect person who has it all together all the time. There are so many ‘gurus’ out there who speak in a way which tends to cause the average person to feel like they could never live up to their standards. You, on the other hand, are very relatable. So, thanks for that.” – T.

Wow. Just Wow.  This review means a lot to me.

T. – thank you and you’re welcome. And trust me, I am as real and imperfect as everyone else!  I am always organized, though.  And I am always looking for ways to improve.  To improve me, improve my situation, improve the lives of those around me.  And I would suggest that you can, too.

The following phrase keeps coming up, as recently as this week’s coaching call with my accountability partner Jan!   “What is the learning here?” or “What  did we learn from this?”

Last week’s article focused on how I identified a challenge I was having and some steps I took to improve the situation. And that is what I want for all of you (and me).  Continuous improvement.

It’s important for all of us to keep improving. We all are real and imperfect, beautiful and flawed and divinely created.  And we all are capable of growth until the moment we stop breathing.   The 90+ year old retired priest at my parish says “If you can’t find anything in yourself that needs to change, you’re not looking hard enough”.  This, from a century of living.

My clients often call me in the midst of overwhelm or chaos.  But they still call me.  They make the conscious decision to make things better.  They have assessed their situation, at home or at work, and have realized that getting life organized will improve the situation.

This week, I celebrate my 400th blog post and my 15th anniversary in business.  Yet, there is so much more to do! So many more ideas to be explored!  So many areas I can still improve upon!

To continually improve, we need to be aware of our self and of our current situation.  Sometimes that means we have to step back a bit and look at the big picture.

We need to objectively look around.

We assess our situation, and identify opportunities for improvement.

We use our creativity and imagination in coming up with solutions, or we ask for help from friends or experts.

Once we find solutions, we commit and dedicate resources (like time, energy, money and space) to the solutions.

We maintain the solutions, all the while being aware of our selves and our situation, and possibly starting the process over and over and over again.

We can be real and imperfect, but still improve every moment and every day.  I look forward to my next 15 years in business, and my next 400 blog posts.  I look forward to all the different ways I can improve our world and how I can help you to do the same.  Thanks for being with me on this journey.

I’m Not a Gardener, But I Know How To Prune

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Recently, I listened to a homily about the Vine and the Branches.

My priest talked about how, these days, we prune mostly for aesthetics – we mow the grass and trim the shrubs so they look even and tidy.  However, in biblical days, pruning was necessary for survival.  Growers would cut away the branches that weren’t producing fruit, so a plant could focus more food and resources on the branches that were productive.

I liked this analogy, and thought about how it pertains to the stuff of our lives.

Look around your home.  What belongings of yours are productive? What items do you use regularly, reliably and with pleasure?  Those are your productive branches.

Conversely, what items of yours are NOT producing fruit?  What items are more trouble than they are worth?  What do you have just too much of, so that your attention and resources are wasted.

Consider the cost of maintenance.

First, we purchase an item.  If it’s an expensive item, perhaps we also purchase a special case for it, a warranty or an insurance policy.

We choose a spot in our home to keep it, and now that chosen space cannot hold other items.

OR… We don’t choose a spot in our home to keep it, and it floats around, getting lost or broken.

Or… We have so many other things that we have also purchased, the new item gets stuffed in the chosen spot with 10 other items, and now we can’t find anything.  And that is just storage.

Perhaps our new special item requires temperature control or lighting, or special cleaning or regular maintenance.

The problem is not with the new item.  If we have just an item or two that requires this special treatment, we can manage.  The problem comes when we have many such items that require care and storage and maintenance and time, and our resources get spread so thin we can’t properly take care of anything!

“I feel thin, sort of stretched, like butter scraped over too much bread.”  Bilbo Baggins, Fellowship of the Ring by JR Tolkein

In the interest of pruning, of cutting away the unproductive parts to focus on the productive parts, clear the clutter that isn’t serving you and your life.

For example, purge clothes you no longer need or want to make more breathing room in your closet and life for the clothes that really represent you.

Cull your books so that you can focus on the ones that actually hold an interest for you, and keep a smaller pile so that you might find time to actually read them!

Clear away the clutter from hobbies that you no longer love or participate in.  I have clients with sporting equipment they haven’t used in 20 years, craft supplies they no longer have an interest in using, tools that are still in the box.

Cut away, metaphorically speaking, the unproductive parts so that you can focus your time and attention on the stuff of your life that serves you well!

Self-Care in Little Bite-Size Pieces. Or Perhaps a Smoothie.

It took 40+ years (okay, closer to 50), 20 of those as a mom, but I’m finally figuring out Self Care, and the difference between Self Care and Me Time.

First of all, can we just call it something else?  My friend Jan clarified for me – Self Care is investing in good habits now to help Future You later.  So, some days, it seems self-care is actually survival.  It’s taking care of the basics of life, so there is something left in us at the end of the day.  For a long time, “Self-Care” seemed too selfish and warm and fuzzy for me, but now I understand how essential it truly is.

I coach people in Time Management all the time, but “Me Time”?  Well, Me Time still escapes  me.  Perhaps it was the 12 minutes of reading the new Dan Brown book before nodding off last night, or relaxing with some yard maintenance on a beautiful sunny day.  That will have to be good enough for now, and I’m ok with that.

Here, friends, is organizer insight applied to Self Care.  Read on, or not.  It’s up to you.

Be Nice To You.
I’m not terribly judgmental… except of myself.   Even if I notice a shortcoming in someone else, I try to accept it with compassion or just let it go… except when it’s me.  Conversely – and you can tell me if this is true for you or not, as well – I also have the utmost faith in my own abilities to do pretty much everything, and all at the same time.  Until human fallibility comes in, and then I’m back to being overly judgmental of myself.

So, my first suggestion for self care for you and for me  is to be nice to you, and show yourself the same compassion you show others.

Also, be nice to you because you may be the only one who knows you are suffering.  This is not because your loved ones don’t care.  They might not notice that you’re having a rough time.  Perhaps you have made life seem so easy for so long that no one even worries about you, or it may just take too darned long to explain or ask for care.  Like so many things, this may be up to you, dear.

Nourish yourself.
Feed yourself with healthy foods, and do it regularly.  Start with you, so you have energy to help others.  This is how I ended an email yesterday morning to my accountability partner:  ” Ok, cutting this short.  Heading to a hoarding clean-out, so nice Colleen is going to take care of future Colleen by spending the next 10 minutes making a healthy smoothie, packing a healthy lunch and dressing for safety.”

Figure out how to make nourishing yourself easier.  I spent part of my dinner-making time Sunday prepping food for the week.  I cleaned and cut produce, hard boiled eggs (my preferred packed-lunch on the go), and pre-bagged some snacks.  Preparing a Sunday dinner is relaxing to me, so it makes sense for me to hang out in the kitchen for a few more minutes.  Not so for you?  Don’t worry.  Cut corners, seriously, anywhere you can.

Take your nourishment with you.  As my son and I headed to school before I went to yesterday’s client, I placed my go mugs in my van cup holders, saying “Life Blood” (coffee) and “Breakfast” (my Greek yogurt / banana / whatever other fruit I have smoothie).   Let’s face it, plain Greek yogurt is sort of gross, but its a nutritional powerhouse and makes a great fruit smoothie I can sip as I drive!

Don’t bother with what you just don’t care about.
Over the weekend, I discussed with my friend Karen how great it is to be our current age.   With maturity has come the freedom to say “Nope, don’t need to know this.  Don’t need to worry about that.”    The things I do need to worry about are very real and plentiful, but it’s not EVERYTHING anymore.  Whatever the next fad or celebrity or TV show – nope, no thanks, I’m good.


Find your people.
Find your people.  Reach out to them often.  Make it brief, though, because truly – some days, who has the time? But share the love as much as you can, even in little ways, because we all need a boost some days.

Take care of you, friends.  And know that the rest of us are here to back you up when you need it.

Get Rid Of Mail Before It Arrives!

At a presentation last week, I promised to share some tips about purging paper clutter.  Specifically, how to cut down on mail before it even hits your mail box! 

Wouldn’t it be better for mail to just not even arrive?!  We can make that happen!  Drastically reduce your new mail and have less paper to manage!

Check out the Direct Marketing Association website at https://thedma.org/accountability/dma-choice/, and for $2, sign up for DMA  Choice.  Here, you can choose to remove your name from mailing lists, cutting down on your unsolicited mail.  I have a couple of derivations to my name – Colleen and Mary Colleen, for example – so I can list all the different ways my name appears and remove it from unsolicited mailing lists.

Rest assured, the DMA will only remove you from unsolicited mailing lists (from organizations and companies you don’t already have a relationship with), so the mail you want to receive will be unaffected.

File this under “learn something new every day”, the DMA also offers the option to remove deceased family members from mailing lists, to help eliminate the sometimes painful exercise of returning mail or having to call organizations and talk about a death.

 

Next, on to Catalogs.  Tear off the back page and recycle the rest.  Then, with your back pages in hand, head over to CatalogChoice.org, to eliminate unwanted catalogs.  Catalog Choice will ask for the name of the catalog, your name and address, and the key code and source codes on the catalog.  It may take up to a month to see a difference, but your mail box will thank you!  If you have a catalog not listed on CatalogChoice.org, try calling the 800# to cancel it.

 

Also, receive as much of your mail via email as possible.  Magazines, newsletters, banking and financial statements, bills – all can be recieved via email or logging in!  Save your statements to PDF on your computer, and eliminate the need for paper (Making sure you back up your data, of course).

 

And… if the mail does still arrive, as some, no doubt, will…

  • Set up a recycling bin next to the door and toss immediately anything that can be recycled.
  • Keep a shredder close at hand, too.  There will be unsolicited mail that arrives that may contain personal information or offers, and these items should be shred immediately.
  • Tackle these quick steps regularly, so mail and paper clutter doesn’t have a chance to pile up

Keep the mail from piling up, and give your mail box a break!

Celebrate Earth Day in Little Ways Every Day

Earth Day is April 22nd.  This week, I was planning to write  an epic article about making big changes to create big change!

But then I was realized that we can create big change through small but consistent positive steps every day.

I was reminded as I (and you can try these, too):

  • Filled my re-usable water bottle with home-filtered water;
  • packed a lunch to eat between my client appointments;
  • washed and re-packed my reusable drinking straw;
  • opened yesterday’s mail while standing over the recycling bin;
  • added errands to Friday’s Errand List (if you plan just one trip for all of them, you can save time, money and fuel!);
  • planned our weekly menu, incorporating food we already have (saving time, money and minimizing food waste);
  • wiped down the bathroom counter with a concentrated cleaner we mix and dilute ourselves;
  • opened the blinds and curtains during the day while the sun warms the house;
  • grabbed a sweater instead of turning up the heat;
  • made sure my stash of re-usable shopping bags are back in my van where I need them; and
  • encouraged and assisted my clients today to reduce, re-use and recycle.

These steps aren’t even hard to make.  Little steps, turned into habits, taking no time at all to complete regularly, but amounting to a big difference over time.  Like so many challenges, weight loss or fitness or getting organized, progress towards a goal is made daily in small increments.

So, with Earth Day just around the corner, how can you celebrate taking care of the earth every day?  Not just once a year but every day in little ways?

It’s The “Grab Your Clipboard” Time of Year Again!

Last week, I presented to a lovely group of women and made them laugh by expressing my love for clipboards.

I do love clipboards.

They are so useful!  They keep our important papers corralled and are easy to find in a crowded briefcase.  They provide a sturdy surface for writing, are inexpensive and are available in lots of snazzy colors.

I love more than just their physical attributes, though.  People feel empowered when holding a clipboard, and that power shows on the outside.  Imagine –  a crowded room with people milling about and one is carrying a clipboard.  If you need direction or information, you will go and ask the clipboard carrier.

What’s not to love?

In my Clear the Clutter presentations, I suggest that folks grab a clipboard to start their organizing plan.  With Spring here and lots of projects to tackle, it’s the “Grab Your Clipboard” time of year again!

Here’s what you do:

(Updated, Spring 2022:  You can achieve the benefits of the “Clipboard” by using technology, as well, or even just an extra notepad! Most of my “clipboard” notes go into Evernote and then into my Master To-Do list, but the thought process and the results are the same!)

Grab your clipboard, paper and a pen.  Walk from room to room in your home and note the projects, organizing and otherwise, that you would like to accomplish in each space. For example:

  • Master Bathroom:  clean out under sink, find new wall art, buy new shower curtain
  • Dining Room: clean out coat closet, paint trim, wash windows
  • Hall closet: talk to electrician about updating the light fixture
  • Home Office: organize book cases, clean out bottom file cabinet drawer, recycle old printer

You may find that some of your rooms are just fine as is.  If so, congratulations!   Pat yourself on the back, and move on to the next room!  Keep this process up, taking notes but not action, until you’ve addressed all the areas of your home, inside and out.

Review the room-by-room list on your clipboard.  You may realize that the solution to a couple of projects may be the same step.  For example,  “update light fixture” in the closet and “add security light to garage” would require just one call to your electrician.  Or if you want to get rid of an old family room couch and bedroom dresser, you might arrange one charitable donation pick-up to take care of both.

Glancing at the list,  you may also notice recurring themes.  Let’s say “Move the pile of books” is on the list for every room.  It seems a house-wide book review and purge may be in order!

Right now, this clipboard activity generated a wish list instead of an Action Plan. So now you need an ACTION PLAN!

Pick one project to start.  Just one, not all of them at once!  Pick one.

  • Your #1 Priority may be clear.  For example, a client who is having surgery needs the main floor bedroom organized before her surgery date.  Obviously, she knows where to start! However, if you’re not sure…
  • Start with the hardest project, since that may take the longest overall;
  • Line up an assistant for the project requiring heavy lifting or two people;
  • Start with the project that will help you right away and every day, like the kitchen cabinets or your closet; or
  • Just pick the one that seems like the most fun, to boost your motivation!
  • The most important step is to JUST START!

Pick your project, set aside some time on the calendar to get it done (either a big block of time on a weekend or evening, or in a handful of shorter sessions), and get going!

Keep your clipboard and list handy, and once the first project is complete, refer back to the clipboard list and tackle the next most important project.  Happy Organizing and Happy Spring!

To:

Receive more ideas and suggestions like these;
Book time with me in person or virtually;
Arrange a presentation for your upcoming event; or
Discover the benefits of Organizational Coaching;

Please contact me.

Call / text 708.790.1940
Online at  http://peaceofmindpo.com
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