Marie Kondo book

10 Points on Which I Agree With Marie Kondo

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Helpful Organizer BlogThe popular book by Marie Kondo, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tiding Up” has been a topic of many discussions between my Professional Organizer colleagues and myself. I found that I agree with many of Marie Kondo’s points, as long as you substitute the word organizing in place of the word tidying. Here is a list of 10 points on which I agree:

  1. In most societies tidying (i.e. organizing) is the job that keeps the home livable, but is not taught because of the misconception that the ability to tidy (i.e. organizing) is acquired through experience and doesn’t require training. I agree with this point, because organizing is a skill that needs to be taught, learned, and, most of all, practiced.
  2. Effective tidying  (i.e. organizing) is discarding and deciding where to store things. I agree with this point, because organizing is action. It’s discarding, in a timely manner, what is no longer wanted, needed, or used. It’s also deciding where to put things, and returning those things to the same spot every time they are used.
  3. Tidying (i.e. organizing) is a dialogue with one’s self. I agree with this point, because when we perform the actions of organizing, discarding and deciding, we have internal dialogues with ourselves.
  4. Focus more on what you want to keep in your life and space than on what you want to get rid of. I agree with this point, because it’s easier to make decisions when we focus on what’s important to us and worth keeping in our lives and spaces.
  5. It’s easy to part with things where there is an obvious reason for doing so, but it’s much more difficult when there is no compelling reason. I agree with this point, because we often hold onto things out of indecision or obligation.
  6. Sometimes never comes. I agree with this point, because when we use the word “sometimes” it is most likely an excuse. The phrases, “I might need that sometime.” or “I might use that sometime.”, are excuses to keep an item, instead of accepting that we don’t need it, and that it is time to let it go.
  7. If you have lived in Japan or USA all your life, you have almost certainly been surrounded by more than you need. I agree with this point, because it’s estimated that the amount of unopened merchandise in an average American home is $7,00.00.
  8. Clutter is cause by a failure to return things to where they belong. Therefore storage should reduce the effort needed to put things away, not the effort to get them out. I agree with this point, because more people have trouble putting things away than they do in getting them out.
  9. Discarding hones one’s decision-making skills. I agree with this point, because practice improves the skill of organizing.
  10. Tidying (i.e. organizing) ought to be the act of restoring balance among people, their possessions, and the house they live in. I agree with this point, because it has been proven that organized people are less stressed.

Marie Kondo book

©March 2016  Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer®  All Rights Reserved

3D Character and question mark

How to Decide When It’s Time to Organize

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Helpful Organizer BlogHow often do we organize? Do we let the mess and clutter build and build before you reclaim order? How do we decide when it’s time to organize? The answers to these questions vary for each individual, based on tolerance and desire.

Every individual has their own personal level of tolerance for disorder, meaning how much mess they are willing to live with before they clean it up. If we have a low tolerance for disorder, we don’t allow mess to happen or spread. However, if we have high tolerance for disorder, we find that clutter grows and spreads before we realize it’s out of control.

Additional, every individual has their own personal desired level of order, meaning how much clutter they can live with before they take action and remove it. If we desire a high level of order, we have systems in place that prevent clutter from happening. However, if our desire for order is low, we allow the mess to get out of control.

The best solution is to determine when it’s time to organize, and then take action before the mess and clutter get out of control. Here are 3 basic guidelines we can use to determine when it’s time to take action and organize.

  • Time Guideline
  • Quantity Guideline
  • Visual Assessment Guideline

A Time Guideline is when we use a specific time or day as the cue to take action and organize. Here are a few examples. Every night before eating dinner, we put away what’s collected on the kitchen/dinning room table. Every night at 8:00PM, we organize and prepare for the next day. The last Saturday of every month, we take care of recycle items and donate items. Every September, we clean out the garage.

A Quantity Guideline is when we use a specific unit of measure to determine when it’s time to take action and organize. Here are a few examples. When our inbox is an inch deep, we process all the mail. When the shred box is full, we empty it by shredding it’s contents. When the magazine rack is full, we remove and recycle 5 magazines. When we have two weeks worth of old newspapers, we recycle them.

A Visual Assessment Guideline is when you use a specific visual cue to determine when it’s time to take action and organize. Here are a few examples. When we can’t see the desk, we organize the desk. When the floor of the walk-in closet is hidden, we organize the closet. When there are too many items on the kitchen counter, we clear it off and put things away.

Based on our personal tolerance and desire we’ll be drawn to a specific type of guideline.  The key is to find guidelines that work and stick with them, because trouble occurs when we don’t establish any guidelines, we ignore our guidelines, or we’re unable to maintain our guidelines.

So, the best way to decide when it’s time to organize is to first look at our tolerance for disorder and our personal desired level of order. Second, establish organizing guidelines. Third, follow the guidelines that have been established. Remember, the best guideline is the one we will DO.

 

© February 2016  Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer®  All Rights Reserved

kindness is contagious

Acts of Kindness

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kindness is contagious

I’ve always liked the idea of New Year’s Resolutions. Starting a new year with an intention to better my life in some way, is very appealing to me. Many people include an organizing project or habit as part of their new year’s resolution. As a Professional Organizer, I fully support this. However, I’d like to offer another option that can help you help others, as well as, help you get organized. This year, my new year’s resolution is to perform at least one small acts of kindness each week. This idea was sparked by a newsletter I received last year with a list of 60 small acts of kindness. Many of the listed acts encourage you to perform organizing actions as well. Maybe this list will inspire you to help others and get organized.

60 Small Acts of Kindness

  1. Hold the door open for the person behind you.
  2. Introduce yourself.  Make new colleagues, classmates, etc. feel welcome.
  3. Clean out all your old clothes and donate them to someone in need. Your old is another person’s new.
  4. Write a positive Yelp review about a local business you like.
  5. Listen intently to people’s stories without trying to fix everything.
  6. Donate blood.  One pint of blood can save up to three lives. Locate your nearest blood drive.
  7. Volunteer at a hospital, homeless shelter, nursing home, etc. Get outside of yourself and help others. Check out Volunteer Match.
  8. Buy house warming gifts for new neighbors.
  9. Inspire others online.
  10. Share your umbrella with a stranger on a rainy day.
  11. Check up on someone who looks lonely.
  12. Let someone with only a few items cut you in line at the grocery store.
  13. Spread good news.
  14. Replace what you’ve used. For example, fill up the copier or printer with paper after you’re done using it or start a fresh batch of coffee.
  15. Give words of encouragement to someone about their dreams, no matter how big or small they are.
  16. Stop and buy a drink from a kid’s lemonade stand.
  17. Help someone get your parking space in a crowded parking lot when you’re leaving.
  18. Babysit for couples or single parents who don’t get out much so they can have some alone time.
  19. Look for ways to save a few extra bucks a month and then donate it to a good cause or charity.
  20. Shop at your local charity thrift store.  The money you spend there helps others.
  21. Help someone get active.  There’s a coworker or acquaintance in your life who wants to get healthy, but needs a helping hand.  Offer to go walking or running together or join a gym together.
  22. Check out FreeRice.com – a site that gives to those in need when you playing a game.
  23. If someone you love really likes something (a meal, a favor, etc.) give it to them when they least expect it.
  24. Make a difference in the life of a child. Give them your time and undivided attention.  Read Raising Kids Who Will Make a Difference.
  25. If you shop online, make your purchase through Give Back America.
  26. Pay for the person in line behind you.
  27. Drop off your old eye glasses at your local LensCrafters as a donation to the OneSight program.
  28. Create a care package and send it to an active duty military unit.
  29. Redirect gifts.  Instead of having people give you birthday and holiday gifts, ask them to donate gifts or money to a good cause.
  30. The next time you see someone pulled over with a flat tire, or in need of assistance, stop and ask how you can help.  Read How to Be an Everyday Philanthropist.
  31. Become a mentor or tutor to someone in need.
  32. Help the weary shopper in front of you who needs that extra two or three cents to avoid breaking a 20-dollar bill.
  33. Come to the rescue.  If you realize someone is sick, bring them some hot tea, soup, etc.
  34. Be a courteous driver.  Let people merge in front of you.
  35. Put some change in an expired parking meter (where it‘s legal).
  36. Offer your seat to someone when there aren’t any left.
  37. Listen to someone’s pain and help them find a path through it.
  38. Hug a friend.  Let them know how important they are.
  39. Think twice before you throw something away. As Jack Johnson once said, “Reduce, reuse, and recycle.”
  40. Help an entrepreneur with a Kiva donation.
  41. Bake cookies or brownies and share with a neighbor or colleagues.
  42. If you have a good book you’ve read that’s just sitting around on a book shelf, give it away to a friend.
  43. Become a member of Freecycle, and participate.
  44. Clean up litter in a park or open space nearby.
  45. Look into co-housing.
  46. Borrow and lend things in your neighborhood by using Neighborgoods.net.
  47. Send a nice email or handwritten card to someone you know, unexpectedly.
  48. Leave encouraging post-it notes in library books and other random places.
  49. If you see a couple taking a self-pic, offer to take the picture for them.
  50. Setup a donation box at your school, work or place of worship and ask others to make canned/dried food contributions.  Then deliver the donations accordingly.
  51. Join efforts to preserve and protect the environment.
  52. Donate cat and dog food to an animal shelter. Call and ask what is needed.
  53. Compliment someone who deserves it.
  54. If there’s been an accident or a potentially hazardous situation presents itself on the road, report it to the local authorities.  Your phone call could save a life.
  55. Collect and donate prom dresses for underprivileged youth.  Check out the Princess Project.
  56. When you’re getting fast food, buy an extra meal for a homeless person.
  57. Stand up for someone. Lend your voice. Often the powerless, the homeless, the neglected in our world need someone to speak up for them.
  58. Take the time to teach someone a skill you know.
  59. Teach others how to make a difference in this world by setting a good example every day. Read 29 Gifts: How a Month of Giving Can Change Your Life.
  60. When someone wants to repay you for something, ask them to pay it forward.

May 2016 be filled with kindness and organization.

List provided by Mike Michel from R.S. Gilmore Insurance Agency, Inc.

©  January 2016   Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer®   All rights reserved

workbench

Organizing Work Areas

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HardwareWorkbenches, craft corners, sewing rooms, scrapbook areas, and the like, are all potential hotbeds of mess.  These locations are filled with tools and supplies that get used and reused often.  They are also locations that house potential, ongoing, and almost finished projects.  So, organizing them, and keeping them organized can be challenging.

I’ve been itching to help my husband organize his workbench for years.  I understand that it’s his domain, (just like my scrapbooking area is my domain) and that’s why I didn’t take over and just do it myself.  We tackled the project together.  It took us 3.5 hours to work through the organizing process, but when we were finished his tools and supplies were organized, he had a list of all his works-in-progress, and he had plenty of space to actually work on his workbench.

Workbench

We both were pleased with the results and considered the project a success.  Here are some helpful tips that can assist you in successfully organizing your work area (whatever area that may be):

  1.  When sorting tools and supplies into categories use general terms and label each category.  We had 13 different categories; power tools, hand tools, tape & glue, hardware, clamps, painting, plumbing, sanding, measuring, trash, recycle, give away, and belongs elsewhere.
  2.  While working, keep a running list of tasks that you have to address.  This helps prevent you from getting sidetracked and wanting to addressing these tasks right away.  A few tasks on our list are to ask our brother-on-law if he wants the propane torches we never use, and to research how to refill or recycle a fire extinguisher.
  3.  When setting up your work area leave plenty of room to actually work on projects, and have an designated area to store works-in-progress.
  4.  Clearly label the containers that store your tools and supplies.  Although my husband knows what all his tools are, I do not.  So now, when he asks me for a socket wrench, I’ll know at least where to look.
  5.  Use containers that are easy to reach into, sturdy, and are a good size for the items they will be containing.  These tools and supplies get used and reused often.  So, make it easy to get at them and put them away.
  6.  Give yourself a break.  A good time to take a break is after the sorting step.  We took a lunch break after we had cleared the workbench.
  7.  At the end of the organizing project give yourself time to address the trash, recycle, give away, and belongs elsewhere pile.  It may take additional time to address these categories.  For example we have a box of electronic recycle items that we will bring to the Indie Cycle drop off point in three weeks.
  8.  When you reach the finish line, reward your success.

sortingHardwareHandtoolsClamps

©September 2015  Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer®  All rights reserved.

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Reclaiming Order

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15 minutesWhile looking for a list of skincare products that I wanted to share with a friend, I realized that it was time to reclaim order in my Fashion File.   I knew I had tucked the list into my file somewhere, but when I went to look for it, I couldn’t find it.  I quickly deduced that the main reason for this was that there was a surplus of irrelevant information in the file.  It held current and relevant information, but also held some outdated information that was no longer of interest to me.

Therefore, I allowed myself 15 minutes to reclaim order.  I did this by pruning each category of the Fashion File and making decisions on what information was worth keeping, and what was to be discarded.  Here is a list of what I discarded:  8 outdated or duplicate business cards, 1 outdated jewelry catalog, 12 magazine clippings on products, tips, and ideas (I’m a bit embarrassed to admit I clip from magazines, but in my opinion, it’s better than keeping the whole magazine.), 1 outdated skincare catalog, 5 old purchase receipts (shred them), and 8 notes of websites to look at or items to try.  At the end of a very productive 15 minutes I had located the list of skincare products that I wanted to share with my friend, and reclaimed order in my Fashion File.

By taking the time, at that moment, to reclaim order, I stopped the accumulation of paper, and prevented my Fashion File from turning into a huge, inefficient mess.  This is what I call preserving the natural flow of the organizing process.  The natural flow of the organizing process looks like this:

Chart of Organizng Flow

One very important factor to keep in mind when preserving the natural flow of the organizing process is to keep the duration between creating order and reclaiming order short enough, so that the act of reclaiming order doesn’t take too long, and isn’t an overwhelming task.  If we wait too long, or allow too much build up, the act of reclaiming order becomes overwhelming, stressful and frustrating.  If you reach this point, reclaiming order may no longer be a do-it-yourself task.  Just remember, it’s okay to ask for HELP!

 

© August 2015  Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer®  All Rights Reserved

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