Tag Archive for: organizing process

Save Time

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key holderDo you feel that being organized could save time?  When I ask this question in the classes I teach on organizing, everyone says, “yes”.  They go on to say that one of the major time saving benefits of being organized is being able to find what they want when they need it.  They feel that being organized would mean that they would spend less time hunting for things, less time putting things away, less time stressing over misplaced items.  This is true.  In fact it’s been proven that organized people save themselves time every day.

So, how can you make this happen for you?  You can make it happen by following a two step process.  Step one is to have or create a designated home for things, and step two is to consistently return things to their designated home.  For example, if I have a designated home for my keys (mine are on a hook by my back door), I know where they belong, and can put them in their designated home quickly and easily.  This encourages me to put them away, instead of just tossing them on the counter or burying them in my pocketbook.  Also, if  I consistently return my keys to their designated home, I know where to find them when I need them, and there is less chance of me misplacing them or loosing them.  This 2 step process works with everyday items like groceries, eye glasses, and receipts, as well as one-of-kind items like your passport, camera, and title to your car.

Although being organized can save you time, getting and staying organized requires time.  Unfortunately, it doesn’t just happen all by itself, but if you practice the two step process of creating a designated home for things, and consistently returning things to their designated home, it might feel that way.  What I mean is that once an action becomes habitual, less effort and brain power is required to preform the action.  So, it seems as though it is happening all by itself.  I’d recommend starting with just one items and one action, and see how long it takes for you to save time every day.

 

©November 2014  Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer®  All rights reserved

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Proud member of NAPO

Organizing is a Skill

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calendarI’m often asked, “How come some people are so much better at organizing than others?  Is there an organizing gene?”  I’m happy to say that there is no organizing gene.  Organizing is a skill, and just like other skills, some people are better at learning it than others.  For example, typing, speaking a foreign language, and playing golf are all skills.  Yet, some people master these skills much faster than other people.  It’s the same way with organizing.  Some people master it much faster than other people, but everyone can learn the skill of organizing.

The key to learning any skill is practice.  Suppose you wanted to learn how to play the piano.  What would you do?  Would you sign up for piano classes?  Would you purchase a practice keyboard?  Would you seek instruction from a professional?  Would you read up on the subject?  Would you practice, practice, practice?  Yes, you would most likely do all, or most of these things, so that you could learn and improve.

Just like with other skills you need to practice organizing.  You need to devote time and energy into organizing on a regular, preferably daily, basis.  I understand that you may not want to practice organizing, because you feel as thought the outcome of your efforts won’t last.  Unfortunately, that is the case with any skill.  What would happen if you stopped practicing the piano for 3 months?  Would the efforts of your previous practice show?  What would happen after 6 months, or 12 months?  Also, what is the outcome if a beginner stops practicing after 3 months, as apposed to an experienced piano player?  The skill level you’ve mastered makes a difference.

So, how can you practice organizing?  Listed below are a few tasks you can do daily to practice the skill of organizing.  I’d recommend concentrating on mastering one or two of these tasks, and then moving on, after a few weeks, to include one additional task, and so on.

1.  Put all dirty clothes in hampers.
2.  Put all clean clothes where they belong.
3.   Put shoes, coats, and accessories where they belong.
4.  Open and process all mail.
5.  Clean all dirty dishes.
6.  Prepare your outfit for the following day.
7.  Prepare breakfast, and lunch for the following day.
8.  Make one phone call, or do one task from your to do list.
9.  Clear flat surfaces, like tabletops, desktops, counters, dressers, and floors.
10. Have 10 minutes of uninterrupted conversation with your family.

I’d like to hear about your progress.  How is your organizing skill developing?
© October 2014  Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®  All Rights Reserved

NAPO

Proud member of NAPO

Repurpose & Organize

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re-purpose mugsI’m often asked by a potential clients if they can purchase any organizing products in preparation of our work appointment. My answer is usually no. (The exception is when we’re working in a brand new space.) The reason for my “no” answer, is that in the process of organizing we uncover, discover, locate, unearth, and find plenty of items that can be re-purposed as suitable organizing products. Re-purposing items in our spaces allows us to be more economical and environmentally conscious.

Here are a few examples of how I re-purposed products in my home:

1. Re-purposed coffee mugs holding
brushes, razors, and pens
re-purpose mugs 2. Re-purposed notepaper boxes
holding ziplock bags and garbage bags
re-purpose stationery boxes3. Re-purposed bread container holding
measuring cups and small baking tools

 

© May 2014 Janine Cavanaugh, CPO® All rights reserved

NAPO

Proud member of NAPO

Organizing Process

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stepsYou may have heard the phrase that organizing is a process, not a task.  What does that mean exactly?  A process involves more than one step, for example doing the laundry.  A process also involves three distinct phases, planning, doing, and follow-up. A task, on the other hand, is completed in one step, for example unloading the dish washer.  It’s important to note the distinction, because tackling an organizing process as if it were a task, causes frustration, stress, and feelings of being overwhelmed.  Devoting time to each of the three phases of the organizing process (planning, doing, and follow-up) will enable clarity, focus, and direction.

The planning phase of the organizing process is concerned with goals and objectives. What is your organizing goal? What do you want to accomplish? How much time is required? How much help and resources will you need? Is it worth calling in a professional?

The doing phase of the organizing process is the physical work needed to make the goals and objectives happen. It usually involves a process all it’s own, involving 3 (or more) steps:
sorting
discarding
assigning a home.

The follow-up phase of the organizing process is concerned with the upkeep and maintenance of the order once it’s established. This phase of the process is best accomplished by establishing personal guidelines, habits, and systems.

So, the next time you say to yourself, just get organized. Stop. Think. Devote some time to each of the three phases of the organizing process. It will provide clarity, focus, and direction.

© May 2014  Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®  All rights reserved

NAPO

Proud member of NAPO

tiny house key

Daily Organizing

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DoorUpon returning home from getting my hair cut, I realized how many little things I organized.  I can name 10 steps I took:

  1.   Hung up my keys
  2.   Hung up my coat
  3.   Put my gloves and hat away
  4.   Took of my boots and put them on the mat
  5.   Put my pocketbook away
  6.   Took my check book out of my pocketbook and put it back where it belongs
  7.   Put my book away (I brought a book to read at the hairdressers.)
  8.   Wrote my next hair appointment in my datebook
  9.   Tossed the hair appointment notice
  10.   Collected the mail and put it in it’s “to sort” location (I won’t go into the steps I took to process the mail.  That’s a whole other blog entry.)

So, are you asking why I’m discussing the details of my return-home-routine?  The small habits and routines we do on a daily basis help us keep our belongings, information, and environment organized.  Without my routines, there is a greater chance of misplacing things, of appointments getting missed, and of items getting lost.  Having a home for my keys, pocketbook, checkbook, etc. is the first step to creating order, but unless I take the time, each time I return home, to actually put them there, the order doesn’t last.  It works the same for my next hair appointment.  Having a datebook for me to write in my next appointment is the first step to creating order.  The follow up steps are to write my appointments in the datebook, and to reference it daily, so I won’t miss appointments.  Therefore, I’d like to wager that if you’re willing to preform daily organizing habits and routines upon returning home, you’ll be well on your way to becoming an organizing success.

 

© February 2014, Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®  All Rights Reserved

NAPO

Proud member of NAPO