Organizing in the New Year
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Tag Archive for: organizing process
Organize Greeting Cards
My family is large, and I send over 100 greeting cards a year. If we include the Christmas cards I send each year, the number is close to 200. That’s a lot of greeting cards to organize, and a lot of time spent sending cards. I know, but I like doing it. It allows me to keep in touch, and let my siblings and extended family know I’m thinking of them.
Here is how I’ve streamlined the process. First of all, to keep the greeting cards organized, I have them in a container that allows me to store two rows of cards vertically. The container has no lid, and has a designated spot in my closet in my office. The cards are sorted into categories based on type of occasion, event, or holiday, for example anniversary, birthday, Christmas. Each category is labeled, and stored alphabetically. For example, the anniversary cards are in front of the birthday cards which are in front of the Christmas cards. All this helps me easily flip through the cards to find the one I’ll send.
Second of all, to keep track of what to send when, I have all the special occasions listed on a calendar that I update every year in January. Once my calendar is all set I follow theses steps. At the end of each the month, I pull together all the cards that I want to send in the next month. I address and sign the cards, with my husbands help, so they are ready to go when the time comes. I hold the addressed card in an outgoing mail slot on my desk. At the beginning of each week I pick out the cards that need to be mailed, and put them in my weekly tickler file. I then mail them at the appropriate time. I know this is a detailed process, but it is what helps me remember each and every card and occasion. Maybe this is a process you can use and adapt for yourself.
Here are a few additional guidelines that I follow:
- I don’t allow myself to accumulate more cards than the container will hold.
- I always search my container of cards before I allow myself to buy new ones.
- There is no miscellaneous category in my card container.
- I buy 60 postage stamps at once to save time.
- I print up several sheets of return address labels at once.
I’ve also tried Send Out Cards, an on line greeting card service. They actual mail the card for you, and email you reminders when it’s time to send.
©December 2016 Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer® All Rights Reserved
Remove Things to Create a Happy Home
The way we feel about our homes influences us every day. I think we all want to be happy in our own homes. Here are three removal guidelines that will make our homes happier.
- Remove broken things. If you intend to fix the broken items do so right way.
- Remove things with a negative association.
- Remove static stuff (things that are not used) that may be in the attic, basement, garage, or other storage areas.
Lessons Learned From Clients
Being a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) is educational and rewarding. As a member I receive valuable training, business support, and resources. One of the best benefits is the collaboration with other Organizers. There are several smaller groups within the association, and one that I belong to is Golden Circle. We meet 4 times a year to discuss a specific topic, to offer each other support, to get to know each other a little better, and to socialize. Last month we met to discuss lessons we’ve learned from our clients. Everyone had such valuable insights to share.
One important lesson I’ve learned is that it’s not easy to accept reality, especially when it means that our dreams are unattainable. For example a client of mine had collected large amounts of books with the dream of spending hours enjoying her books. Although she wanted my help to sort, reduce, categorize, and organize these books, the reality was that her eyesight was going, and she would never be able to read the majority of her books. My practical, organized self, encouraged her to reduce and let go, until she said to me one day, “What if the doctors are wrong, and my eyesight improves?” That is when I realized that she wasn’t giving up on her dream. So, I needed to respect that, and not be a dream crusher. Coincidentally, it was not an easy reality for me to accept.
Here are some lessons we (Professional Organizers from NAPO-NE Golden Circle) have learned from our clients:
- It’s necessary to give up our right to be right.
- We’re like Velcro. We throw out solutions and some stick and some don’t.
- Everyone is good a something.
- We’re done when our clients are done.
- There is value in talking and communicating, not only physically organizing.
- Our clients motivate us to walk the walk, and organize and reduce in our own homes.
- Everyone organizes at their own pace.
- It takes courage to ask for help.
- We never know someone’s whole story.
- If we can remain neutral, we allow our clients to arrive at their own best solution.
- We affect each other in powerful ways.
- We all need personal support in our lives.
- The first step for change is a shift in perspective.
- You’re not a hoarder if you can see the floor.
- Running a home is a business in, and of, itself (the business of living).
- Sometimes it’s about me, the organizer.
- We don’t know what we don’t know.
- Organizing is not always a priority.
- It’s all relative.
- GRATITUDE!
Another lesson I’ve learned is that simple solutions are often the best solutions. To read more, click here.
©June 2016 Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer® All rights reserved
How To Get Unstuck When Organizing
Organizing is action. So the best way to get unstuck is to take action.
When I was working with a client who was downsizing, she got stuck when we addressed her books. I found her standing in front of her two bookcases, with a puzzled expression. When I asked her what she was thinking, she said she didn’t know what to do. She didn’t know how to start or what steps to take to reduce the number of books she had. This feeling of not knowing what to do, stopped her from taking ANY action. So, I guided her towards action. I picked up a book and asked her what she wanted to do with it. She could keep it, donate it, recycle it, or, if the book belonged to her husband, she could ask him what he wanted to do with it. We created 4 stacks and sorted all the books from her two bookcases. By providing her with 4 categories and the direction to sort the books into one of those 4 groups, she was able to take action and become unstuck.
A similar situation arose when I was working with a client who was avoiding a room in her home that had become a catch all for stuff that her family didn’t have time to deal with or put away. She dreaded going into this room, and got depressed looking at it. Needless to say, I was surprised and proud of her, when she declared that she was ready to tackle this room. Let me clarify. She was ready to tackle this room with my guidance and help. So, once again, I guided my client towards action. I picked up a basket of things and asked her to tell me who they belonged to. That is all I wanted her to do. We had 5 piles by the time we emptied the first basket, items that belonged to her, items that belonged to her son, items that belonged to her daughter, items that belonged to the house (ie. house hold items), and items that didn’t belong to anyone (ie. give away items). As we made our way through more baskets, she marveled at how easy it was to get unstuck and take action once she realized what action to take.
I understand it is not always easy to get unstuck and figure out how to start an organizing project. So remember a good place to start is to take action, and do that by sorting items into categories.
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© May 2016 Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer All Rights Reserved
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