Tag Archive for: steps to organizing

action clapboard

Out of sight, out of mind

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The phrase out of sight, out of mind is very common. We fear that if we put things away we’ll forget about them. So, we leave tools on the counter to remind us to fix a cabinet. Borrowed things pile up on the chair so we don’t forget to return them. Paper litters our desk as reminders to take some action.

Leaving it all out won’t lead to fixing, processing, or taking action. It leads to piles, mess, and disorder. We have to prompt ourselves to take action and then act. This can be done by following 3 steps.

  1. Decide to act by considering alternatives. Question if the action is worth taking. Is the cupboard worth fixing ourselves? If it is not worth it, hire a handyman. However if it is worth it, we need to commit to completing all the required action steps.
  2. Make a choice of when to take action and schedule it.
  3. Do it! Complete the action.

Books and stuff

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November already?
November has arrived and I’m still asking myself what happened to October. I’m not quite ready for the winter months, but there are two cold-weather activities that I’m looking forward to, snuggling up on the couch with a good book and scrapbooking my vacation photos. What are you looking forward to this winter?

November 5th is Book Lovers Day
Did you like to read as a kid? I did not, that’s why my sisters are so surprised when I tell them about a good book I’ve just read. I read all the time now.

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working towards reward

How to get motivated to organize?

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What is motivation? The dictionary definition is “the reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way” and “the general desire or willingness of someone to do something”.

What are your reasons for organizing? We all have different reasons. Why do you want to get organized now?  Why work on this particular organizing project now? Take a few minutes to think of your why. It will help you now and in the future. Here are some reasons that I hear often.Room in need of organizing help.

  1. To find things when they need them
  2. To have a home for things so it’s easier to put them away
  3. To spend less time hunting for things
  4. To have less piles and mess
  5. To have less stress

How much desire or willingness do you have to organize? If you have no desire to organize, it could be a result of many things, but I’ve found that it has a lot to do with a person’s perception. Here are some examples that I’ve come across.

  • Perception that organizing is boring, tedious, not fun
  • Perception that the project requires too much effort, time, stamina
  • Perception that we don’t have the right know-how, skill or resources

So how can we get motivated to organize, especially if we’re lacking desire and willingness? Here are my recommendations.

  1. Know your why. Ask what is worth doing or doing with help? Good motivation comes from feeling that what you’re doing matters.Room after 2 hours of organizing help.
  2. Adjust your perception. A positive mindset allows us to bring our best effort. Picture yourself successfully finishing your organizing project.
  3. Create immediate rewards for your efforts. What happens after our efforts influences the likelihood that we’ll keep it up.
  4.  Ask yourself what is the most laughably do-able first step. If you’re still having trouble, the first step is too big.
  5. Do something, anything. It’s better than taking no action at all. Stress comes from thinking about our project, not the project itself. If it’s important for you to get it done, you’ll find a way. If not, you’ll find an excuse.
  6. Start by sorting and categorizing.

©June 2020  Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer®  All Rights Reserved

Basement organizing project - beforeJanine Cavanaugh, CPO

Best Way to Get Better at Organizing

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Organizing is a skill that anyone can learn. However, just like any skill, some people pick it up more easily and quickly than others. How would you go about learning a new skill, like playing a musical instrument or learning a foreign language? You’d take lessons, read books and practice, practice, practice. That’s what we have to do to learn and get better at organizing, PRACTICE!

But I Might Need That Someday

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We’ve all said it. Even me, but not anymore, and after reading this blog you won’t say it either. I’m referring to the phrase, “but I might need that someday“.  It’s a phrase that gets spoken when we think something needs to be kept, despite the fact that it hasn’t been used in a very long time. For some unknown reason we’re fearful that as soon as we get rid of this item we’ll desperately need it. We refuse to get rid of kitchen gadgets that live in the darkest recesses of a corner cabinet. We insist on saving the rarely used tools that are buried in the shed. We fantasize about using fancy linens that are still in their original packaging that has yellowed with age. We all own things that lay dormant in our homes, never being used or useful. So why do we hold onto them?

We hold onto them because we think they’re useful. BUT are they? What if someday comes and you can’t find it. It’s not where you thought it was. Will you waste valuable time looking for it? Will you go out and buy a new one? If so, you’ve not only wasted time, but money as well. What if someday comes and it’s not in the condition you thought it was in? Is it easier to make do without it or find an alternative solution? What if someday comes and you can’t get at it because it’s buried under a pile of clutter? How much time will you spend retrieving it? What if someday never comes?

Items are useful only if we can find them when we need them and they’re in good operating condition. It takes time and effort to organize and maintain our belongings. Why waste time and effort on items that haven’t been used in a very long time or at all? A guideline that I find helpful relates to how easy it is to replace an item and how costly it is to replace an item. If an item can be replaced in 20 minutes for under $20.00 then get rid of it. Instead of saying “I might need that someday!” please consider letting the item go.

The next time that phrase is on the tip of your tongue ask yourself these questions.

  1. When is someday? Are you willing to put a note on the item that says if not used within 3 years from today (date) then get rid of it?
  2. Will you be able to find it and will it be in good working order when someday comes? If no, let it go.
  3. Is there someone who can use and appreciate it now instead of waiting for someday? If yes, than give it to them.
  4. How much space is it taking up? Can that space be better used for something else? If yes, than free up that space.
  5. Can it be replaced in 20 minutes for under $20.00? If yes, than let it go.

 

©October 2019   Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organzier®   All Rights Reserved