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Organizing Small Spaces

March 15, 2018/0 Comments/in Blog Posts/by Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®

My house is small by today’s standards, but it’s a perfect fit for me and my husband. I love my tiny house, but organizing small spaces can be challenging. There is no room for excess and storage is limited. Little messes can appear to take over an entire room and a small amounts of clutter can seem like a mountain of clutter. So when working to facilitate and maintain order in my tiny home I rely on organizing systems and habits. Here are some tips that I use to help me organize my tiny home.

Reclaim order everyday. Organizing is like laundry and dishes. It’s an ongoing cycle of order followed by natural disorder followed by the important step of reclaiming order. Schedule 15 minutes a day to reclaim order by picking up and putting things away.
Be choosy and selective. Keep treasures and things you love but get rid of the rest. If everything is special, nothing is special; so keep only what’s really important to you. When you do bring things in, ask; Can this server multiple functions? Is it a duplicate of something I already have? Do I have room for it? Where will it go? It also helps to practice the one in, one out guideline.
Be consistent with placement. Have a specific spot for your keys, handbag, mail, etc. and put them in that spot every time you set them down (again, and again, and again). Consistency is key. Establish a home for on-going projects and things you leave out as reminders. Don’t let items touch the floor unless that is where they belong (shoes).
Have a 5 minute return-home-routine. Allow 5 minutes when returning home to organize what’s coming in. Have a do-it-now attitude.
Be a decision maker. Give yourself time to decide what to do with unused, outdated, and unwanted stuff. Schedule time to edit and reduce. Weekly, monthly, seasonally, and yearly reducing prevents clutter buildup and disorganization. Get rid of duplicates and items that do similar things? Live for your current lifestyle. Remove or fix broken & damaged items immediately. Give up the fear of getting rid of something. Purge paper daily.
Be a giver. If you’re not using it, or you don’t want, or need it, ask yourself, “Why not let someone else benefit from it?”. A giving person is greatly appreciated by charities, the less fortunate, and the needy. Establish and use a donation bin.
Be creative with storage & utilize space wisely. Make full use of the space you have. Use furniture that has multiple functions like a small dresser for a night stand or end table, an ottoman that has built-in-storage, a bench at the end of the bed with built-in-storage that can be used as a chair. Use under the bed storage, organizers that attache to the back of a door and cupboard. Make adjustments to cabinets to create more functional spaces. Customize closet with shelves and product that help you maximize it’s storing potential. Store like with like to keep track of how much you have.

I hope these tips will help you organize your small spaces or tiny home.

Paper Discard List

March 1, 2018/0 Comments/in Tip of the Month/by Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®

Discard paper daily. Knowing what paper can be automatically shredded or recycled will motivate you to get rid of paper that has been accumulating. Use the list below as your personal paper discard list.

old shopping lists
used envelope
expired coupons
duplicate documents
paper holding information you already know
early drafts of something
junk mail: mail labeled “Resident” or “Occupant”, unsolicited requests from charities, banks or other organizations, unwanted shopping circulars and advertisements, unsolicited credit card applications and political notices
information more than 3 months old: magazines, cash receipts, newspapers, grocery receipts
outdated material: catalogues, phone books, directories, schedules, calendars, warranties, reports, notes to self, to do lists, maps, text books, school notices, announcements, invitations
information more than a year old: articles, brochures, instructions, manuals, ATM slips, bank registers, paid utility bills, explanation of benefits
paper that has incorrect information: business cards, labels, stationery, letterhead

Janine Cavanaugh, CPO

Why We Hold Onto Things?

February 15, 2018/0 Comments/in Blog Posts/by Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®

A common discussion I have with my clients when we’re working together is why they are holding onto something. The more information I can gather about the item in question the easier it is for me to understand “the WHY”. What I’ve discovered over the past 10 years in assisting my clients is that although there are several reasons we hold onto things, those reasons fall into one of three basic categories, the past, the future, or both.

We hold onto things from the past, because they were significant and important to us in our past. They help us remember and honor a past event or memory. Some examples may be a bride’s maid dress that was worn at a friend’s wedding, paper products from a child’s birthday party, or Dad’s wood carving tools.

We hold onto things for the future, because we think they will be significant or important to us in our future or the future of someone close to us. Some examples may be furniture our children will use in college, papers that have resources we think we’ll need in the future, or dishes our children will use in their first apartment.

A combination of the two is when we hold onto things from the past for the future. For example I have two cool swivel chairs in my living room that were originally in my grandparent’s front parlor. They were saved and used by other family members before I inherited them, and I plan on passing them along to another family member in the future. Another example is my old photographs and scrapbooks. I enjoy sharing them and reminiscing about past events, holidays, and special occasions. It also makes me smile to think that they will bring joy when shared in the future.

As you may be able to tell, things that have an impact on both the past and the future, are usually the most sentimental items, and thus the one’s we cling to. If this is what my client and I discover in our conversation about an item, then it’s usually a keeper. Otherwise we discuss some qualifying questions to determine whether it’s worth holding onto.

How much joy and happiness does it bring you?
What amount of regret or disappointment would you feel if you let it go?
How would you feel about keeping part of it or a token amount?
Who values and treasures this and in what way?
Where does it reside – on prominent display or hidden away?
When is it used, shared, and enjoyed?
Why do you want to keep it?

Whether it’s a keeper or not, answering the above questions help establish some objectivity to the sentimental attachment we me feel about our things.

Want more help letting go? Here are three blogs that offer more assistance.

Get It Done Today

February 1, 2018/0 Comments/in Tip of the Month/by Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®

Ask yourself at the beginning of each day, “What is the most important thing for me to get done today?” If the most important thing you have to do today requires more time than you have to devote to it, ask, “What is the first step I can take that will get me closer to completing that one thing?” After answering these questions, take action before doing anything else.

10 Years of Organizing

January 26, 2018/0 Comments/in Newsletter/by Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®

Celebrating

10 years in business

in 2018!

I’m happy to be celebrating 10 years in business.

Here is what I’ve been doing :

258 clients served

14 couples

225 females

19 males

136 classes taught to 1650 individuals

Have you ever heard of

Rent Sons? It is an employment option that helps you rent young adults to do the work you wish your kids would do. You can search your local area to see if there is one in your neighborhood.

Question: What organizing books have you read? Please share.

Quick Links

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Email
NAPO-NE

Hi ,

Happy New Year! I hope your 2018 is off to a good start. For me, January 2018 marks my 10th anniversary in business, and I’d like to take this time to thank all those who have helped me achieve this milestone.

First of all I’d like to thank my clients both current and past. I’m impressed with your strength and courage to do what’s necessary to achieve your organizing goals. I am grateful for your trust in my ability to help you do that.

Secondly, I’d like to thank all those who have taken one or more of my classes or attended a presentation. I appreciate your faith in my knowledge and expertise. I must also mention those groups and organizations who have asked me to teach or present. I’m grateful that you provided me with opportunities to share and teach on organizing topics that are relevant and significant.

Thirdly, I’d like to thank the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals for providing me with opportunities to become certified, to educate myself, to strengthen my skills, to gather valuable resources, and to connect with other Organizers.

Lastly I’d like to thank those who have supported me in business, both personally and professionally. In addition to all the individual supporters, two organizations who deserve mention are the Women’s Business Network of Southeastern MA and the United Regional Chamber of Commerce. Thank you for your support throughout these 10 years.

Although there is more gratitude I could express, I wanted to conclude by saying how sincerely grateful I am that my business has allowed me to facilitate positive change in my own life and the lives of others. Thank you all!

Increase in Minimum Hours

My appointment minimum is increasing to two and a half (2.5) hours for clients within 30 miles from North Attleboro, MA and three and a half (3.5) hours for clients beyond 30 miles as of February 1, 2018.

Recycle Resource

Finding new ways to reuse, recycle, and reduce for myself and my clients, makes me happy. Everyone is more motivated to get rid of something when they know it is going to someone who will really use it. I wanted to share a few of my most used donation locations in the hopes that you’ll be motivated to get rid of some stuff and donate.

Savers

1385 South Washington Street, North Attleboro, MA
508-695-1068
They accept clothing, shoes, accessories, books, DVDs, CDs, Software, household items, bed & bath items, small appliances, furniture.

Indie Cycle, LLC
401-481-8838

Electronic waste collection in RI and southern MA.

Bay State Textiles

617-877-2432

Drop Boxes for clothing, linens, fabric, sleeping bags, stuffed toys, any textiles in any condition.
Locations at Plainville, Wrentham and other area schools.

From,

Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®
(508)-699-6652
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If you’ve worked with me in any capacity, I’d be grateful for a review. Simply click on this link and answer 3 questions. Thank you and happy organizing!

Save 10%	Help me celebrate my 10 year anniversary! Use this coupon yourself or share it with someone you know. Receive 10% off one organizing appointment that is between 2.5 and 4 hours in duration, booked before February 17, 2018.
Offer Expires: February 17, 2018

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