Getting organized is a common New Year’s resolution. Is it one of yours? If so, start small. Make a list of what you want to organize and then ask yourself what first step can I take that will be easy for me to accomplish? Remember sometimes the smallest changes have the biggest impact.
During my class on Conquering Clutter With Confidence we discuss reaching the finish line. In order to do this, we first discuss what it means to reach the finish line. It means doing things from start to finish, and knowing when that finish line has been crossed. For example, in my house, the finish line has been crossed, while doing dishes, when there are no dirty dishes left unwashed, and the sink and counters have been wiped clean. In your family, when is the finish line crossed while doing dishes? What about the laundry? When is it reached with new purchases or gifts that have been received? Where does the receipt go, and what do you do with the box? What happens to the gift bag, tag, and tissue paper? Establishing when the finish line has been crossed will help reduce clutter.
Reaching the finish line also means completing the organizing process and reclaiming order. Putting things away and picking up after ourselves are important parts of reaching the finish line. It is what helps us maintain order, and is best accomplished with practice. For example, upon returning home after being out, I spend time putting things away. My keys and coat go on their hooks, my shoes go on the mat, and my pocketbook goes on the desk. Practicing reaching the finish line with this daily organizing routine helps me maintain order. Other daily organizing routines that can benefit from practice are dressing for the day, processing the mail, undressing at night, project clean up, and picking up toys.
In your home, do you want to reduce clutter and maintain order? You can by reaching the finish line. What finish line is waiting for you to cross it? Will you know when you’ve crossed it? Also, take a closer look at your daily organizing routines. Can you improve them with practice? If you think you’d be more successful with a little help from me, please ask.
©December 2017 Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer® All Rights Reserved
In a gift giving situation, I do my best to give a gift that will not add to someone’s clutter. I call these gifts, organizer friendly gifts. I give intangible things, like tickets to events, memberships to museums, gift certificates to restaurants, and gifts of time. Another option is to give things that get used up, like bath and beauty products, food baskets, and liquid refreshment.
What does clutter look like to you? Is it piles of mail on the counter? Maybe it’s stacks of papers on the desk? Could it be that every drawer is a junk drawer? Perhaps it’s the layers of stuff that are hiding the dinning room table? Or maybe, it’s the garage that cars can’t fit into? Although clutter looks different for everyone, it is usually a result of two things, indecision and inaction.
Clutter, as indecision, looks like this: We bring the mail in on Monday, and can’t decide what to do with something. So we put it to the side to decide on later. On Tuesday, the same things happens, and then the same thing happens on Wednesday. It keeps happening until there is a mountain of mail that we don’t know what to do with.
Clutter, as indecision, also looks like this: We just received a new coffee maker as a gift. The old one is still good, so we put it in the basement for now, with the intention of making a decision on it later. Next thing we know, 5 years has gone by and the coffee maker is still in the basement along with a bunch of other stuff that is waiting to be decided upon.
Clutter, as inaction, looks like this: When getting dressed in the morning the zipper breaks on the pants we want to wear. No time to deal with them now, so they get tossed on the bench at the end of the bed. At then end of the long day, we undress. To tired to deal with the dirty clothes, so they get tossed on the bench. Before we know it there is a pile of clothes on the bench.
Clutter, as inaction, also looks like this: We bring home the groceries, but we’re having trouble fitting them into the pantry, because it is already stuffed with food. We know some of that food may be old, outdated, or expired, but we haven’t taken the time to weed it out. So the new groceries gets left out on the counter or kitchen floor.
No matter what clutter looks like for you, one of the best ways to combat it is to schedule time to make decisions and take action. However, making decisions and taking action requires discipline, brain power, physical stamina, and emotional effort. That is why it’s best to devote some time daily to dealing with clutter. Instead of trying to squeeze it in, schedule time to attack it.
Another way to combat clutter is to continually weed out what we don’t want, need, or use so that it doesn’t get in the way of what is useful and important. A helpful way to do this is to have an exit strategy for the items we’re getting rid of. There are many places to donate, recycle, or re-purpose. If you need some suggestions, please ask me.
©November 2017 Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer® All Rights Reserved
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