Organizing in the New Year
|
 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Why I love being a Professional Organizer
Part of growing up is figuring out what we’re good at. We use our acquired skills and talents to find our place in the world. After being told by several people that I was good at organizing, I was able to admit that to myself. However, it took a while longer to realize that I could make a career out of my organizing skills. I’m happy that I did, because I love being a Professional Organizer.
Working individually with my clients and helping them solve their organizing issues and challenges is very rewarding to me. I like that each situation is unique and requires problem-solving collaboration between me and my client. Together we find workable organizing solutions. Those solutions don’t have to be huge. They have to be DOABLE. However, finding doable solutions is only part of the reason I love being a Professional Organizer. The other part is the gratitude that gets bestowed on me from my clients. Sometimes it is the littlest changes that make the biggest impact. I love when I’m thanked for those small but influential changes. For example:
- I suggested placing a tray under the toaster so the crumbs wouldn’t get all over the cupboard each time it was taken out and put away. My client called me a genius.
- I suggested removing closet doors that never stayed shut. My client called me brilliant.
- After sitting with my client for support, while she made a few difficult phone calls, she called me her earth angel.
- I suggested changing the orientation of the dish drying rack for easier fit and use. My client called me amazing.
- I was told I had MAD skills when I kept track of details and sent reminders.
I love being a Professional Organizer, and I’m grateful for my clients. They make me feel so appreciated, gifted, smart, and blessed.
Do you love what you do? Please share with me.
©January 2017 Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer All Rights Reserved
Prevent Clutter
A great way to prevent clutter is to stop it from coming in the door in the first place. Put a trash can, recycle bin, and shred container in the garage, and use them to clean out the clutter from the car, your purse, your work bag, and school backpacks. Also use them to toss or shred as much mail as possible before bringing it into the house.
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
Toss the Box
To save time, remove items that are used frequently, from their boxes, and toss the box. For example, take small appliances, like hand-mixers, blenders, and mini choppers out of their boxes and store them directly in a kitchen cupboard or on a pantry shelf. Also remove smaller items from their packaging and store them in containers without lids, for example batteries, paper plates, q-tips. This eliminates the step of opening and closing the box or packaging each time the item is used, and makes it easier to get things out and put them away.
Follow Me