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How To Get Unstuck When Organizing

May 15, 2016/0 Comments/in Blog Posts/by Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®

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.

Feel Less Stressed

May 1, 2016/0 Comments/in Tip of the Month/by Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®

Sometimes it’s easier to know what we don’t want, than what we do want. If that is the case then start there when organizing. By removing those items we know we don’t want, we have less to look at, deal with, and decide upon. This helps us feel in control and less stressed.

How to Tackle Clean Out Projects

April 30, 2016/0 Comments/in Newsletter/by Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®

Spring 2016 Newsletter

Side Notes:

*** Clearing the Clutter, and Closet and Wardrobe Organizing are the two classes that I have left in my spring line up. If you’d like to attend a class please contact the class location directly. Hope to see you in class.

*** Are you curious about the Minimalist Movement? Join me at the movies for the Minimalist film on Tuesday, May 31st at 7:30PM.

*** The National
Association of Professional Organizers annual conference is in May in Atlanta, GA, and I’m going. Can’t wait!

*** Question: What is your favorite room in your home, and why? Please share your answer.

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Hi ,

I look forward to spring every year. It makes me smile to see tiny new buds on the trees, pretty spring flowers in bloom, and hear the songbirds chirping. It also makes me smile when spring motivates people to tackle organizing and clean out projects.

How to Tackle a Clean Out Project

Do you have a clean out project that you want to tackle? To me, clean out projects are different than organizing projects, because the goal is to get rid of all the stuff that has been collecting in a storage area. It can be an attic that is overstuffed, a basement that you want to make into a usable space, or a shed that you can’t fit one more thing into?

Are you procrastinating? Are you feeling overwhelmed by the project? Are you not sure where or how to begin? I’d like to help you by sharing some tips on how to tackle a clean out project.

Clean Out Tips:

1. Make plans to set time aside to tackle your project. Recruit helpers. Think about how you want the space to look at the end of the project.

2. Schedule 3 hours of your time and treat it like a doctor’s appointment that can’t be rescheduled without a large fee. Stay focused and avoid distractions during your scheduled work time. If you need several, 3 hour time slots, plan ahead so you don’t get stuck with an unfinished project.

3. Start by sorting items into six different piles; keep, donate, recycle, sell, give/return, and trash. Use bins, bags, or sections of the space to sort items into. Label each pile clearly.

4. Once everything is sorted tackle the keep pile. Organized what you are keeping by designating a specific home for all the items going back into the space.
5. Address all the other piles and schedule time to donate, recycle, sell, give/return, and trash the remaining items.
6. Compliment yourself on a job well done. Thank your helpers.
7. Schedule a follow up in this same space; 6 months is a good time frame.
8. Schedule your next clean out project.Share your clean out project results with me.

Recycle Resource

Finding new ways to recycle, 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 is truly in need.

Another incentive is when you know that you are helping local organizations in your own community. I visited

The Hometown Saver Store in North Attleboro for the first time this week. They are a new thrift store with an interesting twist. They give back a portion of their sales to 5 local organizations, North Attleboro Animal Shelter, Veterans of North Attleboro, Lenore’s Food Pantry, Council on Aging, and North Attleboro Schools. What an interesting concept.

They accept clothing, house hold items, books, electronics, toys, jewelry, furniture, and more. It’s a great time to do some spring cleaning, and support local organizations.

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!

How To Organize

April 15, 2016/0 Comments/in Blog Posts/by Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®

My 9 year old niece slept over a few weeks ago, and several times throughout the weekend, she asked the definition to words my husband and I used which she didn’t know the meaning. It made me think of the definition of the word ORGANIZE. The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the word organize as “to arrange or order things so that they can be found or used easily and quickly : to put things into a particular arrangement or order”. I have found in working as a Certified Professional Organizer® that each individual I work with, has a clear idea of the definition of the word organize, but they struggle with how to achieve it. I think much of the struggle lies in the misconceptions of what it takes to become organized.

The first misconception is that we are either born an organized person or we are not. This is incorrect. There is no organizing gene. Organizing is a skill that everyone can learn and improve upon. How do we go about learning and improving other skills, like playing a musical instrument, typing, golf, knitting? We may sign up for classes. We may work with an instructor one-on-one. We would most certainly practice. This is what is required with the skill of organizing. What if we spent 20 minutes a day practicing organizing? Would we improve our organizing skill? I challenge you to do it, and let me know what happens.

The second misconception is that we can become organized by buying the “right” containers. Organizing is not product. It is action. Although organizing products and tools can facilitate the organizing process, the act of doing makes it work. The three most important actions that are required in organizing are:

deciding whether to keep something,
deciding where to put it,
putting it in the same spot again, and again, and again.

These three action steps are what we do to practice organizing. Again, I challenge you to do it, and let me know what happens.

The third misconception is that we can organize just once and be done with it. Unfortunately, organizing is like dishes and laundry. It doesn’t go away, and it needs to be maintained or the disorder grows. It is important to reclaim order before clutter piles up and things get out of control. I recommend spending at least 15 minutes a day reclaiming order. Again, I challenge you to do it, and let me know what happens.

If you struggle with how to organize, take a closer look at these misconceptions. Do you practice organizing? Do you take action through decision making and putting things in the same spot? Do you give yourself time to reclaim order? What would change if you took steps to disprove these misconceptions? Do, and find out!

Lost & Found Box

April 1, 2016/0 Comments/in Tip of the Month/by Janine Cavanaugh, CPO®

Establish a lost and found box for small items that you come across while organizing and cleaning up. This way you’ll have a home for found parts to a game, pieces to a toy, buttons, screws, pens, lose change, etc. Once a month empty out the lost and found box and put items where they belong or toss them.

ORGANIZING

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