The Art of Letting Go

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The art of letting go

Our industry gathers each year for our NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers) conference.  It’s our annual family reunion where we learn and hug!  This year we were privileged to hear The Minimalists.  Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus write a blog about living a meaningful life with less stuff (for 4 million readers.)  They shared their powerful stories of transition to simplicity.  They shared some powerful stuff.

 

The Art of Letting Go

Josh and Ryan are best friends from way back. Both chose a new path to having less and experiencing more because of transitions in their lives.  Originally living more traditional lives, they chose to let go of what is meaningless to them.   It required them facing situations that were emotion charged losses.  It made me think about how a sad and difficult situations can create the opportunity for change.

 

The Art of Letting go comes from the perspective of our new assessment of what our stuff means to us.  Our stuff does not define us.  Our memories are within us, not in our stuff. We can share our stuff with others who will find it useful.  We can remember without the stuff.   It all came down to this question about our stuff.  The question they asked of us…how might your life be better if you owned fewer material possessions?  Are you ready to embrace a life that means more without your stuff holding you back?

Getting started

Are you ready to simplify your life?  The Minimalists offer their solution to get started called #MinsGame. You eliminate one thing on the first day of the month. On the second, eliminate two things. Three items on the third.  It’s contagious! And who doesn’t like to play when you are an automatic winner?

 

I love the baby steps here.  Not only do you feel the emotional lift of less in your space, #MinsGame offers a daily dose of paring down in a small way.  It can be anything in your space that you choose to eliminate.

 

I love that decluttering takes on a powerful reason.  It shifts your focus from holding on tight to what you have just in case to keeping only what is most meaningful and useful.  Your decluttering and letting go will give you more opportunity to live the life you have imagined. 

 

(I first heard of this game last year.  Join the game and play with colleague Andrea Sharb.)

 

A final thought

 

The Minimalists resonated with me because of this quote they shared. Love People. Use Things. The opposite never works.  It’s in the art of letting go that we find what is being camouflaged by stuff and see what’s important to us.  That’s what’s empowering about organizing and simplicity.  Isn’t that what we are truly want?

 

 

 

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Making Organizing Manageable

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chunking organizing

How do you eat an elephant?   …….One bite at a time!

 

Making organizing manageable is all about breaking the tasks into manageable pieces.  When we see a big project it’s often overwhelming.  We think about organizing our entire home, storage or an office and it seems to be an impossible tasks.  There are several ways to chunk down the project and create a manageable plan.

 

Work in time increments

I am a huge fan of using a timer to work on any project.  Even just 15 minutes on any project will help you reach your goal.  But I also like the idea of percolation time and working an hour at a time.  Other ways to use time increments include two or three hour segments with an alarm set for 30 minutes before the end of the time. If you are unsure about how long the project will take, using time increments helps you get started and work in measured units.

 

Use Quadrants

Think about dividing the space you are working in into quadrants of work.  It could be floor space, left wall, center wall, and right wall.   It could be dividing the space into 4 quadrants entirely. Creating a physical delineation of what areas you are working on helps you see change.   There’s hoola hoop organizing.  Drop a hoola hoop on the floor and work on that area to eliminate and organize.  As more space evolves,  you are feeling more capable and less overwhelmed.

 

Use Numbers

Flylady refers to her 27 fling bogie.   Flylady suggests eliminating 27 items a day.   White House Black Shutters recommends 40 bags in 40 days.  Use numbers to help you break through your feeling of being overwhelmed.  You can choose your own number, no matter how large or small.  Whatever your numbers, use these wisely to make your project easy to accomplish.

 

 Work with a team

It’s much easier to work together to achieve more. Make organizing manageable by adding a partner or triad of workers. Not only does having many hands help, you have lots of ideas to get your organizing done.

 

Whatever strategy you use, make organizing manageable in a way that fits your strengths and style. Choose one of these ideas in order to get started and complete a project.

 

 

 

Monthly organizing tips and tweaks.  Join here!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Asking for Help

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asking for help

Is it not in your nature to ask for help?

Have you asked for help and you heard crickets?

Is it easier to procrastinate about something rather than ask for help?

 

Let’s admit it, asking for help is hard.  It may seem like it’s a signal about deficiency or weakness. It may be about fear and vulnerability. It may be a lack of a skill or an undeveloped skill.  It could even be about being stubborn. A lot plays into asking for help.  It’s time to acknowledge we are all not good at everything and play to our strengths.

 

It’s the best way to conquer a tough project though.  It helps you move forward when you are stuck. It saves you time when you are struggling with a task or technology.  Bringing together more hands and ideas can improve your project too.  Is it time for you to assess asking for help?

 

Start small

The best way to start anything new is to start small.  Ask for help with a small time commitment or piece of the project.  Isolate just one thing that is holding you back on a project.  Ask a trusted resource to help you with that one small task.  If you are not sure what that one small thing is, ask a trusted resource to process the steps in the project to create the series of actions for completing the task.

 

Asking for help at work

Collaboration is a great strategy for asking for help at work.  Create a team that works well together who create energy and more together.  Find resources for a variety of needs that you have, whether tech, writing, calculations or other needs.  Sweeten the pot with an offer to assist with a strength you have.

 

Email is your best tool for asking for help.  Be sure to include a specific request with a deadline.  Think of potential solutions as options that your resource can help you with, especially the small simple solutions.  Think about additional resources like coaches, professional organizers, and productivity consultants who can also provide support and increase your productivity.

 

 

Asking for help at home

We often think our family is an unreliable source for help.  However, asking for help at home is an important part of family cohesiveness.  Even if you think it’s easier to do whatever yourself, teaching how to help others and team work is worth the extra energy and time.

 

It’s easiest to ask by starting with a family meeting.  Even if there is a lot of eye rolling, your family will be happy to help with simple, small tasks that can be done quickly.  Use a family chart to keep everyone on track.  Set a time and date for your helpers to complete their work.  If someone is already doing that task, count that.  Find tasks everyone can do at the same time together to get a big job done too.

 

Finding resources

Have an array of resources at your disposal.

  • My first go to is google and find online resources. Finding answers can be as simple as a few keyboard clicks. It takes a few minutes and already I know new tricks.
  • My next step is to find someone in my inner circle who can respect my request.  There are many colleagues, family and friends who have skills that compliment mine. I return the favor by offering something to help them as well.
  • Finding resources in your community are a great collaboration as well.  In my arena I love having interior decorators who work on color and space design, handymen who repair and hang pictures,  and tech people who help make my computer and smart phone work well.
  • Who would be a bonus to you as a resource?

 

Not matter the challenge, there is help there for the asking!  Remember to share your gratitude for their help.   It’s not only about how to ask for help, it’s also how to appreciate those helping out too.

 

Tricks and tips for any organizing or productivity challenge here!

 

 

Perfectionism, Procrastination and Organizing

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perfectionism, procrastination and organizing

 

 

Perfectionism and procrastination sound like opposites but are they really? Do you set incredibly high standards for a project including lots of planning and then don’t get started because it won’t be completed to your satisfaction? Do you put off a project, thinking you will have more time or energy to do it later? More often than you think, perfectionism can be immobilizing you.  Here are some points to think about with perfectionism, procrastination and organizing.

 

Are you a perfectionist?

Begin by becoming aware of perfectionism in your life. Many people do not realize that they are perfectionists. A home with clutter or incomplete projects can be the home of a perfectionist! Having incredibly high standards that are impossible to reach, whether in taking care of your home, completing a project, or in any thought process, indicate perfectionism. By having the realization of perfectionism, you can begin to evaluate what this is costing you and what’s next.

 

Focus on balanced goals and completion

Because perfectionism is stopping us from starting, we need to focus on the goals of balance and completion. Simply put, it is that old saying, “If I can’t do it right I am not going to do it at all.” Start by asking yourself, what is “right” to you? A realistic goal balances your personal energy, time and importance of the task. You can do it well and get it done. Donna Smallin, author of Organizing Plain and Simple, notes that “done is perfect.” You can start by using Donna’s saying to help you put things in perspective, create the balance for yourself and get the job done.

Empowering self talk

Another aspect of perfectionism is rigid, black and white thinking. Either a project is perfect or a disaster! Using acknowledging, empowering self talk, including kudos of accomplishment throughout the project, leads to satisfaction with the outcome and completion. Seeing productivity, you will feel successful and feel more like completing the project. It is definitely a circle of work and success that stands out then.

 

Making projects manageable

 

We may think that a project is going to take hours and we may not have hours to work on it. It may surprise you how much less time a project takes than we imagined.  We may not start a project until everything else is perfect around it.  Break the tasks into manageable parts. Make it manageable with one or two hour time slots, only taking out a part of the project, or adding in additional resources.  As you work through your project, commit by writing in your calendar slots that take advantage of your best energy times.  You will feel successful as you move forward, instead of putting off and procrastinating.

 

 

Standards of excellence instead of perfection make a difference in starting and completing a project. Whether organizing a space or any other task, start with baby steps and practice your imperfection. Work at a comfortable pace, allow for changes as needed and review your work consistently. When others offer to assist, welcome their help and disregard their imperfections as they help you complete a project. With this process, you will be excited by the excellence you created!

 

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Celebrating 15 year of Organizing

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Ellen Delap celebrating 15 years of professiona organizing and productivity consulting

 

It’s hard to believe that Professional-Organizer.com is celebrating 15 years of making a difference with individuals, families, students, professionals and stay at home people.   In 2000 when Professional-Organizer.com started:

  • Hoarders and Clean Sweep were not on TV
  • Professional organizers and productivity consultants were just beginning to be recognized as resources to help you at home and work.
  • Clutter was not recognized as one of the top 3 resolutions for making change in our lives each year.

 

What I love about my work is the mutual trust, respect and joy of my work with my clients.  My clients are brilliant people who organizing has eluded their lives.  I have learned so much from my clients over the last 15 years.  Here’s what we have shared over the years.

 

Our work together has many emotions.

There’s tears and laughter and anxiety and hope. There are many emotions in our work.  Working together it’s more than the stuff.  It’s how we feel as we approach organizing and where we are in our lives too.

 

What’s most powerful about our work is the positivity that comes from it.  When we work together, clients feel empowered and positive about organizing and productivity.  It starts with feeling successful and trickles over to all parts of their lives.

 

There’s always a hug at the end!

There’s lots to talk about.

More than anything, there’s lots to communicate about when organizing. Every item has a story behind it. Our stuff is linked to experiences, people, and feelings.  Our stories help us let go of or value our stuff.  We do a lot of talking and processing about our stuff to let it go.

 

Many of my clients are verbal processors. As they talk through a situation, it becomes clearer to them. In their heads there was a lot of clutter too. Verbalizing and talking helps them focus and find clarity.

 

Talking through a decision helps my clients. When they are paralyzed by indecision, we work together to bring about clarity.

 

We work best with a partner.

Organizing can be isolating, scary and sad.  Working with a partner brings energy and positivity to the work.  A second set of eyes, hands and feet make the work load much easier.  When we are sitting together going through paper, having another person there to help with decisions makes it easier.

 

Having a partner makes every situation less stressful and less of a work load.  When I arrive, we are committed to our work that day.  It lifts the burden for my clients.  It brings energy to our work to have add a partner.

 

Different situations cause disorder.

Many of my clients were highly organized and then “life happened.”  There are many complicated situations that brought about disorder.  Taking time to catch up can restore confidence and peace of mind.

 

We have  high expectations of ourselves.  It’s hard to stay organized during a health crisis, a family crisis, or a combination.  We often think we can do more in the time we have or with the energy left after a crisis.  I often hear from my clients that they were organized and then they lost a parent they cared for in their home.  I also learn that they are managing the paper work and possessions of several family members.  With my being a part of the team, they are able to restore order to their lives. They feel capable and competent going forward.

 

Everyone has a different organizing style.

Many of my clients have never been organized.  It was never their strength.  It was never how they thought. I love helping them create their own style of organization by our work together.  There is no one “right” way to be organized.  There are many levels of organization, from minimalist to Martha.  What works for you is what’s most valuable.

 

 

I am planning on another 15 years of organizing and productivity consulting.  It’s remarkable to work as a team  and I am excited to be a witness to the transformations I see every day.  You can see them too by checking out Hugs and Happy Organizing, true stories and pictures of my work with clients.   I always sign off with hugs and happy organizing too!

 

 

 

 

15 Home Organizing Tasks that Take 15 Minutes

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home organizing

 

It’s completely paralyzing at times to think how long it will take to organize your home. It seems like every step you take and every room you enter has hours of organizing to do to get it together.  But as we know from Lifehacker, there are betters way to get this job done! It can be just flitting from space to space with 15 minutes time slots to organize your home.  I am obsessed with organizing in 15 minutes.  These 15 home organizing tasks are an easy way to get organized.

1. Go through one pile of paper on your kitchen counter

For 15 minutes you can tackle a lot of paper.  Grab a stack on your counter and let it go.  Not sure what to keep, check here.

2. File 5 papers and take 5 papers out of files

Remember that awesome filing system you created in 2001?  Get in there and renovate it with 5 files at a time.

3. Recycle magazines over 6 months old

Cull through and pull out last season’s magazines and be ready to enjoy the more recent ones.  Recycle these when you go by to get your oil changed, visiting the doctor’s office or other places where people wait.

4. Sort through old cell phones and chargers and place in the recycle bin.

Gather up old technology and delete all your contacts. Recycle or resell your phones.  Donate your old chargers because there are others who want extras.

5. Take the hard drive out of your old computer and disable it.

There may be more than one computer you need to recycle at your home or office.  Your computer can be recycled or donated once the hard drive is out. Take out a screwdriver to get this done and free up a lot of office space.

6. Toss expired items on one shelf of your pantry

Take a look at the expiration dates and make a decision.  There are lots of considerations for out of date food.  Take out what you consider expired and toss.

7. Rearrange your kitchen utensil drawer to consolidate knives, spoons and spatulas

Have you recently purchased new cooking utensils? It’s time to divest what you replaced and send it along to donate.

8. Go through your car to toss trash and bring in items to distribute.

Our cars need a little organizing too.  If there’s a trash build up, grab a bag and get it to the garbage. If it’s items that need to get back inside your home, bring a basket to gather them together to carry  them inside.

9. Spend 15 minutes with your child decluttering toys

In 15 minutes your child will begin learning about decision making and prioritizing.  It’s a great first step to teach organizing.  Focus on letting go of 3 toys, making it easy for your child.

10. Pull out what’s too small and reorganize your child’s closet

It makes every morning easier having just what fits in your kid’s closet or dresser.

11. Sort through your single sock bag, match up what you can, then donate the rest.

This task is only worthy of 15 minutes.  Reuse these socks in the cleaning area, as dog toy, or potpourri holder.

12. Eliminate towels that are worn for regular use.

You purchased new towels but the old ones are in there making the linen area look shabby.

13. Cull down to 2 sets of sheets per bed in your linen closet.

An uncrowded linen closet makes a lovely sight.

14. Go through your old home décor and donate what won’t be used.

Well used curtains? Not matching colors? Loved that back when? It’s time to bless others to bless their homes with this decor.

15.  Spend 15 minutes for 5 days eliminating what you doesn’t make you look or feel fabulous in your closet. First shoes, then tops, bottoms, dresses and finally accessories.

It’s true! If you would not buy that today, it doesn’t belong in your closet.  Taking your closet organizing in baby steps helps you make the most of your wardrobe.  You will love this space and you will know everything you have after you organized.

 

 

Your Most Organized Year Ever

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Your Most Organized Year Ever

 

Each year as we start the new year, we think of ways to make a change and improve our lives.  Did you know that organizing is one of the top three goals each year?  Throughout the month of January, I will be offering 31 tips to help you have Your Most Organized Year Ever.  Implement just one of these tips, tools, techniques or tweaks this year. 
It’s the basis of all things organized. Having a good decision making process makes organizing easier.  And what are good decisions based on?
  • Knowing core values like integrity, honesty, faith and family
  • Prioritizing and reviewing choices in a timely way
  • Eliminating and culling out distractions that take time and energy away
  • Creating logic while balancing emotion
  • Keeping focused while making the decision

 

What helps me most in the decision making process is usually having a good night’s sleep!

 

Check out all 31 tips for Your Most Organized Year Ever.

 

 

Your Most Organized Year Ever

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Your Most Organized Year Ever

Each year as we start the new year, we think of ways to make a change and improve our lives.  Did you know that organizing is one of the top three goals each year?  Throughout the month of January, I will be offering 31 tips to help you have Your Most Organized Year Ever.  Implement just one of these tips, tools, techniques or tweaks this year. 

 

There are limits that set natural boundaries for us.  Sometimes we see them and sometimes we don’t.  It’s like our closet that’s intended to hold our clothes. And we shop too much to have the clothes fit in there.  It’s like our calendar. At times we commit to too much to be able to fit it all in.  Without limits and boundaries, things get chaotic.  Once you move beyond your limits, it’s a natural time to let things go.

 

How do we set boundaries?  It’s about finding natural limits. It’s designing a system that takes these limits into account.  It’s also about setting our own limits.  Finding a number that helps us stay within boundaries of what feels comfortable.

Here are some natural limits:

  • Pantry where food fits
  • Closet where clothes fit
  • Calendar with 3 Most Important Tasks (MITs) listed
  • Office space where office supplies fit
  • Rules that help us maintain our space.

 

Setting and recognizing limits and boundaries can require processing and coaching.

Winner Best of Houzz Customer Satisfaction 2015

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Best of Houzz 2015

 

Houzz (www.houzz.com), the leading platform for home remodeling and design, today announced the community’s picks for Best Of Houzz 2015, a homeowner-to-homeowner guide to the top home builders, architects, interior designers, landscape pros and other residential and organizing remodeling professionals on Houzz of all types.

 

Professional-Organizer.com won in the Customer Service category!

 

“Houzz connects people with the best home professional for their project by providing the only 360-degree view of a professional, from their portfolio, client reviews, awards and accreditations to their work style and expertise based on their participation in the Houzz community,” said Liza Hausman, vice president of Industry Marketing for Houzz. “We’re delighted to join our community in recognizing the talented professionals on Houzz who are delivering incredible designs and delightful customer experiences.”

The Best Of Houzz award is given in two categories: Customer Service and Design. Customer Service honors are determined by a variety of factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2014.  Top reviews were given to Professional-Organizer.com in 2014.

 

It’s an honor to serve my clients.  The lasting change we create together makes each day better. Together we put your goals into action and create a personalized space with low maintenance. Check out my work on Houzz.

 

Your Most Organized Year Ever

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Your Most Organized Year Ever

Each year as we start the new year, we think of ways to make a change and improve our lives.  Did you know that organizing is one of the top three goals each year?  Throughout the month of January, I will be offering 31 tips to help you have Your Most Organized Year Ever.  Implement just one of these tips, tools, techniques or tweaks this year. 

 

 

It can be surprising how much alarms, timers and other reminders can help us during our day. We have so much to think about, these tools help us execute our intentions.

 

Alarms can help us

  • remember to leave for an appointment on time
  • switch tasks and remember to complete a task on time
  • remind us to turn off the sprinkler, move the wash to the dryer or take the brownies out of the oven

 

Timers can help us

  • get started and work for just 15 minutes on a project
  • help us know how much time it takes to complete a project
  • break a project into smaller chunks

 

Other reminders we all love and use

  • extra large post-it notes with a task written on it, posted at an exit or on your planner
  • with one task per note attached to a wall, reminding us of all the work to be done
  • used as a week at a glance calendar with dates and actions

 

Make this Your Most Organized Year Ever with alarms, timers and other reminders.