Share a Little (Organizing) Love

The month of February is all about hearts, flowers, candy and love.  There’s a lot to love about organizing and productivity! Organizing is a gift you give yourself and a gift to others. In the book, The Five Love Languages, Gary Chapman refers to as gifts of service and gifts of quality time. An “act of service” is doing something for another person as an expression of love.  A “gift of quality time” is spending time together.  A gift of organizing is a small act that makes a big emotional impact to us, to our colleagues and to our family.   Share a little (organizing) love this month. Here’s a small sampling of these ways to get organized and share some organizing love.

• Family dinner time together is often a shared act of love. It’s a gift of service for those who prepare the meal and clean up and a gift of quality time together.  Start with an easy meal plan and use a list or grocery app.  Organize and label your pantry so everyone knows what’s available and it’s easy to make dinner. Partner with a family member to make dinner and clean up together.  I love the FamilyDinnerProject.org to find easy meals and table topics.
• There are many acts of service as part of organizing. Here’s some gifts of love to do. Put away another family member’s laundry for them. Do one of your family chores for someone.  We all love it when we have one less thing to do and that someone has helped us do something hard to do. What small gift, like unloading the dishwasher or vacuuming the car, can you do that will make your family or friend feel loved?
• Our blessing others with our goods is an act of love. In the book, The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Marie Kondo encourages us to keep only what “sparks joy.”  Marie is sharing to keep only what we love. Take donations to a local charity with your family and see together the impact it can make.  Our community is blessed to have so many ways to help others.
• Organizing can be quality time together and lead to better productivity. Work together with a family member or friend to declutter a space. Listen to their ideas and help them make decisions and know what to let go.  Or you can work alongside your friend or family member as a “body double.” My clients share stories that when they are organizing, just having another person in the space tethers them to the task, helps them think through ideas and helps them get organized. Set aside time each day during homework time with your kids. While they are doing their work, you can work on your paper work and administrative tasks.
• Share your gift of service by working on a family project together. Work together on a service project for a local philanthropy. When you model acts of service, you are sharing important values and giving back to our community.

The true gift of organizing is the connection you create with your family and friends. Just as important as words of love, these acts of love make an impact every day, not just on Valentine’s Day. Your little (organizing) love lasts all year!

What kind of (organizing) love do you share?