Background Traveling can be a real trick. We’ve got to figure out what to take. Often this process can be incredibly overwhelming and we may feel helpless. I like Bonnie Mincu’s separation between overwhelm and helplessness. She describes them this way. Overwhelm is the brain screaming “too much”. We know Read more…
BACKGROUND Using guidelines to keep us focused when we want to move things along can be incredibly helpful. In this month’s newsletter I use the example of clothes to explore the use of guidelines. CLOTHES Let’s say that your goal is to get rid of some clothes. You feel that Read more…
Background Let’s not get lulled into a fantasy where most homes look like a Pinterest pin or a glossy photo straight from Martha Stewart Living. Those pictures, rather than representing reality, represent extreme versions of organization. And extreme thinking is unhelpful at best in the nitty-gritty, day-to-day world of organizing. The Read more…
BACKGROUND Papers can be irritating—especially when we set aside precious time to file them, only to discover, three weeks later, that we have no idea where they are! At such times, our systems prove themselves inadequate. Here are some quick and simple upgrades that can help. DIVIDING Dividing files into Read more…
Background It’s true, finding homes for items is a crucial step in organizing. As we continue through the organizing process, we get excited to put our various articles away. Knowing where something goes means one less decision to make! We crave the satisfaction. Especially when we’ve made new homes for Read more…
Background For most fledgling declutterers, letting things go can feel downright painful. The good news: We can shift our decision-making about what stays and what goes. In this newsletter I’m going to focus on two actions that make a difference. The first is reserving time during the organizing process to put our keeps Read more…
Background I just got back from the National Association of Professional Organizers conference in Pittsburgh, PA. Although I didn’t get a chance to see much of Pittsburgh, I did get a chance to hear some great talks, meet with new colleagues, and reconnect with old friends. This month I wanted to give Read more…
Background A family member decides to organize the hallway closet or the laundry room or the family office. Of course, there are going to be questions for other household individuals regarding stuff, time, and intentions. How do we ask our questions so as not to distract, irritate, or continually interrupt Read more…
Background I hear these sentiments all the time: “I can’t believe that organizing is so hard for me – everyone else can do it.” “I should be able to just put things away, like normal people do.” “Every time I turn around, I’ve lost something. No one else ever struggles with this!” So Read more…
Background What does your brain find interesting? Understanding the answer is important because this understanding can help us take action. Story Here’s a little story that demonstrates the importance of this question. I have a client who loves the way his refrigerator functions: things flow easily in and out, the Read more…