While there are many ways to organize, I have found that my clients who feel disorganized handle their “stuff” in one of three ways.  These are names for the kinds of disorganization that I often encounter.

The Pilot

This person loves to “pile it” (that’s why I call them a pilot). In their home or office you will find things stacked vertically. It may be papers, books, or clothes; they may be stacked neatly or haphazardly but they are piles nonetheless. These pilots will often say that they know exactly where everything is and they’re right… it’s in a pile!  How are they comfortable organizing this way? Are they really comfortable organizing this way? The answer is yes.  In Lanna Nakone’ s book, Organizing for your Brain Type, she states that this type of person should embrace their stacking preference but limit the number of piles, save less stuff to begin with, and use clear containers.

The Flight Attendant

Visualize the flight attendant on a plane – you walk onto a plane, they have everything neat as a pin and are smiling brightly. But they have a secret place, a closet of sorts. There, all of the tools for their job are hidden away – the beverage cart, coffee carafes, garbage bins, magazines, coats, and who knows what else.  A person who organizes like a flight attendant has a neat and orderly appearance on the outside but don’t dare look in their closets, laundry room or desk drawers! In fact, many of us have been quasi flight attendants in our lives – company rings the doorbell and with one swoosh we clear the papers off the kitchen counter into a bag and throw it in the pantry. Many people become flight attendants in their attempts to organize because they never get around to actually organizing and use closets, boxes or any close-able area to stash things when they want a sense of [eace in their environment.

Crop Duster

This person has it all spread out.  Just like a little crop duster, making sure to cover every nook and cranny. Every horizontal surface is covered with dishes, papers, projects, etc.  When the crop duster person begins to think about getting organized, they are instantly overwhelmed because they do not know where to start. They are paralyzed and cannot take action. Barbara Hemphill, author of Taming the Paper Tiger at Home, says that clutter is postponed decisions.  This person just cannot make a decision about what to do with the “stuff”.

Let me give it to you straight-

If you haven’t read it by now, you are probably never going to read it. So let it go!

It’s time to start fresh and have a plan for all the reading you intend to do this year.

First, set some boundaries. How many articles, books, magazines will you let pile up to read before you actually get to reading them? Determine what is manageable. I have no more than 2 books in line to be read after I finish the book I’m currently reading. There are certainly lots more I want to read but I just keep a book list instead of buying more books and magazines to have stacked by my reading chair. (I am even moving to more ebooks now that I have my iPad.) Boundaries can also be set for the number of magazines you subscribe to. Take a look at the number of subscriptions you have now and if many of those have gone unread last year then cut back your subscriptions by 50% as a starting point.

Decide how you will contain your reading materials. Some ways to do this are with magazine holders, baskets, or dedicating a shelf on a bookcase or side table for things you plan to read next. Having a specific place that contains your reading materials is also another way to set a boundary. If the reading materials start to exceed the designated space, then some need to be purged. No guilt, just follow your own boundaries…

Avoid printing out articles or emails you find on the Internet; it’s a waste of our resources. Bookmark it and come back to it when you do have time to read it. For newsletters and random sheets of paper you have accumulated to read, create a portable ”To Read” folder.  Take it with you and sneak in some reading while waiting at the doctor’s office, while parked and waiting for kids to get out of school, while getting a pedicure or, my favorite, while sitting in the airport waiting for a flight.

If you really want to get some reading done, plan for it. Set aside time daily or weekly to read. If you are not doing this already, you may need to schedule actual time in your calendar until it becomes a habit. It’s perfectly fine to have an appointment with yourself, you know! Speaking of habits, it’s also a good idea to go through and purge your reading piles quarterly. Things that seemed like a “must read” look a whole lot different after 3 months has gone by! Re-evaluate and purge the reading materials regularly, you’ll feel so much better!

The benefits of Planner Pad:

• Monthly view
• 2 pages weekly view
• Different sizes calendars to choose from
• Space for roles, tasks, and appointments
• Room on the weekly pages to capture bits of information
• Designed to make all aspects of your life funnel into each week, in one place

Click here to See the Planner Pad video

Remember kindergarten? Specifically, do you remember the kindergarten routine? I had a chance to visit a kindergarten last year. My client at that time was a kindergarten teacher.  Not much has changed in the kindergarten classroom since my kids were in kindergarten. There’s still the reading/story time area, the activity tables, the colorful bulletin boards and the art area. What also hasn’t changed in kindergarten is the importance of routine. Every kindergartner knows what happens in their classroom when they first arrive, then what happens next and what comes after that – all the way to the end of  their day.

Just like kindergarten, we all have routines. Having a routine helps you get through your day smoothly. It’s predictable and heck, most times it’s downright comfortable.

Do you need to get a handle on your routines? Sometimes our routines need to be re-evaluated, adjusted and/or added to.

Re-evaluate

Is your routine working?  Is there room for improvement? Is the routine an old habit that no longer serves you? Is it time for a change? Our lives are not stagnant so sometimes the routine needs an adjustment. Take a moment and assess what part of your routine is working and what may be missing.

Adjust

The first adjustment that might need to be made is your outlook.  Do you have a good attitude towards this routine or do you do it begrudgingly? If your routine no longer serves you, be realistic- say good-bye and stop doing it. Often a routine simply needs to be tweaked or changed a little depending on the present day situation. Sometimes just shifting the time of do in which you do a routine will make it more effective or work better in your day. Make small adjustments at a time and give yourself time to get used to them.

Add

If you are happy with the routines you have, is there another routine you would like to establish? The best way to create a new routine is to pair it with an existing routine. Plot out the new routine and begin to establish it, but give it time. It takes time to get “in the groove” of a new routine and have it established.

“You have to have consistent effort to win the game, period.” -Chris Smith

Once you have a handle on your routines, don’t forget to periodically revisit these three steps –  reevaluate, adjust, and add – to keep your routines working optimally for you.

This month is National Get Organized Month. Every January the National Association of Professional Organizers and it’s member chapters endeavor to publicize the benefits of organization and the services that are provided by our industry. There are many areas of specialty within the Professional Organizer industry – from home staging to business productivity to move managers. There are specialized training courses for many different populations - seniors, hoarders, people with disabilities, and children.  Getting organized helps people with time management, productivity, family management, and relieves stress and anxiety. Here are some of the reasons why professional organizers are hired and which areas are most often organized. This information is found on the National Association of Professional Organizers website, www.napo.net:
Top reasons professional organizers are hired

1. Too much clutter
2. General disorganization
3. Difficulty determining what to keep and/or discard
4. Difficulty finding things
5. Selling a home or moving

Top areas in a home where organizing services are most often requested

1. Home Office or Den
2. Kitchen
3. Closet
4. Master Bedroom
5. Garage/Attic/Basement

I’m not a huge fan of making resolutions anymore; most people do not take resolutions made on New Year’s Day very seriously.  However, if you are ready to take the first steps to getting organized this year, then download my ebook, Project Simplify. It includes monthly goal sheets to help you plan the first steps to getting your organizing projects done.

Receive your free gift today!  Just go to the top right of this page and submit your name and email.  Then check your email!  You will have the link for your free download!   It’s my gift to you this month as you begin to get organized!

 Linking to:

1. Be Safe –Regardless of how you travel, make sure someone else has your itinerary and telephone numbers so they can reach you in an event of an emergency.

By car- make sure your car is road worthy.  Simple things like checking the fluids, tire pressure, and wiper blades can prevent bothersome road side stops. Fill up the tank before you go and refill it when the tank reads less than half full.

By plane/train/bus – keep your valuables on your person rather than in a carry-on or purse.  Always have a change of clothing and a toothbrush in your carry-on for unexpected layovers and delays.

2. Pack Light 

• Dress in layers and pack clothing that will mix and match.  Use packing cubes inside your luggage to keep things neat and accessible.  Only bring one extra pair of shoes.  Be sure to leave room in your luggage to bring things home with you.  

3. Ship Ahead

If you have gifts and things for people you will visit while traveling, ship them out the week before you arrive. It’s less hassle for you at the airport and less to carry. The Post Office’s flat rate boxes are a very economical way to go.

I was talking with a client the other day.  She was having a hard time keeping up with the organization systems we had put in place.  I asked if she had actually used the systems and if they were working for her.  She said they were.  We talked some more about her obstacles- what was preventing her from successfully maintaining her system?  It was then that I told her she had clutter of a different type – Time Clutter.

Time Clutter can be the reason a person…..

- is always arriving late

- can not finish what they started

- changes their RSVP to “no” from “yes” an hour before the event

- never gets the laundry folded and put away

- goes to bed at 2:00 am because they were up late paying bills and getting things done

- is wrapping Christmas gifts at the post office while in line

You get the picture; we’ve all done this at one time or another.

READ MORE

In a forum for Professional Organizers, I saw a post asking about a timer that would help an ADD client. I quickly paid attention to that discussion thread as I often help ADD clients and parents of ADD children.  The tool that was suggested was the Time Timer.

So guess what? It’s today’s Tool Tuesday feature! I’ve done a little research and really think this is worth checking into – even if you don’t have ADD! READ MORE

The short answer is QR codes will save you time.

This week’s Tool Tuesday feature is the QR code. What is a QR code?  It stands for quick response code.  It is a two dimensional bar code that when scanned gives you information. Here is one of my QR codes:

Here's the latest Clever Container Catalog

If you have a QR scanner and swipe it over the box you see above, it would take you to my Clever Container catalog.  So let’s paint a scenario here.  I meet someone at an event, we are learning about each other’s businesses and products.  READ MORE

As technology continues to advance, so do our opportunities. People now realize that computer technology allows them to work from home, accessing necessary data from the internet, on the “cloud”. The term “telecommuting” is used to describe such an occurrence. Many people were excited to give up driving commute time, add flexibility to their life and work from home.
But there are some drawbacks. The much sought after flexibility can often fall victim to household distractions and lead to wasted productivity. If you or someone you know works from home, whether self  employed or telecommuting, this blog post is for you. READ MORE