Organizing isn't magic-it's a skill

Biggest myth and reason why organizing attempts fail?

There is NO MAGIC!

It takes intentional work and creating a system that will be utilized over and over again.

Yes, the process of getting organized is tedious, but you will find that as you see changes, you will feel lighter and the work becomes exhilarating and a bit addictive even.

Ever just get completely fed up with stuff strewn about all over your home robbing you of your peace?

That’s it! You decide once and for all that you need to get organized for your sanity. You know exactly what to do. You’ll go buy those containers that all the organizers are raving about and like magic, all this crap in front of you disappears in the blink of an eye. 

Does that resonate?

You go to the Container Store, Ikea or any department store and low and behold there are bins galore in all shapes and sizes.  The entire store is a playground for organizing enthusiasts. You can get lost in the aisles designing your future storage solutions which will finally, once and for all, create the extra space which these will bring.  

Every big and small department store now has those cool bins and boxes.  It’s all the craze.

One fact often forgotten is that buying the bins does not equate to organization.  One must actually physically and mentally do the hands on work to utilize these little gems.

There’s a tendency to invest in stacks of these bins which often go unused.

Perhaps they were purchased with the intention to help motivate organization, but, instead, they stand empty just adding to the clutter.

Mistake #1:

*Organizing without decluttering-

Clutter is unmade decisions!

Decluttering can be mentally and physically challenging, but there are common mistakes that keep us in an endless cycle, draining our energy further.

I remember working with a lovely client and she did everything in her power to convince me that she wanted me to organize all of her possessions, so that later, when she had time, she could go through each item and make a decision. 

What she was doing was step #1, categorizing, which commonly gets mistaken for organizing!

There are different approaches to organizing and there is no, “one-way is right” for all. Having years of experience and the benefits of working with a diverse clientele, I have accumulated several tools in my tool belt to assist each client find the appropriate path to keep us moving forward.

Sorting takes less mental energy as it alleviates the stress of decision making.  

It is a great first step, as it allows one to see how much of an item they own.

This is why sorting is so beneficial in the process of organization.  With sorting, you will see what you have and then you can use the process of elimination to see what is no longer needed. While grouping like items, if anything you touch no longer serves its purpose, be it too small, torn, or you simply don’t love it, it is not only permitted, but encouraged to discard immediately. Perhaps this is obvious to some, but as you categorize, the piles grow exponentially and every piece that you already know does not belong, should go!

I did my best to encourage my client to make decisions at the time we were organizing, but she knew what she wanted and I obliged with a caveat.  After reasoning with her, she agreed to put a date on what we had already spent time organizing and in six months if she had not dealt with it, we would work together to make final decisions for these items. Originally, I suggested that at that point she donate all the items, as we had already reviewed them, but she was not budging. We agreed on this, but she was hoping that this would not be an issue, as she had six months to complete the task.  Luckily, she had the space to store these items for six months, but many don’t have that luxury.

Long story short, we had a session six months later and even though we reviewed the items again, she was able to donate 95% of the items. 

The end result was a win and we were both very happy. 

There is nothing more fulfilling than completing a project. It generates momentum, frees up time, and allows you to move forward with clarity and purpose.

Once items are categorized, now comes step #2:

*Decluttering.

Seeing the number of items in each category, allows you to assess what you have and become mindful and intentional with how much you need and are willing to let go of.

This leads us into the discussion of containment.  Many love those plastic containers because they feel that they are the answer to all of their woes.

But what is their true function?

It is to contain and corral things items so they are not unruly. In reality, we are all subject to some form of containment be it a purchased bin, a drawer, a closet, a room, or ultimately a home. Once the container is full, nothing more can enter until we remove something to make room for it. We must make space.  This is the real issue.

There are creative ways of folding and using vertical space, which I teach and believe in 100%, but once you’re maxed out, you’re maxed out.

This is a valuable piece of knowledge and where I can be of value.  Decluttering is what creates space.

I recently worked with a client on her kitchen pantry and overflow food stock. In order to take inventory of all the food in her home, we organized her pantry according to the types of food, expiration dates, and created an efficient system for her to utilize. It was important for her to know what she has in order to establish a user friendly system that made all items visible and accessible. This system saved her time, money, and decreased her stress allowing her to easily see when things need to be restocked.

We were able to discard expired food, opened grains no longer viable, and donated several items that the family no longer wanted. While we worked together we found items that had been opened while other packages of the same food were found that were set to expire soon.  Upon discovering this, we filtered those into the front of the cabinet to ensure they would be next in line for use. We even discovered several hard to find loved foods bought and saved for a special occasion. We moved them to her kitchen pantry. 

Here is what I’ve learned throughout my many years of working with clients:

USE IT NOW!

Life itself is a special occasion. You are worth treating yourself to a bit of joy daily.

Clients often ask me if they should buy containers before we start.  My response is no, not yet at least.

It is useful to do the decluttering first which gives you a sense of the size of bins needed. There are often items in the house that can be used initially for sorting. You can always make the system snazzier, prettier, more uniform, and use custom labels, but that’s the fun part. Do the hard work first and then focus on design.

Once a system is in place you just need to maintain it.

Things need to be returned to their proper “home” and then you will always find them when and where you need them!

This is what feels like magic!

Tips:

• If a system is too difficult, it won’t be sustained. Keep it simple.

• When building a system ask yourself, where would I look for this? It must make sense to you.

• Try to stick to a routine so things don’t become cluttered and thus overwhelming. Clutter accumulates quickly. Can you tidy daily for 15 to return items to order, or more of a one hour on the weekend to spruce up kind of person?

• Life happens and we are not robots. Things will get messy, but as long as a solid foundation has been created, you can easily return order because everything has its designated place.

• If it all feels a bit too much, contact me. I love helping people find calm in their homes and in their lives. 

Wishing you all good health, peace, and love.

Happy Organizing!

#homeorganizer, #decluttering, #intentionalliving,#LetsOrganize, #Jerusalem