Organizing Articles

Addiction To Clutter

(category: Organizing, Word count: 803)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp

Clutter is a big problem for many people. At a lecture that I gave, I asked for a show of hands regarding how many people had problems with clutter and disorganization. I was surprised to find that at least half the people raised their hands.

One of my clients told me that she was trying to help her sister get back on her feet after her sister had been laid up with an illness and lost her job. Her sister's house had always been a mess, and had become so filled with clutter that there was no place to walk or sit. My client, Rebecca, offered to buy her sister a car if she would clean up her house. Rebecca even offered to help her sister clean up the house. Rebecca was shocked when her sister refused the offer, even though she desperately needed the car. He sister was unwilling to get rid of the clutter.

Why? Why was the "stuff" so important to her?

Underneath all addictions lies fear - of emptiness, helplessness, loneliness and aloneness. Addictions are a way to feel safe from feeling these difficult and painful feelings, and an addiction to clutter is no exception. It's all about having a sense of control over feeling safe. Clutter, like all addictions, provides a momentary feeling of comfort. However, as with any addiction, the clutterer needs more and more clutter to maintain the illusion of safety and comfort.

When my mother died and my son was cleaning out her house, he discovered huge amounts of clutter. While my mother's house always looked neat and clean, the cupboards and drawers were filled with clutter. My son told me he found 6 broken hair dryers in one cabinet. Why would my mother want to keep six broken hair dryers?

My mother grew up during the depression and always had a fear of not having enough. No matter how much she accumulated materially, she never felt that she had enough. The six hair dryers made her feel safe from her fear, even if they didn't work.

Carrie has trouble throwing things away, especially magazines with "important' information in them. She subscribes to many magazines but, being the mother of three small children, doesn't often have the time to read them. So the magazines pile up and pile up. Carrie hopes at some point to have the time to read them, but that time never seems to come. When asked why she won't throw them out, her answer is, "Because there might be something important in them and I don't want to miss it." Carrie fears missing out on some important piece of information - information that may give her the peace she is seeking. It makes her feel safer and in control to have all the magazines around her with their important information, even if she never gets to read them.

When we don't feel safe on the inner level, then we try to make ourselves feel safe on the outer level, and clutter is one way of doing that. Whether it's things, such as hair dryers, or information, such as in magazines and newspapers, clutterers do not trust that they will have what they need. In addition, clutterers may be resistant people who see messiness and clutter as a way of not being controlled by someone who wants them to be neat.

HEALING THE ADDICTION TO CLUTTER

Clutter is created and maintained by a wounded, frightened part of oneself, the wounded self - the part that operates from the illusion of having control over people, events, and outcomes. As long as this wounded self is in charge of the decisions, the clutterer will continue to accumulate clutter as a way to provide comfort and the illusion of control over feeling safe, or continue to be messy as a way to resist being controlled.

Healing occurs when the individual does the inner work necessary to develop a strong, loving adult self. A loving adult is the aspect of us that opens to and connects with a spiritual source of wisdom, strength, and love. A loving adult is capable of taking loving action in our own behalf. The loving adult operates from truth rather than from the false beliefs of the wounded self, and knows that the comfort and safety that clutter seems to provide is an illusion - that no matter how much clutter accumulates, the clutterer still feels afraid. The loving Adult knows that safety and integrity do not lie in resistance. Only a loving adult who is tuned in to the guidance provided by a spiritual source and capable of taking loving action in one's own behalf can create a sense of inner safety.

Practicing the six steps of Inner Bonding that we teach develops this powerful loving adult.

Five Steps To Get Rid Clutter And Organize Your Home

(category: Organizing, Word count: 489)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp

A pact, according to Dictionary.com is "a formal agreement...such as one between nations."

Well, I want you to have A-Pact with your clutter. Although this turns into more of a battle (that you win)...it's a great way to remember the steps to organization.

Here's what it means and how it works ...

A->ASK

Ask yourself what you want out of the room or area you're going to organize. What are the goals of the room? What are you shooting for by getting organized?

And the thing is, you want to dig a little deep into how you want to benefit. This will help you get motivated and work towards the final goal.

For instance, if you're going to start the process of organizing paperwork in your home office, the question is "why do I want to organize this space?"

The answer could be "I don't ever want to have a late bill again" or "I want to find any document in less than two minutes."

Once you've answered the question, then move onto step 2...

P->PILE

What you do in this step is pile "like" items together.

In your closet, you make a pile of all your shirts.

Another pile of all your pants...

Or let's say we're in your home office (or wherever you do keep paperwork.)

Start with your file drawer, or grab a pile if that's what you've got for a "filing system."

Put each piece of paper in "like" files. For example, all the insurance paperwork will go together. All of your 401K paperwork goes in another. All medical expenses from the present year in another.

A->ANALYZE

Next you go through the piles and break them down even more, this time into two piles of "treasure" or "trash."

I like to assign each category with treasure or trash so there's no in between. No room for "I'm going to decide on this later."

No, decide right there and then if it's either staying or going.

No in between.

Now the thing is, the trash doesn't necessarily mean it's going to the garbage.

That step comes next... and remember the saying, one man's trash (or junk) is another man's treasure.

next...

C->CASH-IN

This is where you go through the "trash" and break it down once more, deciding what can be donated, what can be sold, and what's going to the dumpster.

Next step is where you get organized...

T->TIDY UP!

This is where, once you've gotten all the "trash" out of the area, you organize the items you've decided to keep.

Tidy up, put it back in an ordered, organized fashion.

When you're organizing, always keep like items together whether on a shelf, in drawers or in any other type of storage you're using.

Have items you use more frequently be more accessible and within reach, too.

Have A-PACT with your clutter today, okay?

The Clutter Queen

(category: Organizing, Word count: 576)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp

If you are looking to attract positive change and seriously move stale energy out, start with your neglected clutter. Getting rid of all the things you are not using will create space for new energy and movement.

I'm a firm believer that

* if it doesn't work...

* if you can't remember when you last used it....or...

* if it doesn't make you feel good ...then...

MOVE IT OUT!

Now, I know... sounds easy doesn't it? Then why do we all have so much clutter?

Here are some tips and techniques that have worked for me to move unused items from my life.

You see I've tested them on my own personal clutter and I know they work. First you will need some bankers boxes (you can get these anywhere you purchase office supplies). Bankers boxes work the best because they have lids and are stackable. And a hand-held recorder (you can get one cheaply at any electronics department).

Here's what you do to quickly eliminate your clutter:

(1) Label the boxes anyway you like ...maybe with a letter (A, B, C etc) or with a color, green, red, orange......

(2) Go around and start putting your dear clutter in the boxes while recording the contents with your recorder. (You can do this little by little whenever you have a spare few minutes).

(3) When the boxes are full, stack them neatly in a closet, garage, attic, etc....anywhere where they are out of sight.

(4) When you have a little time, sit down, play back the recorder and transfer the information to a spreadsheet, word document, index cards or whatever system works best for you. (By indexing you can easily find and retrieve anything you might have mistakenly filed away). Simply look the object up in the index to find the appropriate box and go get it! It's that easy!

(5) After a time, if you find you really don't need all the things you have stored, You can donate usable items to your favorite charitable organization. You can have a garage sale and make some cash, or You can make money by starting your own on-line store on eBay And...

You can have fun by giving your clutter a second life!

A good rule of thumb is

"If you have not used it or thought about it in a year then you probably don't need it and you can let it go"

The great thing about this process is that it overcomes the two main obstacles to clearing clutter. First, you may have thrown something away only to realize later that you really needed it. So now you are reluctant to throw anything away. Secondly, you believe that it can take quite a chunk of time to do a really good job of sorting and eliminating your unwanted stuff. In the past, you may have started to get organized only to abandon the effort for want of time and organization and ended up with a bigger mess on your hands.

The Clutter Queen's five step process eliminates these obstacles because the sorting can be done extremely quickly without the possibility of discarding valuables.

Doing these small things is your first step in creating space for new, exciting ideas and energy.

Get ready for an abundance of fresh ideas and energy to enhance your living!

Shirley Anderson

The Best Times To Sift Through Your Stuff

(category: Organizing, Word count: 615)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp

What are the best times in your life when it's sensible to clean house and get rid of stuff you don't use? Take advantage of these opportunities to clean out your home and downsize your belongings.

When you move from one house to another is the best time to get rid of things you no longer need. Why move stuff you haven't used from one place to another where you won't use it either? Think kitchen gadgets and closets as your best place to start.

Do you have a wok but can't remember the last time you cooked anything stir-fried? If you rarely entertain, do you really need all those wine glasses and extra sets of dishes? How many plastic containers are in the cupboard and how many do you really use on a weekly basis? Get rid of the sizes you never use. Spend a little time to consider how much of your stuff you really use and make up your mind to let go of what is just taking up space.

Of course, when I say here to get rid of something, I mean donate it- don't throw it away unless it doesn't work or it's broken. There are plenty of charitable organizations happy to have your stuff as long as it's usable.

Look at your linen closet- how many of those sets of sheets to you really use? If you have towels that have lost their fluff, out they go. Old makeup and medical supplies should be tossed, especially if it's now past the expiration date.

If there is stuff in the basement or garage still in boxes from the last move, it's safe to say you won't use it again. Test your courage by just tossing the boxes without even looking in them. If you can't manage this without your palms starting to sweat, then check to make sure there wasn't a hidden treasure in one of them.

When your kids grow up and move out, it's time to clean out the stuff they didn't take with them. Don't feel you should keep your kids' room as a shrine to them. While I understand you want to keep your memories, you don't need to keep sports equipment from high school or every trophy they ever won. If it's not important enough for your kids to take with them to their new place, you shouldn't hold onto it either. Offer them the chance to keep what they want, but set a deadline for them to move out their things.

If you've always wanted a reading room or a place to work on your crafts, now you'll have it. Or, make this into the fancy room your guests will be thrilled to spend the night in. Redecorate, renovate and make that room your own!

At some point as you get older, you may decide your house is too much to keep up and you'll move to a smaller place such as a condo. Now you will absolutely need to decide what to get rid of since storage space will be limited. Once again, your kitchen and closets are the best areas that can be downsized. At this point, your lifestyle may also change- you may dine out more often than at home, causing you to need less kitchen gizmos. Consider your new routine and decide what you will no longer need.

Take advantage of these major life events to sift through your stuff, get rid of what you will no longer need in your new life, and donate it to someone else who could use it to start their new life.

Get Organized Secrets

(category: Organizing, Word count: 430)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp

1. Tell yourself that no matter what, some level of clutter with a child is going to happen.

2. Begin with messes and clutter that you see every day. Get organize your kitchen, garage, and family room before your hallway closet.

3. Use drawer dividers for socks, underwear, lingerie, and tiny items, to keep them separated and organized.

4. Use this same principle to organize your silverware, with clearly defined places for every fork and knife, or drawers for ties and socks or, underwear. Think in this same way for every aspect of your home. This will save many hours of searching for things. It will dramatically cut down on the clutter of items left out "for now" or "until I find a place for it." Develop a new mantra: everything has its place and a place for everything!

5. Allocate everything in your house a place. This way your family will know exactly where to find it and where to put it away, when they searches for something they need.

6. Keep items that are used frequently in places where you can reach them without stooping or bending, and store them close to the place they will be needed.

7. Establish one defined place in your house for storing library books, and end a house-wide hunt when it is time to read or return them.

8. Hang hooks for your keys and purse at the entry to your home, so each time you walk in, you can hang them up.

9. Get rid of all junk drawers, or allow yourself just one that you clear out once a week or more. When you establish certain items are being used repeatedly, designate a drawer for those.

10. Enlist a new rule: throw out one old thing for every new purchase that enters your home.

11. Make a mental note to observe what things pile up in your house and where they cluster, and then come up with a place nearby that becomes the official home where those things will reside. For this purpose baskets, shelves, and folders will work well. Set aside one basket for you and your partner for incoming mail, bills, and receipts and letters.

12. Never go up or down empty-handed when using stairs. Always grab some items that belong to upstairs rooms and quickly put it away while you are there.

13. Create a number of brightly marked folders for discount coupons, invitations and directions, and other time-sensitive papers that just clutter your counters.

14. Things you don't need any longer:

Why Should I Organize

(category: Organizing, Word count: 687)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp

Do you walk in the house after a long day at work and just sigh at your cluttered house? Have you planned to organize one morning but do not know where to start or are just not in the mood? Are you caught in a vicious cycle: as soon as you organize one room another one has turned to chaos? Maybe you just need to prioritize, find motivation, and ask for help. Easier said than done J?

Prioritize As with most goals in life, you want to strive for progress and improvement, not perfection. Most of us do not have time to achieve perfection in everything we do and still live a happy, fulfilling life. When you set goals, make them achievable, attainable. When you make that progress, create a visual way to track it or remind yourself of all you have accomplished (i.e. stickers on a chart, a check list, a flower/penny/or other item to represent each task you have completed). Since we will never have more than 24 hours in a day, we may have to say "no" to some activities and tasks. As you list each goal, task, or activity, ask yourself if it is necessary, if it supports my ultimate goals, or if any other activity or person will be negatively affected if it does not happen. You may see your list shrink before your very eyes J. If you are not sure how to narrow your list, search the internet, ask a friend, or consult a professional organizer (we help with both the tangible and intangible).

Motivate Do you start the day with the best of intentions to declutter the "bathroom" only to loose your drive because it is "just not worth it"? What is worth it to you? What do you value? Why? These questions may not seem to have much to do with organizing, but they can be the key to your motivation. How much time do you spend on activities that relate to your values (i.e. spending time with family, exercising, eating healthy, etc.)? Most of us would probably answer "not enough". Then why would you ever spend time on an activity not related to you values, such as organizing? The answer: organizing allows you to focus more on your values. Organizing means less time searching for the other shoe, fewer arguments over who last used the scissors and did not put them back, less time cleaning around the clutter . . . With less time wasted, you have more time to be with family, exercise, eat healthy, and pursue those life goals that really matter. The next time you wonder why you would ever make time to organize, remember that organizing can be a means to an end. If you find a task that seems pointless, ask yourself how that task can bring you closer to what means to the most to you. It is amazing how a change in attitude and knowing what is "in it for me" can motivate.

Ask For Help Even if most of your chores and daily tasks are "value added", they are not always fun and often too much for one person. Solution: spread the responsibility among the whole household. What is boring to one person may be fun for another. One person's weak spot may be another person's strength. Some people have time in the morning to help everyone get ready for the day, and others have more time at night to help everyone get ready for bed. When you do ask for help, just remember to be specific or be prepared for "not exactly what you expected". Letting others pick what they want and find their own way, within reason, may even make them more willing and productive.

If you are not sure how to prioritize, want some ideas to motivate, or are ready to ask for help, contact Organized For You! For your free consultation, questions, comments, speaking and training needs, tips, or gift certificates please contact Jessica at organizedforyou@mchsi.com or 319-504-6689. Let me help you make every day like "a day at the beach".

Organizing Family Discoveries

(category: Organizing, Word count: 428)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp

It's great when the family gets together, but you know that it'll be much greater if all family members can get to know each other and share the family history. Much interest had been given to genealogic researches in the past years, but still, the most common form of genealogic research remains to be the family tree and its branching out. A family tree is a cinch to make if you intend to include only members of your immediate family (parents, sibling, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins) but what if you aim to include the three generations before you? Or what if you intend to find out who your ancestors are? This entails a much larger scope and therefore a more thorough research. This also means more extensive notes, files, pictures, interview transcripts, and other documents. To save you from disorganization and make your research easier, Carolyn Billingsley and Desmond Allen have devised an efficient filing system specifically for genealogic research.

The materials they prescribed are easy enough to procure such as a filing cabinet (boxes will do), data records, pens with black ink, file folders, notebook (loose leaf), and notebook dividers. They recommend that you start by making nuclear family records. Printed forms are available to make it easier. Record information by family. Separate your own family record from that of your parents. Use marriages as guide, as each marriage requires a separate data sheet. Fill out forms backward, starting from the present and to the past. Make all information on each family uniform, leave spaces for unknown data and fill them out later when you got the missing links. It is also important to indicate sources of the information. Include birth certificates, death certificates, and marriage certificates with the members' personal information but remember to use only photocopied records. Label sheets with family surnames and put them in file folders duly labeled. Collect and store these nuclear family sheets to larger family groups. To do these use bigger filing folders. Label these folders by the family patriarch's name, for example, your grandfather's name. Include in this folder all files of your uncles, aunts, parent, married siblings, married cousins, etc. An optional step is to add a contents page to give you a clue about what is inside the folders. These will make it easier for you to fill out your family tree and its branches. An organized research will save you the trouble of diving into heaps of paper searching for documents that you think are there but have no idea where to find.

Who Has Time To Get Organized

(category: Organizing, Word count: 481)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp

High gas prices, wedding presents, graduation parties, July 4th picnics, activities, vacations. Who has the time or money to organize? YOU DO! Organizing does not have to take forever or cost money. Don't believe me? Keep reading.

How much time do you have to organize? A half a day or whole day or a week would be great, but most of us are not that lucky. If you want to get organized as quickly as possible, it is worth setting aside a large chunk of time to achieve that stress relief. To get twice as much done in the same amount of time, enlist a friend, family member, or professional organizer (bonus: experience, ideas, answers). If that much time is not a possibility (at least at the moment), then utilize pockets of time. Do you watch TV, watch commercials, ride the bus, wait at the doctor's office, take car trips, wash the laundry, arrive early for meetings, lie awake at night, etc.? If so, take a reading file with you, sort a drawer, go through your magazines and catalogs, clean out the refrigerator, go through your CDs or videos, sift through your closet, clean off a shelf, go through a pile, empty a box, go through your shoes or purses, sort your computer or email files, pick out your favorite recipes in a cookbook, sort some of your pictures or compile one album, go through a file, or find something else small to organize that is quick and will give you a sense of accomplishment.

Not enough money for a custom closet system, garage system, pantry, etc.? Go shopping, in your house. Do you have wood scraps from previous projects? Use three pieces to create a free-standing shelf to better utilize wasted shelf space. Are your hair accessories a jumble? Use a ribbon, old belt, or something similar that hangs to clip your barrettes and keep them separated. You can even use an extra hanger to separate ribbons. Do you have random screw and nails? They make great hooks for light weight items. Are there empty baskets, containers, or shoe boxes? These can function as low-cost pull-out drawers. Would you like to find something in the junk drawer? Create drawer dividers with card board, wood, empty plastic containers, checkboxes, etc. .

If I missed the area that is frustrating you the most, email or call for some creative ideas. If you would like quick, easy organizing solutions, let us help you. Consultations are always free. If you want your organizing finished yesterday, contact us for an extra set of hands, focus, and a wealth of ideas and solutions. For your free consultation, questions, comments, speaking and training needs, tips, or gift certificates please contact Jessica at organizedforyou@mchsi.com or 319-504-6689. Let me help you make every day like "a day at the beach".

The Organized Tool Box

(category: Organizing, Word count: 110)
Share this article on: Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp

Are you always digging around for the right tool? Hammers abound, but why are the flat-edge screwdrivers always missing? Wouldn't it be great to have everything in an easy-to-find space? Here are some steps and tips to get you on your way.

Step 1: Inventory.

First, start by gathering all your tools. Make a list of the locations where you found your tools. Garage, kitchen, basement, car, truck? Lay them all out on a bedsheet or blanket. Sort them by type to get an idea of how many different kinds of tools you have.

Next, examine each tool and decide what to keep.

Reload this page to get new content randomly.

More Categories

Time-Management | Loans | Credit | Weather | Finance | Weddings | Trucks-Suvs | Home-Family | Cars | Self-Improvement | Reference-Education | Insurance | Vehicles | Mortgage | Home-Improvement | Gardening | Society | Parenting | Debt-Consolidation | Womens-Issues | Relationships | Acne | Interior-Design | Nutrition | Fashion | Baby | Legal | Religion | Fishing | Clothing | Holidays | Product-Reviews | Personal-Finance | Auctions | Communications | Misc | Supplements | Marriage | Currency-Trading | Politics | Goal-Setting | Taxes | Ecommerce | Movie-Reviews | Recipes | Traffic-Generation | College | Cooking | Computer-Certification | Success | Motivation | Depression | Stress-Management | Site-Promotion | Outdoors | Home-Security | Book-Reviews | History | Entrepreneurs | Hair-Loss | Yoga | Consumer-Electronics | Stock-Market | Email-Marketing | Article-Writing | Ppc-Advertising | Science | K12-Education | Crafts | Environmental | Elderly-Care | Fitness-Equipment | Cruises | Coaching | Domains | Spirituality | Mens-Issues | Happiness | Leadership | Customer-Service | Inspirational | Diabetes | Attraction | Security | Copywriting | Language | Data-Recovery | Muscle-Building | Aviation | Motorcycles | Coffee | Landscaping | Homeschooling | Ebooks | Cardio | Psychology | Celebrities | Pregnancy | Ebay | Mesothelioma | Extreme | Ezine-Marketing | Digital-Products | Fundraising | Martial-Arts | Boating | Divorce | Book-Marketing | Commentary | Current-Events | Credit-Cards | Public-Speaking | Hunting | Debt | Financial | Coin-Collecting | Family-Budget | Meditation | Biking | Rss | Music-Reviews | Organizing | Breast-Cancer | Creativity | Spam | Podcasts | Google-Adsense | Forums | Ethics | Buying-Paintings | Gourmet | Auto-Sound-systems | After-School-Activities | Adsense | Dieting | Education | Dance | Cigars | Astronomy | Cats | Diamonds | Autoresponders | Disneyland | Carpet | Bbqs | Dental | Criminology | Craigslist | Atv | Excavation-Equipment | Buying-A-boat | Auto-Responders | Auto-Navigation-Systems | Autism-Articles | Atkins-Diet | Aspen-Nightlife | Fruit-Trees | Credit-Card-Debt | Creating-An-Online-Business | Breast-Feeding | Contact-Lenses | Computer-Games-systems | Colon-Cleanse | College-Scholarship | Golden-Retriever | Anger-Management | American-History | Bluetooth-Technology | Alternative-Energy | Closet-Organizers | Elliptical-Trainers | Electric-Cars | Black-History | Air-Purifiers | Diesel-Vs-Gasoline-Vehicles | Christmas-Shopping | Choosing-The-Right-Golf-Clubs | Dental-Assistant | Decorating-For-Christmas | Beach-Vacations | Cd-Duplication | Bathroom-Remodeling | Bargain-Hunting | Candle-Making | Backyard-Activities | Auto-Leasing | Skin-Cancer | Recreational-Vehicle | Mutual-Funds | Boats | Leasing | Innovation | Philosophy | Grief | Colon-Cancer | Prostate-Cancer | Dating-Women | Audio-Video-Streaming | Forex | Digital-Camera | Cell-Phone | Car-Stereo | Car-Rental | Running | Sociology | Multiple-Sclerosis | Leukemia | Dogs | Ovarian-Cancer