By now, you’ve read a lot about Get Organized Month on OTR. Professional organizers across the country, myself included, have been using the 31 days in January to shine a light on the benefits of being organized. Now that the month is coming to a close, how’s your mindset? How’s your resolution to get more organized coming along? Still need a little motivation?
If so, you’re not alone. It’s not easy to make changes, even good ones. My advice is to take it one day at a time – just do a little bit every day. I have a few more tidbits that can you help stay on the motivation train. Check them out this recent Holidash article, New Year’s Resolution: Get Organized.
Remember, clear space = clear mind. Let this year be the year that serenity and order hang around for a while.
Read the entire article:
New Year’s Resolution: Get Organized
“Do you know about ‘The Shovunda?’ That’s when you shove stuff under here and shove stuff under there.” ~Lee Silber, Author, during the Organizing Telesummit 2010, explaining what some people do when company’s coming over
Books by Lee Silber
Are you a list maker? Today’s guest author, Jennifer Tankersly, shares why lists can be invaluable and help you manage and organize your thoughts.
There are many tools and techniques available for organization and even time management, but none are as simple and effective as the list. All you need is a piece of paper and a writing implement, and you can dump all of the information swimming around in your brain in an organized and efficient manner.
Lists can be made over a period of time or can be jotted on the fly. They can be as brief and simple or as long and detailed as you need them to be, but either way, the benefits to creating and using a list are many.
A list can be a great brainstorming activity. A person may go from not having any clear ideas on a topic to a list full of possibilities.
A list is a good memory aid. Many people are visual and seeing the information presented in list form is a way of committing it to memory. For example, a grocery list allows a person to not only consider what ingredients are needed but also the freedom of not having to store all of those items in their memories. However, once a visual person sees the list of ingredients, they are much more likely to remember what is included on the list.
Your information is centralized. Lists bring the important details together to one handy location. A monthly menu list brings together the titles of recipes spread throughout your kitchen storage (and even computer) and places them on a single page for easy reference.
A list makes a terrific record. Not only can a list prepare you for what lies ahead, but remains long after an event as a kind of testament that can be used again or repeated as often as necessary. A good Packing List should be saved and pulled back out for future trips.
Lists are extremely portable. A piece of paper can be clipped to a clipboard and toted around the home or office. It can be hung on the refrigerator or message board and displayed for others to enjoy and use. It even folds nicely and can fit into a back pocket or purse.
Whether you have dabbled in the art of listmaking or are a seasoned listmaker, you’ve probably discovered that lists have a way of multiplying. Develop a system for creating and storing lists such as a 3-ring binder. Keep the ones that will serve you again in the future and dispose of the ones that have run their course.
About the Author
Jennifer Tankersley is the founder of ListPlanIt.com, which has over 500 lists and planning pages available for members to either print or download as often as you need for 1 year, including Home Management, Family Matters, Financial Planning, Meal Planning, Holidays & Occasions, Time Management, Travel Planning, and more!
Connect With Jennifer: Web | Twitter | Facebook
It’s day 27 of Get Organized Month. GO Month is all about the possibilities – the potential for “what can be.” Have you thought about your possibilities? Can you see your future, a more streamlined future? One without scavenger hunts for important papers? ..without racing against the clock to get to meetings on time…without special navigation skills around paper piles and toy towers?
Visualize your success picture, remove your limits, and get some inspiration from self-proclaimed busy person and Possibilities Coach, Earl Mann.
Perspective is a huge thing. When your focus changes, what you do – and get in return – changes.
Organizing photographs can be a daunting task, especially when they’re scattered about your home. Here are three things to consider as you begin the process.
- Album or Box? Choose a containment system: photo album, e-file, CD, or photo box. If you enjoy the feel of handling photos, choose a photo box. Otherwise, choose the option that’s easiest and/or quickest for you to work with.
- What Do You Think? Sort, categorize, and label by the way that you think of the photos. What’s the first thought that comes to mind when you’re looking for a picture? Do you think of the year first or the event or family member? Perhaps you think chronologically followed by event (e.g., 2009 Jones Family Reunion). Be sure to use a method that is easy to remember with categories that make sense to you.
- Keep it Up! Try to organize your photos as you get them printed or developed. That way, you’ll be able to find them easily and they won’t get lost in the shuffle of every day life.
This past Saturday (and on January 9th), over 15 NAPO-WDC professional organizers gathered at IKEA (Woodbridge, VA). We shared tips with shoppers on how to organize their home office, children’s rooms, closets, and kitchens. Since January is Get Organized Month (GO Month), it was the perfect time to give advice on how to keep clutter at bay. Of course, IKEA was a great place to be because they have a variety organizing products priced to fit any budget.
It’s no coincidence that GO Month takes place every January. It’s the time that almost everyone starts making resolutions. This is when many people start thinking about the changes they want to make on both the personal and business fronts. It’s a fresh start and a chance to make positive steps in the right direction. For you self-starters out there, there are many books and resources you can use to help streamline your systems and to help you be more productive and efficient.
Here are a few of books I’ve read that you might helpful:
Want the help of a professional organizer? Visit these websites to find the right organizer for you:
- NAPO · Throughout the U.S.
- NSGCD · Throughout the U.S. · Specialty: Chronic Disorganization
- POC · Canada
- AAPO · Australasia
Whether you’re self-motivated or need to call in a pro organizer, I hope you’ll use the few remaining days of January to start thinking about the changes you want to make. Write them all down and then pick your top two goals.
Ok, now, G.O.
• 11% said “I’ll never invite anyone inside” (151 votes)
• 10% said “8 hours” (142 votes)
• 7% said “24 hours” (104 votes)
• 6% said “40 or more hours” (87 votes)
Source: NAPO Public Quick Poll · June 2009
Ever wonder what it’s like to be the organizing professional who works with an extreme hoarder? Today’s guest author is Hoarding Expert, Dorothy Breininger. She gives us a glimpse into her life and what it’s like to work with families on the A&E program, Hoarders.
It seems like taking a 5-hour plane ride, preparing for several interviews, doing some hard-core organizing and returning home again is no big deal when it comes to filming an episode for A&E’s Hoarders TV show. When I was asked by colleague, Deb Lee, about managing my life under these extreme conditions, it became evident to me that preparing for and filming these episodes are more taxing than I realized.
As I write, I am simultaneously packing and preparing to fly out to meet with a hoarder to do a show. Do I have my special gloves, masks, goggles, eyewash kit, inhaler, nasal mist, boots, bug spray, high knee socks, tops that work on camera and work for hoarding jobs too?
“Trust building” began by phone weeks ago as I spoke to various family members, and I spent time researching this particular hoarder’s anxiety disorders. After reviewing the hoarder’s photos, alerting my own family & clients of my absence, I’m ready to fly cross country, leaving my life behind for 5 days to “move in” and be a part of another family’s life.
Along with A&E Hoarders’ therapist, every day I show up as the liaison for a broken family who needs to work very closely with one another (on camera), and who experience intensely private conversations in highly public situations. While that alone can be exhausting, my other job is to manage a crew of 8 – 20 people who are on site to assist in the clear out of the hoarder’s “stuff,” usually a month’s worth of work completed in a matter of two days.
The days are long and the twists and turns are unimaginable. The feeling of accomplishment is high and my commitment to the hoarder is longstanding – so is the commitment from the show. Did you know that after the show is filmed, each hoarder is offered the opportunity to meet regularly with either a therapist or an organizer? That gift from the show certainly makes it easier for me to step back into my own life after the five days of filming.
About the Author
Dorothy Breininger is one of America’s Most Trusted Professional Organizers. She served on the board of directors for NAPO, is a member of the NSGCD and is an annual Sponsor for the Los Angeles Hoarding Conference. Dorothy has appeared on the Today Show with Katie Couric, the Dr. Phil Show, and has been featured in the LA Times, Forbes Magazine, Women’s Day and Entrepreneur Magazine. Dorothy is also the President of The Delphi Center for Organizationwith over 700 clients ranging from corporations such as Southern California Edison, institutions such as UCLA, celebrities, individual small businesses & homeowners. For more information, call 888.229.5346 or send an e-mail to info[at]centerfororganization[dot]com. You can also follow Dorothy’s tweets on Twitter.
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Having lived in the same state (and same house, really, with the exception of college and summers down the Jersey shore) for 25 years, I never really had much experience with moving. Then I got married, and my husband and I managed to log 5 moves, and 5 states, in the first 7 years of being married.
The process had proven to get harder each time, as we accumulated more “stuff” and added a few kids to the mix, who also come with their own set of “too much stuff”. Reading Alice Chan’s post, “3 Simple Steps to Keeping on Track During the Home Selling Process,” got me thinking of a few invaluable tips that I have learned through our moves. They relate to the actual packing up and moving process. When you are ready to pack up and make the move, keep these few quick tips in mind.
• Make a master list. When you pack a box, keep a list of general items that are contained in each box. This way if you can’t find something, you know where to look.
• Label/number the boxes. For example, Master Bedroom, Box 1. Underneath it, put your “moving to” address and cell phone number. The reason for this is, if your box gets lost, there is contact info to reach you. It also gives you (or your movers) a reference on which room to drop the boxes. During our moves, my husband and I would check the boxes off our list as they came in the door, so when all the boxes came off the truck, we could quickly see if there were any missing. Also, tape 2 labels on the box, on two different sides of the box, in the left corner. It’s easier to read when they are being carried or stacked.
• Handle important items yourself. Set aside valuable, sentimental and important items and move them yourself. Documents, personal info, photos, jewelry, etc. These are items that can not be replaced easily, and the sentimental value can not be replaced at all. Why chance it?
• Get 3 estimates. When hiring movers, get 3 estimates, and DO NOT go with a company that will not put their estimate IN WRITING, and guarantee it within 10 percent. We learned this the hard way. The first time we moved, we did not do this, and they ended up charging us double on the other end. My husband’s company was paying for the move, and since they did not get anything in writing, they were responsible to pay for it.
These tips will tack on additional time in your packing, but will save you hours, headaches, and dollars in the end. And, wouldn’t you much rather spend your time in your new home decorating and getting settled, than worrying about where you packed the coffee maker? That would be tragic!!!
Best Wishes in your New Home in the New Year!!
Image Credit: Trendology
On day 20 of Get Organized Month, we have a treat for you! Several professional organizers told us on Twitter (in only 140 characters) what their favorite organizing products and apps are. Now, don’t go off on a buying frenzy – figure out what you really need before you buy.
Ok, now G.O.
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WendyDavie The weekly Planner and Meal planner from www.totallyorganised.co.nz are my fave’s
wicked_neat Has 2b (bside iPhone itself) the ‘groceries’ app. Costs a cpla $s but you can do a simple inventory of what you have/need & be ready 4 store
wicked_neat …in no time. Also, can email list to housemate/partner or keep multiple lists-awesome for parties…less wasted $, food, cluttered pantry
elaineshannon Outlook and specifically Outlook Tasks. I keep all my thoughts, ideas, to-dos in this all in one central at my fingertips place.
Smart_Spaces Hmmm. 1. Literature sorter. 2. Label maker. 3. Enthusiasm. 4. Magazine holders – for files ( big chunks, fast sorting)
MS_Simplicity The label maker is king for org products. Once something is labeled, everyone knows where it goes and can put the items in the right place!
TannaC My fav. organizing products are clear storage boxes from TCS, clear all around & straight sides to maximize space!
TexasOrganizer Loni Horizontal Tie & Belt Rack and Vinyl 80-Pocket Hanging Jewelry Organizer. I love these products for your closet to get you ready to go in the morning. Items are reasonably priced and available at The Container Store.
janinea Hi, Deb. I adore the Elfa file cart (for action files, project files, current client files, and financial files, [anything] within arms reach of my desk). Also love Time Timer (allows you to stay focused on a task for a given period of time) and Freedom Filer (self maintaining [with] visual clues to weed files on an ongoing basis … attractive, customizable…]
Both @JanineA & @TexasOrganizer were the smart ones this time. They sent their product recommendations via e-mail. :-)
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