Some of you may remember today’s guest author, Jim Deitzel of Rubbermaid. I interviewed him back in 2008 and was the first pro organizer he profiled on the Rubbermaid “Q&A With a Professional Organizer” series. Jim has picked up a few organizing nuggets along the way and he was kind enough to share them with us.
Once upon a time on a dark and stormy night…wait a second, the story doesn’t actually start like that. It actually starts with the Rubbermaid Adventures in Organization blog. A few years ago, I embarked on an adventure to blog about getting my home & life organized. I wanted to document the process of how an everyday individual, without super organizing powers like Deb, could slowly but surely get their life in order. It started with a small win of organizing my desk drawer and progressed rapidly into larger wins, such as organizing my garage, kitchen cabinets, and pantry. And, during this adventure, I’ve received significant help and advice from professional organizers across the country, and have learned how to get, and more importantly, how to stay organized.
Below is some of what I’ve learned (based on the “What I’ve Learned” series in Esquire magazine).
What I’ve Learned About Organization
- Organizing a space is not a one-time event. If you think you’re going to organize a closet and it will magically stay organized you’re mistaken.
- It’s amazing what 5 minutes of organizing maintenance can do. Pick up clothes on the floor. Hang up the jackets in the closet, toss the junk mail. Maintenance is key to staying organized.
- Getting organized can be overwhelming. Start small and color in the lines. If you’re going to organize a junk drawer, don’t end up organizing the entire kitchen. Small wins eventually add up to big wins.
- Declutter, declutter, declutter. Half the battle is getting rid of all the stuff you don’t really need.
- Identify the problem before creating the solution. You need to know what’s wrong before you can fix it.
- Make it personal. You probably won’t change your habits too much so make the solution work within how you live.
- Organizing a space does not mean it needs to look like a magazine cover. Organization is about function, not form.
- Think continuous improvements. Your first attempt may not always work. Keep adjusting until you get it right.
- If all else fails, call Deb. I’m positive she can help :)
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About the Author
Jim Deitzel is eMarketing Manager for Rubbermaid. During his seven years with the company, Jim has been responsible for online marketing, website management, as well as acting as chief blogger and social media strategist for Rubbermaid. Prior to joining Rubbermaid, he was marketing communication manager for Soft Play, the playground company who’s equipment is found in many McDonald’s. Before moving to Charlotte, he lived in Fort Collins, Colorado where he managed a graphics production department for a nationwide publishing company.
Connect With Jim: Web | Blog | Facebook | Twitter
Get Organized With Rubbermaid
There’s a new program on TLC that profiles the lives of hoarders called, Hoarding: Buried Alive. Just like it’s A&E counter part, the series premier profiled two sets of people struggling with this condition. In fact, one of them, Chris, lives in my backyard in Northern Virginia. To look at, he seems like an average man. To look at his cluttered townhouse is to understand that there’s a lot more going on than appears at first glance.
Hoarding is a severe taskmaster, and once a person begins hoarding, it’s really hard to escape the web…unless correct treatment occurs. ~Dr. Keith Saylor, Psychologist
Hoarding: Buried Alive airs Sundays @ 10/9 Central on TLC
- “Hoarders” Snapshot: My Life as a Hoarding Expert by Dorothy Breininger (dallisonlee.com)
- Interview With Dr. Marla Deibler, Therapist Featured on “Hoarders” (dallisonlee.com)
Hello, readers. We are moving swiftly into March and next week will be the official start of Spring (cue applause track). I, for one, am looking forward to it. If you’ve had a great amount of snow like we’ve had in the Washington DC metro area, I’m sure you are awaiting the arrival of the vernal equinox, too.
- Image via Wikipedia
Recently I was discussing a CD project work flow with my business partner. The conversation was specifically about transferring large projects (on the order of 10 or more GBs) back and forth to edit in both studios, or even to work on remotely. The regular method is to physically visit each other with flash drives to exchange these large files – an inconvenience and potential waste of time. The same applies to me having access to files at work when needed.
Enter the convenience of cloud computing as a time saver. Shortly after the discussion, I came across an article written by New York Times technology columnist, David Pogue. He wrote about a little known FREE service called Windows Live Sync. You can read the article in it’s entirety here.
While there are similar technologies based on the cloud (DropBox, Google Wave, etc.) that allow transfer and access of files, Windows Live Sync appears to allow for instant editing and syncing between the same two files on different computers. All for free. An excerpt from the article explains it like this:
“You designate one folder on Computer A, and another folder on Computer B. Then Sync keeps them synced with each other, magically, over the Internet, with no effort on your part. Add, change, or delete a file on your laptop; you’ll find it added, changed, or deleted on your desktop. Edit some chapters or spreadsheets on your Mac at home; you’ll find them edited the same way at work.”
From a time management standpoint, the sync function reduces the time it would take to maintain congruency between files. While the obvious time saving merits are real time editing and syncing, along with the elimination of a physical file transfer, there could be many other ways of making the file maintenance process easier. Of course, the downside is the possibility of NOT having net access, but then again…that’s an obvious consideration in using Windows Live Sync versus a non-internet process.
I’ve been meaning to look into Google Wave as an addition, or maybe even a replacement, to my usual suite of tools, but haven’t set aside the (…ahem…) “time” to so as of yet. One thing’s for sure, Google Wave has a lot of bells and whistles, but in my opinion, the easier way to get the job done is the best way!
I’ll be checking out Windows Live Sync for sure.
Have a great day.
- Microsoft’s Free Sync Service (nytimes.com)
- What is Google Wave? (macworld.com)
- Why I’m Always Promoting Dropbox (technobabbl.es)
- Internet Survival Guide for Traveling Where Privacy Isn’t Respected (lifehacker.com)
Who says your organizing containers have to be boring? Get creative and use common household containers in uncommon ways. Here are a few ideas to get you started…
Container: Utensil holder · Use For: Hair brushes, curling & flat irons, remote controls, paint brushes, knitting needles
Container: Hors d’oeuvres server · Use For: Jewelry, paper clips, mini Post-it notes
Container: Toothbrush Holder · Use For: Favorite pen, pencil, and/ or Sharpie, letter opener
Container: Spice Jars · Use For: Rubberbands, paper clips, mini binder clips, Post-it flags
Today’s post features an interview I did with Dr. Marla Deibler, a licensed Psychologist and the Director of the Center for Emotional Health of Greater Philadelphia. She discusses her experience on the A&E program, “Hoarders,” tells how she works with patients, and shares helpful resources.
1. What is your area of expertise and how long have you been practicing?
I am a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders including 
obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders, such as trichtotillomania (hair pulling) obsessive-compulsive disorder, and compulsive hoarding. My experience with these disorders began in 1999 at the nationally-recognized Behavior Therapy Center of Greater Washington; I then spent three years as a pre-IRTA research fellow studying obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders at the National Institute of Mental Health. I am now the founder and director of The Center for Emotional Health of Greater Philadelphia, LLC, where I specialize in the treatment of these disorders.
2. Who is your typical client?
I treat children, adolescents, and adults with a range of anxiety, mood, and adjustment disorders. My typical client comes to me specifically seeking cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety/panic, OCD, compulsive hoarding, or trichotillomania.
3. You were recently on the A&E show, Hoarders. What was that experience like?
I was honored to have been invited to work with the show and very much enjoyed the experience. I was particularly impressed with the respect, professionalism, and integrity of the show and its contributors. Working with the show’s participant “Jill” and her family was very rewarding. Overall, the experience was extremely positive and I am looking forward to the opportunity to work with A&E’s Hoarders further.
4. Do you continue working with the people profiled on Hoarders after filming ends?
Participants are offered aftercare, both psychotherapy and organizational services, following their participation on the show. Some accept these services, while others do not. We have found that those who accept aftercare therapy services tend to have better long-term outcomes. Although theoretically we could continue to work with the show’s participants after filming, this is not usually logistically possible. Participants are chosen from around the country and the psychologists and organizers travel to them for the shoot. If a participant lived near the psychologist or organizer on their shoot, I imagine follow-up services with those professionals could be arranged; however, our geography as well as our state(s) licensure preclude us from providing services outside of our area.
5. Would you say the show accurately depicts the way you would normally work with a patient? Do you tend to utilize a team approach?
The show is accurate in its depiction of a crisis intervention. Psychotherapy for compulsive hoarding would be longer-term and would involve a greater depth and variety of treatment components. For example, for the show, we introduce ourselves to the participant, briefly discuss their situation and tour the home, provide them with education regarding compulsive hoarding and treatment, and then lead them through the two-day intervention in collaboration with the organizer, where we help the client to practice good decision making skills and work through their emotions.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for compulsive hoarding involves helping individuals to change the way they think about and make decisions about their possessions in order to effectively control the behavior. This process involves a comprehensive behavioral assessment, psychoeducation, cognitive restructuring, exposure/response prevention, and excavation exposure. The individual must also be assessed for co-occurring psychopathology, as other psychological difficulties are common to compulsive hoarding such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, and trauma. In these cases, their co-occurring difficulties must also be treated in order to effectively reduce/eliminate the hoarding behavior.
I do not typically have the luxury of working in collaboration with an organizer, although I very much enjoyed the experience of working collaboratively on “Hoarders.” In fact, I have spent recent weeks getting to know organizers from the show and others who are experienced in chronic disorganization, as I value this team approach and would like to incorporate it into my work. I believe working collaboratively can have added benefit for the client.
6. Do you involve a client’s family members during therapeutic sessions?
Whether I involve the client’s family members depends on the client and their particular situation. If a client with compulsive hoarding is single and lives alone, I do not typically involve family members, unless the client requests to have such involvement. If there are others living in the home, I may involve those family members, but not usually in the de-cluttering process. I believe it is important to have family therapy sessions to address how the behavior has affected other family members, provide education, and improve communication. The de-cluttering process (excavation exposure) is important for the client to independently process and experience. Family members can complicate this process and pose additional challenges.
7. How do you know when you’ve achieved success with a client? Is it realistic for them to expect that their disorder will, at some point, permanently go away?
I like to work collaboratively with my clients. We use rating scales to rate their level of distress across anxiety-provoking situations and we continually assess and re-assess their progress, but ultimately, I view success by the improvement of the client’s mood and daily functioning. I also hold open communication as my highest value in therapy; therefore, my clients are invited to provide feedback on a regular basis.
There is no “cure” for compulsive hoarding; thus, it is unlikely that an individual’s hoarding behaviors will entirely and permanently abate; however, treatment can help individuals with compulsive hoarding to effective control the behavior and prevent the behavior from impairing their functioning or the use of their home.
8. Are there books or resources that you would recommend if someone wanted to get more information on specific types of illnesses, such as hoarding or obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)?
For information on the web about compulsive hoarding and OCD:
- http://www.ocfoundation.org
- http://childrenofhoarders.com
- http://thecenterforemotionalhealth.com
- http://compulsivehoarding.org
For the treatment of compulsive hoarding and OCD:
- http://thecenterforemotionalhealth.com (NJ, PA, DE)
- http://behaviortherapycenter.com (DC, MD, VA)
- http://lakesidecenter.org (MN)
- http://compulsivehoarding.org (CT)
- http://anxietytreatmentexperts.com (CA)
- http://biobehavioralinstitute.com (NY)
Recommended reading about compulsive hoarding and OCD:
- Tolin, D., Frost, R.O., & Steketee, G. Buried in Treasures: Help for Compulsive Acquiring, Saving, and Hoarding. Oxford University Press: 2007.
- Steketee, G. & Frost, R.O. Compulsive Hoarding and Acquiring. Oxford University Press: 2006.
- Foa, E. Stop Obsessing!: How to Overcome Your Obsessions and Compulsions. Bantam: 2001.
About Dr. Marla Deibler
Dr. Marla Deibler is the director of the Center for Emotional Health of Greater Philadelphia, LLC, and holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Health Psychology/Neuropsychology. She has gained experience at some of the finest institutions in the nation, including the National Institute of Mental Health at the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, Children’s National Medical Center, and the Kennedy Krieger Institute at Johns Hopkins University Medical Center.
Dr. Deibler holds licenses to practice psychology in New Jersey (Lic. No. 35S100438000) and Pennsylvania (Lic. No. PS0157790). She has presented her works at regional, national, and international meetings and has published her work in peer-reviewed scientific journals and books. Dr. Deibler is a member of the International OCD Foundation (formerly the Obsessive Compulsive Foundation), Trichotillomania Learning Center, and the Anxiety Disorders Association of America and has been involved in working with the Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders community since 1999. She has also appeared on A&E’s Hoarders.
Connect With Dr. Deibler: Web |E-mail | Facebook | Twitter | 856.220.9672
Related Articles
- Shopaholics Are Not Hoarders in Disguise (dallisonlee.com)
- Hoarders in Your Neighborhood (dallisonlee.com)
- Episode 117: Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – An Interview (thepsychfiles.com)
- Super Savers: Helping ‘Hoarders’ (online.wsj.com)
“Organizing is sustainable, if your system is built around the way you think and designed to grow and adapt with you as your life and work changes. In addition, like eating well and staying fit, organizing is a way of life that requires monitoring and ongoing effort until it becomes satisfyingly ingrained.“ [Organizing from the Inside Out · Julie Morgenstern · Henry Holt · 2004]
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Why do we never seem to find time to exercise? Often, it gets put on the back burner, especially when other things come up. Personal Fitness and Nutrition Coach, Taryn Perry, tells us how to put aside the excuses and keep health and fitness on the front burner.
As busy moms, dads, corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and/or all of the above, there is always an excuse why you should put your fitness on the back burner. Sound familiar? Much like anything we do in our lives, most of it involves a commitment. Your job. Your family. Your hobby. Your future. Why shouldn’t exercise be a part of that? It does affect most aspects of your life and its future. It sets an example for your children and determines the longevity of your life. Isn’t that worth the commitment, in itself?
To know that taking care of your body by good nutrition and fitness can save you money on health care, would you make time for it? If being fit meant that you could eliminate some of your daily medications, would you make time for it? Likely, YES! Carving out time for your exercise program can take as little as 20 minutes a day. Those 20 minutes a day can easily be fit into the busiest of schedules. The key is to SCHEDULING it and COMMITTING to accomplish it. Make it as part of a daily to-do list. We all have those, right? Check it off as you work through your day.
“But when?,” you ask yourself. Well, what works for me, is scheduling my workouts first thing in the morning. Yup, that’s 5:30 am. The alarm clock goes off at 5:00 am and I have 30 minutes to wake up and prepare myself mentally for my planned workout. That way, nothing could get in the way or provide an excuse to push it further and further back, risking it never happening. Right? And as a bonus, I have an elevated amount of energy t get through my day. I can use plenty of that chasing around my 2 kids all day!
The biggest misconception is that you need to exercise for hours on end to get any results. NOT THE CASE. Just get up and get moving. Go for a brisk walk. Play a pick-up game of basketball. Hop on the elliptical at your gym for 20 to 30 minutes. Press play with your favorite at home fitness trainer (I’m a huge fan of Tony Horton). Do an interval workout. In fact, interval training is the best, when short on time and wanting to maximize the results of your exercise commitment.
Whatever it takes to motivate you to get your body moving and elevate your heart rate for a short period of time, do it. The trick is finding something you enjoy doing that is active. There should be no excuse for the future of your health.
Please contact me if you’d like a consultation on a program that may be suitable for your fitness ability and time commitment. There is always something for everyone.
Your partner in health & fitness,
Taryn Perry
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About the Author
I’m a stay-at-home mom of two wonderful and VERY active children. They truly are a blessing in my life and I’m so fortunate to raise them with my life partner and best friend. They inspire me to do great things in life and be a role model to help mold their future. After an 8-year career in Commercial Real Estate, I decided it was time for a change. It was also time for a change in my health and fitness. After having 2 kids, I wasn’t going to “settle” for the figure these blessings left me with. It was time to take charge and do something about it. As a busy Mom, it’s easy to find excuses to why I can’t workout or find time to make a better lifestyle. TRUST ME! I’VE USED THEM ALL! Once I found success in my own health and fitness, I became a Personal Fitness/Nutrition Coach and Group Fitness Instructor. I find the greatest enjoyment in helping others find a fun outlet for getting healthy. My mission is to help others find a better quality of life. I want to help pave the way for a healthier future. I strive to help combat the rising trends of obesity, one child, one mother, one friend, at a time.
Connect with Taryn: Website | Email | Facebook | Twitter
- Rajiv Narayan: Hitting the Gym vs. Hitting the Books: How Your Next Workout Will Improve Your Grades (huffingtonpost.com)
- How to Stay Motivated While Exercising (dirjournal.com)
Greetings Readers…
On Sunday evening, about 8:15pm, I finally settled down to do this weekly post. It was a pretty good weekend all around BUT as far as “the best laid plans of mice and men”…(you see where I am going with this), :-) neither Pareto’s Rule nor a high grade in reaching all my task goals happened this weekend. I blame it partially on the great weather (yeah, that’s the ticket).
In all honesty, I did accomplish a few things on my list, with the help of my usual tech tools in assistance, but not to any great satisfaction. In any event, if I didn’t have my usual assistance, it could have been worse! Speaking of which, I came across an interesting article from a NEW favorite blog of mine (thanks for the Twitter post, Deb). The site is The Time Management Ninja, and the post is entitled 9 Ways The iPad Will Change Time Management.
When I first learned of the iPad after it’s official release, I said what many have. “It’s pretty much a big iPod Touch” (being a 2nd gen iPod Touch owner myself), and I subsequently (without further investigation) wrote it off, saying I wouldn’t purchase one. Interestingly enough, after reading the above article, I changed my tune. What really became a catalyst to that change was that I was reading the article on my iPod Touch, while waiting for the barber to finish cutting my son’s hair.
It was then that I really wished for, at least, a bigger screen. The article makes many other good points that I now subscribe to, especially since I was an early user (as a long time Apple fanboy) of their Newton MessagePad. Without getting too deeply into it, I believe Apple was way ahead of it’s time with the Newton, despite it’s early demise. I still find ways to use my Newton MessagePad 2100, but believe the iPod Touch and iPad are today’s resurrection of it.
The issue, for me, lies in the fact that the iPod Touch, form factor and all, makes a great time management tech tool, mainly because of it’s size and portability. The iPad is even greater, but while screen size makes it easier on the eyes, that same size reduces it’s portability (see my post about how I frequently use the iPod Touch as a portable video player). I was exclusively using my iPod Touch as my PDA for a few years (before I got my Blackberry Curve), and the only downside was that I had to rely on an open wifi connection for any time management tasks that involved the internet. Then again, I had no net connection with the Newton either. Either way, I give the iPad a thumbs up but I feel it’s a bit too big, portability-wise.
I will happily take all monetary donations toward the purchase of one, though! (wink)
Have a productive rest of the week!
NASA knows what it’s like to move after being in the same place for a long time. They’re ending their space shuttle program after 30 years. Just like anyone who’s trying to clear out a home or office, it can be a daunting task. They are starting off on the right foot by separating the good stuff from the space clutter, and are in the process of finding a home for all the things that are considered valuable.
How can you be like NASA when it’s time to move?
1. Start the process early. When the folks at NASA realized the program would be ending in 2010, they started going through their inventory back in 2006. They began to identify the pieces that were special enough to give a way.
2. Identify “The Getters.” NASA has three space shuttles and they’ve already figured out that one of them, Discovery, will go to the Smithsonian. Bonus: “the getters” will have to take care of transporting/delivery of the shuttles.
3. Use the Internet. NASA has posted several items with photos in specific categories (e.g., clothing, shuttle parts, etc.) on the web so that museums, universities, and other institutions can browse and choose the things they want. You can use websites, like Craig’s List or Freecycle, to sell/give away items that you will not be keeping.
I love a fabulous vase. They just make the flowers look that much better. They even smell better, don’t you think? Well, maybe that’s a stretch. =) I also love their various shapes, sizes, and textures.
I recently came across a different sort of vase – a flat, flexible one. Yep, flat and flexible in a variety of colors. Flat means it’s easier to store (i.e., less clutter), and colorful means you can change things up a bit without breaking the bank. Just fabulous!
Cost: $8/vase.
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