Tuesday, June 12, 2007, 10:43 PM
Here's a conversation I have AT LEAST once a week:
Client: I can't believe I have to hire someone to help me with this.
Me: Why?
Client: It just seems like I should be able to do it myself.
Me: Why?
Client: What's so hard about sorting through clothing (or paper, toys, etc.) and deciding what to keep?
Me: True. It's not rocket science.
Client: Then why can't I do it?
Me: You can do it; you're obviously a very capable person. You just don't. You told me yourself you've started this project several times and never finished it.
Client: It's so embarassing. Other people seem to be able to do it with no problem.
Me: Do you realize that organizing has become a multi-billion dollar industry? Why do you think that's so?
Client: I guess there are other people out there like me!
Me: Of course there are.
Me: Have you ever watched a personal trainer working with someone in a gym? Doesn't it seem like the client should be able to do the push ups without the trainer standing there?
Client: Yes.
Me: I give that person credit for getting help with an activity they've avoided. I give my clients credit for seeking help with their projects. I've required help in many areas of my life. Everybody has at one time or another.
Client: True.
Me: This is a positive thing we're doing here. Do you agree?
Client: I think I see your point.
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Tuesday, May 22, 2007, 06:12 PM
There are some items that tend to REALLY pile up. If you only have time for a quick organizing session, look for an excess of the following and start TOSSING/RECYCLING!
--gift bags/shopping bags
--hangers (bring them to the dry cleaner for recycling)
--expired coupons
--old school flyers/homework sheets
--back issues of magazines
--holiday or birthday cards you have received and DO NOT need to keep
--broken or stained items you swore you would fix/clean and never have, never will!
This is enough for now! I'm sure I'll add to this list at a later date.
HAPPY PURGING!!
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Sunday, March 11, 2007, 08:47 PM
Believe it or not, laundry is one of the biggest challenges my clients face in the home. Taking care of the laundry involves a lot of steps, none of them very entertaining, so it takes a bit of strategizing to keep it all under control.
Anyway, here it goes. Some tips for taming the laundry beast:
1) Don't allow laundry to migrate into every room of the house. Confine it only to the laundry room and to the hampers in your bedrooms. Nobody wants to live with laundry spread over couches, chairs, dining tables, and other flat surfaces.
2) Related to tip #1: make sure each bedroom has a good sized hamper. If laundry is constantly spilling over the top, buy a bigger hamper.
3) Try spreading your laundry out over the week instead of tackling it all on one day. Why ruin your Saturday with hours of laundry when you can parcel it out a little at a time throughout the week.
4) I NEVER EVER carry unfolded laundry out of the laundry room. I fold the clothing as soon as the dryer stops. This avoids those nasty piles of undfolded, wrinkled clothing. Have you ever had to rewash clothing because it's been hanging around unfolded for so long? This is a way to make sure that never happens again.
5) Another way to avoid having to rewash clothing: make sure you NEVER lay clothing, washed or unwashed, on a surface with pet hair (floor, carpet, beds, etc.)
6) Force yourself to get the clothing back into the drawers and closets ASAP. Nobody likes living out of a laundry basket.
7) For families with children, consider color coding your laundry baskets. As you fold clothing, place it in the appropriate basket. Older children can grab their basket and take it from there.
8) Finally, and this is VERY IMPORTANT: GET SOME HELP! Different family members can be assigned specific tasks, such as removing laundry from the baskets, carrying it to or from laundry room, folding, etc.
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Wednesday, January 10, 2007, 09:31 PM
If you're going to make a resolution to get/stay organized in 2007, give it some serious thought...
It's important to make the resolution realistic. If you have a lot of resources to devote to getting organized, the sky's the limit. But it you have limitations, and most of us do, try narrowing your scope a bit.
When I come to a potential client's home for a consultation, I almost always go through the following steps. Try going through them yourself.
1) Walk through your home with a notebook. Jot down any and all organizing projects you'd like to tackle, including any supplies you may need.
2) Sit down and number the list in priority order. Think about which areas of your home bother you the most.
3) Take a look at your calendar AND your budget to decide how many projects you can take on.
4) Make appointments with yourself (and/or with a Professional Organizer!), and GET STARTED!
Even "small" projects can bring great rewards. I spent an hour doing maintenance in my kids' closets the other days and it is now much, much easier to deal with their clothing.
GOOD LUCK, and here's to AN ORGANIZED NEW YEAR!!
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Saturday, November 18, 2006, 06:26 PM
It's hard to believe it's almost Thanksgiving and the holiday season is right around the corner!
This time of year can be very stressful, particularly if you're already feeling disorganized. So, here are a few tips to help you survive the holidays:
1) Purge, purge, purge! It's time to get rid of old toys, books, DVDs, or anything else. If you receive a lot of gifts over the holidays you've got to make room for the influx of new stuff.
2) If you haven't already, make a list and start your holiday preparations NOW. Schedule individual tasks (shopping, decorating, cooking, etc.) on your calendar.
3) Streamline your gift giving. Try ordering everything online, or give all of the adults and/or all of the kids the same item (i.e., sweaters for all the adults; craft kits for all the kids).
4) Keep decorating to a tasteful minimum. After the holidays are over, toss or donate any of the decorations that have gone unused for at least one season.
Most of all, make it enjoyable!
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