I Love to Be Busy?

  When I was younger, I loved being busy. In high school, I filled the lion's share of my free time with music and theatre, not just because those activities gave me the opportunity to perform, but also because that's where my people were -- friends who shared my interests. 

In college, I stayed busy, too. At first, it was to win a bet. A high school friend bet me that I'd come home frequently; I countered by saying I'd stay at school (four hours away from home) until Thanksgiving.

I won the bet. This time, it was mostly music that kept me occupied and helped me adjust to being far from home in a brand-new place. 

As a single young adult, I continued to look for ways to fill my time. Although I loved living alone and having both a space and a schedule I could call my own, it could get lonely at times. When I discovered a little theatre an hour from my apartment, busyness became a way of life once more.

A few years later, marriage, and then parenthood, kept me busy in new ways. By the time COVID brought up-close-and-personal activities like theatre to a screeching halt, my work responsibilities also shifted, moving out of the classroom and onto the computer, creating a whole new kind of busyness.

You’re probably thinking that I love to be busy is my primary personal style but, actually, it isn’t. It is, in fact, my least dominant of the three personal styles, partly because the others just describe me better and partly because I no longer love to be busy. These days, my idea of a perfect weekend is no appointments and no commitments – a far cry from what I wanted back when I was a single twenty-something. 

When I talk about personal and organizational styles, I’m often asked if someone can embody more than one of them -– or even all of them. My answer has always been that while it’s possible to have traits of different styles, one style tends to stand out and lead the way. And, from a “getting organized” perspective, it’s worthwhile to identify that dominant style so we can use it to identify workable strategies and press them into service.

Now, after examining and writing about personal and organizational styles for more than fifteen years, I’d add another layer to that response. While I stand by my original answer, I’d add that different styles can become dominant in different seasons of our lives. Though my current predominant personal style is I need to see it, I think I might have had a different answer back when I was in my twenties, seeking busyness and considering it a worthwhile challenge to shoehorn as much as possible into an already full schedule. Interestingly, my organizational style (drop and run) has, for better or for worse, changed very little in that same time period.

The collision of styles (whichever ones they are) with one another and with life in general has an impact. Even though I no longer identify with an I love to be busy style, some of those traits linger and, when busyness takes over, the resulting lack of time sends my drop and run organizational style into overdrive. The combination – or collision – of these circumstances with my I need to see it style, along with the exhaustion that comes with excessive busyness, can drown my organizational systems at a time when I need them the most. 

 

The good news is that having identified the strategies that work for my primary styles has enabled me to put strategies into place that help me recover. When the flood of (now undesirable) busyness passes, I can easily find my footing. Once I’m relieved of the time shortage that triggered the downfall of tidiness, I can take small steps to restore order, putting wayward stuff away in its previously assigned locations, restoring both order and sanity in the process. It might not all happen all at once, but thanks to the fact that I have style-based systems in place, it will happen.

Eventually.

If you feel as though you’re on the cusp of a style change, ask yourself if it’s connected to a reason (a temporary circumstance) or a season (a shift in lifestyle). Then, consider taking the opportunity to consider the organizational implications of a different style. Investigating different styles and their related strategies can give us fresh ideas that breathe new life into our organizational systems, which can spark new ideas that help us individualize our organizational processes. 

Organization is a life skill, so it only makes sense that the way we approach it is likely to change over time. Staying true to what works for you, regardless of the label you put on it, and staying open to new ideas can provide the keys that unlock organizational successes that help us to navigate life’s twists, turns, and seasons.

Organizing to Go

 Organization can often be a frustrating game of trial and error. We all have those spaces in our house that refuse to cooperate, no matter which tools we try. But, every once in a while, we happen upon a tool that’s just right.

At our house we still use the old envelope system for budgeting — setting aside predetermined amounts of cash for groceries, books, clothing, etc. We adopted this method years ago to get our credit cards under control, and it stuck.

In this system, I’m the keeper of the cash. And, if we go somewhere where we need cash from multiple envelopes/categories, it can be a challenge to keep all the envelopes straight in an efficient manner. Sure, I can tuck a stack of envelopes into my bag – that part is easy – but by the end of a day of multiple transactions, what started out as an organized system has often become a crumpled pile of envelopes. 

 

Enter Poshmark and my Kate Spade card holders. 

 

The first one I found was the black and white polka dotted print – the one that matches both my planner and the bag I use for school – so it quickly became a “must have.” Then, I discovered that this cute little tool came in two other patterns – one floral, and one striped – both brightly colored. 

 

Eventually, I ended up with all three of them. 

 

At first, I didn’t really know what I was going to use them for (I just thought they were cute). But now that I’ve been using them for a while, I’ve assigned each little cardholder its own category so I can tell at a glance which “purse” I need. Since they’re all small enough to tuck away as well as being brightly colored enough that I can find them easily in a purse or tote bag, they work well under almost any circumstances.

 

While these cute and useful card holders don’t solve an organizational problem in my home, they’re great examples of the qualities of a good organizational tool: well-suited to their purpose, fun to use, attractive, and true to the style of the user (in my case, it’s my I need to see it personal style). All these attributes are key to finding solutions for any organizational challenge. And, while “cute” isn’t essential, it can be motivating; we’re often more likely to use a tool that’s attractive.

But do you want to know the best part? They truly put the fun in functional, and I smile every time I use them, which tells me they’re just right for me.

If you know, you know. 

Geralt via Pixabay

 For more than a decade, I've had the privilege of writing a column for CatholicMom.com called "STYLE Savvy." Many of the posts that appear here appear there as well and Barb, my fearless (and incredibly patient) editor did such a lovely job bringing this one to life that I'm sending you directly to it instead of reprinting it here. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing (and researching) it.

Throwback Thursday: Christmas Organizing

 If organizing is about balancing what comes in with what goes out, the holiday season can make us feel doomed from the start. No sooner have we finished giving thanks for all that we have than we start to acquire more. Gifts. Decorations. Food for future feasts.

If you have more storage space than you need, congratulations - this is probably not an issue for you. But if you, like me, feel maxed out when it comes to places to put things on a regular, run-of-the-mill weekday, all of these Christmas acquisitions can feel overwhelming.

At our house, the Christmas decorations are stored in the crawlspace off the master bedroom. This means that as I begin to pull out Christmas decorations and all the trimmings and trappings, they inevitably invade the space in my house that should, arguably, be the most tranquil. I wish I could tell you that I have a wonderful solution for coping with these interloping, festive, baubles but the truth is that it comes down to the same thing it does during the rest of the year: making sure our styles lead the way.

Take small steps. In order to minimize the amount of space that all these Christmas goodies take up in our bedroom, I take decorations out a few at a time. I have a red basket that I use to store the decorations I like to start with each year and that’s the first thing that I take out. Once I put up the decorations in that basket, I can use it to store anything that I’ve replaced during the decorating process (which also makes putting things away easier when I “un-decorate” in January). When I put the basket back in the crawlspace after putting out those first few things, I can take out a few more decorations. Decorating the house slowly makes it a little more festive each day.

Store presents according to your style. I need to see it or I know I put it somewhere organizational style? Don’t put everything in plain brown boxes! That’s a sure recipe for digging through the same container over and over again. Instead, consider the type of storage that works best for you during the rest of the year. If you’re trying to keep things covert, maybe do stick to the plain brown cartons that the gifts arrive in, but put a brightly colored sticky note on the outside of each one to signify whose presents are in which box. No need for covert operations? Use clear storage bins so you can see what you have. Cram and jam organizational style? Stick to one large container for storage, but consider subdividing it so you don't have a pile-up inside.

One in- one out. Opportunities abound to practice this! As you buy new decorations (or put them away), replace anything that’s become tired and worn (or a safety hazard). In addition, anything that doesn't make the cut this year probably won't next year either. Toss it, donate it, or recycle it now to create space. Cool stuff under the tree? Consider what you can do without now that you have all those fun, new things. 

The Christmas season brings wonder, joy, and stuff. We can't control all the stuff but, if we keep our styles in mind, we can keep some of it neatly under wraps.

qimono via Pixabay

Giving Up

 Getting organized can be a challenge, in part because being organized isn't just a matter of having a tidy workspace. At its best, organization is a complex concept that involves deciding where to put things and where to find things, as well as having an internal sense that we're on top of everything important.

Quite a concept. No wonder it's a process.

Knowing what to keep and what to get rid of is at the heart of organizing. It's what gives us that lovely, peaceful (albeit often fleeting) sense of having it all together. While what you keep is ultimately up to you, there are some universal guidelines about what to get rid of. Here are three of them, along with some first steps for getting them under control. 

Physical clutter. Okay, this one's obvious. De-cluttering is clearly a part of organizing, right? While this process is much more complex than simply throwing out anything that's in our path, it's something we can accomplish step by step. 

• The Fix: Pick a pile, any pile. Set a timer for ten minutes. Sort, toss, put away, add to a donation bin -- whatever is called for -- until the timer goes off. Then, stop, or reset the timer. Your choice.

Mental clutter. This kind of clutter is less obvious, but perhaps more annoying. We can walk away from physical clutter, but mental clutter travels with us wherever we go. 

• The Fix: Do a brain dump. Make a list -- or several. If you want headings (to do, to buy, to call, etc.), add them to the top of the page (or buy a cute notepad that does this for you. But just one -- see #1). While getting everything out of your head won't do the tasks for you, it will reduce the cognitive load of carrying them around in your head until you can check them off.

A bad habit. This can be anything that disrupts our peace, whether it's organizing-related or not. Maybe it's an unchecked style habit: the drop and run habit that leads to piles, the cram and jam plan that's destined to leave things rumpled or crumpled, or the knee-jerk I know I put it somewhere response of putting things "away" in any available space that leaves us ransacking the house to find a single piece of paper. Or, maybe it's something entirely different like biting our nails, drinking too much coffee, or eating too much chocolate -- the habits that are fun in the moment, but guilt-inducing (or worse) in the long run.

• The Fix: Take small steps, and celebrate their completion. Maybe it's stopping yourself mid-drop, putting something in a drawer instead of dumping it into an overstuffed bin, or thinking about where something really belongs before you put it into any random, available space. Or, perhaps it's going a whole day without indulging in a habit that we'd rather do away with. Remembering that it's not an all-or-nothing proposition is key to success here -- so often we give up because we don't succeed immediately, forgetting that change takes time.

While the physical and visible aspects of organization are the most obvious, their hidden benefits -- like confidence and peace of mind -- can be just as important. And sometimes, seeking them out can remind us of why we're doing all this work in the first place.

Trying Something New

 This week, I'm auditioning a new planner. I've been using the same attractive (expensive) undated planner for more than four years. Unfortunately, this planner has become difficult to find. I still have one or two that are unopened and ready to be pressed into service, but eventually I'm going to need to make a change, so I decided that I might as well start now while I have Plan A at the ready if Plan B proves catastrophic.

Yes, I know that sounds a bit dramatic, but the reason I've been using the same planner for so long, despite its price tag, is that it works. While its style drew me in (it's cute), its function kept me hooked. And, in time management, as in organizing, when I find a tool that works, I don't look back. 

The new planner is much cheaper and, while cute, it lacks the same panache embodied by my tried-and-true tool. Both planners have that lovely new planner smell and essentially the same layout, which is the only reason I'm giving the understudy a chance. The main difference between the two tools is that the new one has a two page per day spread, with the second (right-hand) page providing ample space for a long to-do list. 

To be honest, I can't decide if this is a good thing or a bad thing. One of the things I like about my current planner is that it helps me fight the urge to attempt doing everything in a single day -- there simply isn't enough room on the page to write it all down. But, since the first (left-hand) page has the same layout I'm used to, I'm hoping the added page will be an advantage. That extra list-formatted space offers a lot of possibilities and I'm looking forward to exploring them.

I've actually had the new planner for a while and have been trying to decide on the best time to give it a try. As we enter the season of lists (Thankgiving, Christmas shopping, Christmas decorating, Christmas baking, Christmas to-dos...), it seemed like a good time to break out the Post-it flags and see what this new contender can do.

Change can be hard, even when it’s as small as trying a new tool. But change can also lead to growth and new perspectives, and perhaps even a solution we like better than the one we’ve been using. 

For now, this planner is auditioning, but has not yet been cast in a permanent role. Stay tuned. I'm sure I’ll have a lot more to say after I’ve seen what she can do.

Photo: Amazon.com

When Styles Collide

 My personal style is I need to see it. Two telltale signs of this style include color coding and piles that serve as reminders, fighting the “out of sight, out of mind” fear that plagues those of us with this particular style.

Acknowledging my personal style and pressing it into service typically works well for me -- at least when I lean toward its tidier manifestations. Different colored file folders and paper clips, for example, help me identify a particular set of papers at a glance. Leaving myself a note on the doorknob or placing a package beside the back door increases the likelihood that I’ll leave the house with everything I need.

But, when my I need to see it personal style meets my drop and run organizational style, things can quickly get out of hand. Lately, I've found that the collision of these two styles has become both stress-inducing and clutter-producing. When piles meant to serve as reminders accumulate, it seems that no matter where I look, there is a stack of something calling out for my attention. 

To add to the pile-up, I have what one might call an optimistic idea of how long things will take (translation: almost everything takes longer than I think it will). This means that the pile I leave out on Sunday evening and expect to take care of on Monday often sits around until Wednesday -- or (worse yet) the next Wednesday. The longer it takes me to get to the items in the piles, the more stressed out I become, and the more annoying those piles become – not only to me, but to those I live with as well.

Does this mean it's time to give up and succumb to a Type A organizing plan? Should I reconsider those file cabinets I relegated to the basement?

I think not.

The thing is that, when the plan works, it's great. Piles shrink, revealing clear space, which gives me a tremendous sense of accomplishment and motivation. This usually happens when my I need to see it personal style triumphs over – or at least reins in -- my drop and run organizational style. 

But, when it doesn't work -- when my drop and run style runs rampant with no particular plan for depleting the piles it creates -- it's almost as bad as having no system at all. Piles grow, linger, and leave me feeling overwhelmed. 

All these observations have led me to an obvious conclusion: I need to tweak my system, while keeping my styles at the helm. One of the best ways to do that is to establish guidelines for where clutter can and cannot accumulate.

• Designated no-clutter zones. Nothing gets set down here. Period. No matter how much my drop and run style protests. 
• Designated low-clutter zones. These spots can harbor piles on a short-term basis, but need to be dealt with frequently so the clear days outnumber the clutter days. This humors my drop and run style, while still keeping it in check.
• Limit piles. I’m not ready to do away with my piles and stacks because they do help me keep track of things, but I need to limit them to things I can realistically accomplish within the next two days. Everything else gets put away and added to a list, which I can keep with the pile or in my planner. Then, when it’s their turn, those reminder items can be strategically placed.

I’m hopeful that these guidelines will help keep things under control, but adjustments are to be expected. 

Your organizational style may require different guidelines. Cram and jammers might want to live by the rule that once you have to squish the contents of the container you're using in order to fit something else into it, it's time to sort it, replace it, or get another container to keep it company. Those who embrace the I know I put it somewhere organizational style may find their guideline easily boiled down to one question: sure, it fits here, but does it belong here?

 

I’d love to conclude by saying that staying organized is as simple as setting a few guidelines. But the truth is, once these organizational styles collide with their personal style counterparts, it’s a whole new ball game -- one with a set of rules that has to honor the needs of both teams. Reminding ourselves that it’s a process (a.k.a. these things take time) can empower us to take those first small steps to get the ball rolling.