3 Keys Thursday: Seasonal Closet Changeovers

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

It's nearly October. Where I live, that means cool evenings and warm days, with forecasts still calling  for daytime temperatures in the eighties. I'm ready to reach for the boots and sweaters, except they're still tucked away in the recesses of my closet, waiting for the calendar and the forecast to be in agreement with one another. 

When the calendar says fall but the temperatures say summer, is it too soon to make the seasonal closet switch?

It really is a balancing act. After weeks of warm days, sometimes a seasonable day slips in, making us wish we'd dug into the closet sooner. When you get ready to take the plunge, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Stay true to your styles. Are you a pull it all out and put it back in person? Or, do you work best tackling your closet a little at a time? Though my I need to see it personal style might suggest that I do best pulling everything out, the reverse is actually true. Seeing everything laid out on my bed is overwhelming, so I prefer to tackle the closet in small increments. (You might also make this choice because you have only small chunks of time available). Even a few sessions of a few minutes each can make it easier to arrange the closet according to the season we're actually in instead of the one we're hoping for.

Triage. This is easy, even if we're working in small snippets of time. Truly summery items (white sandals, white slacks, for example) might be the first to be relegated to the depths of the closet, while sleeveless tops that can be layered under cardigans and light sweaters might survive the first pass.  It’s also a great time to pull anything you haven’t worn all summer out of the closet and determine if it is still worth space it takes up. If you love it and simply didn’t have the occasion to wear it will probably go back in, but what about all that other stuff? The stuff that you had plenty of opportunities to wear but put back every time? Maybe it’s time to free up some space by sending those to a better home.

Consider your layout. How do you want to arrange your closet? By color? By style? By sleeve length? Or, if you've have the luxury of keeping everything in one big closet, by season? Or, maybe you like your favorites front and center, flanked by the goodies you found at the back of the closet when you began this adventure. The layout is up to you, but having a plan makes life -- and getting dressed -- a whole lot easier.

When I get tired of wearing what feels like the same thing over and over again, spending a little bit of time shifting things around in my closet can help me to get a new perspective on my wardrobe.

Sure beats staring at the calendar, waiting for it to get on the same page as the weather forecast.

True Confessions Wednesday: How I Really Feel About Organizing

True Confession #3: I love to organize. I don’t mind cleaning & I tolerate cooking, but I truly love to organize. I find clear spaces refreshing. I love sorting (and tossing) and finding the just right container.

It’s a good thing, too. I work in two paper-intensive professions, which means there is rarely a shortage of paper clutter in my house.
As someone with an I need to see it personal style, I remain a paper-and-pencil girl, too, and am unlikely to reduce the deluge of paper by going electronic.

Since I've begun organizing by STYLE, I've gotten much better about choosing the tools and containers that work for me. Binders and file cabinets are wonderful tools -- for someone else. For me, they're just clutter catchers. I do much better when I choose smaller containers that force me to not only be selective about what goes in, but also to purge on a regular basis, lest I run out of room (because I never seem to run out of papers). I prefer containers that are open (that's my drop and run organizational style speaking), but also do well with clear drawers and drawers that can be labeled.

But the biggest contributor to staying organized is developing the habits to go with the tools. Getting in the habit of putting something away instead of down. Getting in the habit of consistently putting the same item in the same place. Breaking the habit of using tools that don't work for me, no matter how pretty, decorative or well-suited to someone else they may be.

I grew up in a house where everything looked neat all the time, a house that bears little resemblance to my very lived-in little house. When I was a young adult, I reveled in the pendulum swing of my own declaration of independence, evidenced by my joy over being able to leave anything wherever I wanted to. Now, although I'm completely able to appreciate the beauty of a clear, well-organized space, I also want the ease that comes with achieving that in a way that works for me, even if that includes leaving something on the dining room table so I don't forget it has to be done. I want to feel comfortable in my own living space, even if it's imperfect (which it always is). Even if I'm imperfect.

Before I accepted my styles (instead of trying to fit myself into other people's), organizing was an obligation -- something externally imposed and somewhat burdensome. Now, having discovered what truly works for me on a regular basis, organizing is something I look forward to. No longer a chore, it's now a challenge -- and one I've proven I can rise to.

What's not to love?

Friday Feature: National Concussion Awareness Day

As I was scrolling through my cache of articles trying to decide which one to write about, I discovered that today is National Concussion Awareness Day.

Bingo.

When I teach about brain development in my college classes, I always make it a point to discuss concussions. In an informal survey of my students, I discover on a regular basis that anywhere from half to two-thirds of them (depending on the class) have experienced at least one concussion.

While I find this a little frightening, I have to remind myself that when I was a kid, we never even thought about such things. If we hit our heads while we were playing, we gauged our injuries on the basis of bumps and pain. If we were hurt and/or had a bump, we chilled out for a bit with an cube wrapped in a wash cloth, then went back outside.

I don't mean to imply that we were made of tougher stuff -- I don't think that's the case. We just didn't know then what we know now -- that concussions are something to be taken seriously.

And as much as we do know now, we're still learning. Last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics revised its treatment guidelines, acknowledging that the wide variability in symptoms and circumstances across patients with concussions calls for a more nuanced treatment approach -- and more study.

For kids, the treatment can feel worse than the condition and so it's important to look at each one as an individual and prescribe treatment accordingly. Many kids -- athletes in particular -- are tempted to play through the discomfort, perhaps in part because acknowledging their symptoms might require them to sit on the sidelines. While individualized protocols won't lead every player to report symptoms, knowing that sitting out and staying screen-free isn't a foregone conclusion might help ease their reluctance.

We've come a long way in our understanding on this topic and, for my part, I will keep educating my students. Many of them will go on to work with children and adolescents and so they need to understand the importance of keeping those developing brains safe, even if it means they will be inconvenienced in the classroom and in the sports arena.

If we want our kids to be smarter than we were, we need to not only inform ourselves, but listen to them as well, and to arm ourselves with more than an ice cube and a wash cloth.

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Key Intangible Tools

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

So much of organization revolves around stuff, but establishing an organizational system that works is as much about the intangibles as it is about any physical tool we use. Our attitudes, values and outlook underlie every decision we make and the way we organize is no exception.

Here, in no particular order, are three key tools that are essentially invisible yet play an important role in getting organized and staying that way.

Patience. Whether it’s patience with ourselves as we work through strategies and brainstorm ideas or patience with others whose styles differ from ours, this attribute can make a difference in the ease with which we organize. Organization is neither an overnight success nor a one-and-done proposition; it’s a fact of life that spaces we clear will fill again and things we organize won’t stay that way on their own. It takes patience to set up the systems and keep them running smoothly, and to keep ourselves from imposing our will and our solutions on others who organize differently than we do and adding it to our toolkit makes the whole process easier.

Confidence. Organizing by STYLE is about turning obstacles into successes and thinking outside the box, both literally and figuratively. As such, it has an element of going against the grain built right in. It takes confidence to stand by our styles when they differ from someone else’s, especially when that someone else is someone we respect, admire and/or live with.

A sense of humor. As a Jersey girl, I think a sense of humor is an asset in pretty much every situation. When it comes to organizing, not taking the task -- or ourselves -- too seriously makes the process more pleasant and can even make things go faster. Keeping things light when family members struggle with organization can keep the peace and, with kids, can also send the message that organizing isn't an insurmountable challenge.

While we still need the right tangible tools -- containers, planners, drawers, shelves and the like -- having the intangibles in place can also be an asset when it come to putting our styles to use.

True Confessions Wednesday: Take Baby Steps

It's Wednesday again (and a busier day than I expected), so that means it's time for more true confessions.

True Confession #2: I'm a big fan of the small steps approach. Like many people, when I find something overwhelming, I put off doing it. When I finally get to the task, it's usually a lot easier than I made it. Sometimes, the key to getting to the task faster is to baby step my way in.

A little over a week ago, when I decided to approach the junk drawer in my dining room slowly, I set a goal for removing and finding homes for five items each day. It seemed reasonable.

Actually, if I'm to be honest, it sounded a little pathetic.

Five items? At that rate, it would take weeks.

Cocky, I dug into the drawer, sure that getting started was the hard part and I'd exceed my five-item goal without breaking a sweat.

I promptly discovered that a goal of five items was just about right.

As it turns out, what was in the drawer wasn't entirely junk; it was a collection of homeless items ranging from the sentimental to the financial. In other words, a lot of it was stuff I have to keep. And find new, logical homes for.

Cleaning out a junk drawer sounds easy enough. If the items in the drawer are really just junk, they're easily disposed of. What I had on my hands, however, was a catchall drawer, which is little more than a collection of I need to see it piles stashed out of sight.

Ugh. What was I thinking?

As the week went on, the job got easier and on many days I did, indeed, clear out far more than five items. By the middle of last week, the job was done and I'd moved on to other challenging spots, taking my five things rule with me.

If time doesn't permit us to tackle a big spot all at once, or a decluttering job is too daunting, taking small steps can be just what we need. Five things is better than no things and slowly, but surely, we can begin to see progress, which is often just what we need to dig in more deeply.

Five things each day, one thing each time we pass by or any other small step can also lead us to the develop the habit of picking up as we go. On several occasions, I've heard comedian Jerry Seinfeld's "don't break the chain" advice. As the story goes, Seinfeld advised young comics to put a big, red X on the calendar for each day that they wrote. As they got into the habit of writing daily, the calendar would begin to fill with those Xs. Their goal then became not breaking the chain and, the way to do that was to write every day.

Similarly, a chain of days where we pick up and find homes for five things in a pile can lead us to find homes for a lot of things (and clear a lot of space) if we stick to it.

So, as it turns out, that perfectionistic little voice in my brain that scolds me about starting too small needs a mute button.

And I have the empty drawer to prove it.

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Key Drawer-Clearing Discoveries

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

I've been on a drawer-cleaning spree, and I'm having fun. 

Fun? Yep. And a lot of that has to do with what I'm finding, most of which falls into three key categories. Knowing what to do with each of these categories is what's helping me find not only success but my favorite organizational reward: clear space.

Pile #1: Oh, so that’s where I put that! Catchall drawers often fall prey to this category of item, becoming the safe place where we stash things. When a drawer clearing reveals these things, we have an opportunity to re-assess their utility. If we missed the item and it's useful, it deserves a home. If one of those things isn't true, it's time to consider whether or not the item is work keeping.

Pile #2: Oh, I forgot I had this! These things are always fun to find, but here's the key question: did you miss it? If not, take a moment to appreciate it, and assess its utility and condition. If you can envision a use for it in the immediate future and can find it a home, embrace it. If not, maybe it needs a new home outside of yours.

Pile #3: Awww...This one is tougher. These are the photos, the souvenirs, the ticket stubs -- the things there's no good reason to keep, but that inspire a million little reasons to hang on to them. Stroll down memory lane and, in the end, choose the ones you want to keep. If they're important enough to keep, then give them a good home.

Every item in our homes, whether in a drawer or closet or out in the open should be something that is either useful, meaningful or both. Are we allowed a few exceptions? Sure. But the fewer exceptions we make, the more clear space we have to enjoy. 

True Confessions Wednesday: Me and My Containers

Photo credit: MonikaP via Pixabay

The end of last month marked 4 1/2 years of writing Organizing by STYLE posts. Although I know I started in 2015, the answer the actual math led me to was still kind of a surprise.

As I close in my 600th post, I find that I sometimes struggle to come up with topics. Last weekend, I came up with something new to try -- something that will still focus on organization, but that also lets you know more about the person behind the posts. All along, I've told you that I'm in the trenches with you -- an organizational work-in-progress -- but these new posts will, I hope, share some of the ways that is true, along with the real life examples regular readers have come to expect.

So, today I'm introducing Wednesday True Confessions. I hope you enjoy them. As always, comments are welcome. I'd love to know if the new ideas are a misstep or a step in the right direction.

True Confession #1: I am a container collector. Last weekend, as I was working on decluttering my office, I realized that the magazine holders I was using to corral my notebooks were the wrong tool for the job. Fortunately, I only had to go my basement to find an appropriate replacement.

Okay, I admit it. I love to wander the container aisles of, well, pretty much any store. Although I go home empty-handed most of the time (unless I'm in search of a particular item), that has more to do with my container collection than a high degree of self-control. Between the bags and organizers I have left over from my days selling Thirty-One gifts and the office/paper organizers I have left over from my days as a school counselor doing organizer giveaways, I have quite the selection on hand in my basement. When I don't have the tool that's "just right," I go shopping (excitedly and without hesitation) but most of the time, I check my inventory before I buy.

I do have a weakness for paper storage products, though, along with unique containers and, of course, bargains. Consequently, when I give in to temptation and buy something to add to my collection, it's usually out of dollar bins (or at the dollar store) or in the office supply aisle.

Last weekend, I was grateful for my collection. Within fifteen minutes of identifying the container as the problem, I'd found something better, replaced the magazine holders and improved the look of the counter in my office.

Did I get rid of the magazine holders? Please. They were perfectly reusable. Just because they didn't work in the office doesn't mean they won't work somewhere else.

So into the basement they went because, after all, there's nothing quite like a container that's a perfect fit.

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Keys to Managing that Feeling of Being Overwhelmed

We Are Teachers

Thursdays are the days the week begins to catch up with me any week, even when I've figured out the school/life/writing/blogging balance for whatever semester I'm in.

I have not yet done that.

Until we can make the world stop when we do, feeling overwhelmed from time to time is inevitable. Knowing what to do when that feeling strikes can help us to take charge and feel a little less out of control. For me, this "take charge" approach includes:

Taking baby steps. When it's all too much, we start feeling the need to slay big dragons. Unfortunately, the pressure to get it all done at once, even if it's self-imposed, only contributes to that feeling of too much to do in too little time. Putting one foot in front of the other and taking one thing at a time can create a sense of accomplishment as we erase all of those little tasks from our to-do lists, one by one.

Prioritizing. As we approach each of those small tasks, it's important to ask ourselves if the baby steps we're taking are leading us in the direction of something that must be done now or something that can wait. While we have the luxury of mixing it up when we're not in a time crunch, we need to focus first on the here and now when we've hit the panic button. When we're overwhelmed, baby steps that make progress on a project due in two weeks may be less useful than the ones we take on the stuff that's due tomorrow.

Using the plan. In an effort to find shortcuts and super solutions, we often get in our own way. When this happens, we need to stop, step back and assess the plan(s) we have at our disposal. If they work on a day-to-day basis, they might just be the life raft we're looking for when seas get stormy. Choose the most appropriate plan and put it into action. Even a semblance of a plan can help us feel less out of control.

In a few weeks, I will have settled into a routine. Until then, it's one baby step at a time.

Lisa Speaks

I thought pretty drawers were an appropriate
accompaniment to today's post. :-)

Hey everyone!

I've been playing around with the idea of an Organizing by STYLE podcast, so I thought I'd start by recording a post and seeing how that went. So, today, instead of reading my words, you can hear me tell my latest organizing story. Just click on Lisa Speaks #1 for today's playable post.

I'd love feedback on this. Let me know what you think in the comments below :-)

Lisa Speaks #1