3 Keys Thursday: 3 Keys for Staying (Reasonably) Organized When You're (Incredibly) Overbooked

Every semester, I hold out hope that I'll get into a nice, smooth routine that doesn't include schoolwork eating up at least one day of the weekend.

Still holding out hope, but not holding my breath.

Although I'm actively building in down time this semester (if for no other reason than to maintain my sanity), I still find that planning and grading spill over into the weekend. Add to that the work of finishing a book and a lot of small stuff starts to fall between the cracks. This isn't terrible, but it means that little housekeeping tasks get edged out and clutter begins to accumulate. As someone with a drop and run organizational style, this most often means the stuff that I dropped before I ran to the next thing is still where I left it, rather than put away. The result isn't terrible, but I'm quickly approaching the point where I see something new to do (or put away) at every turn.

While I'm taking steps in the right direction, I don't hold out hope that I'll stop being overbooked any time soon. If that is, indeed, a way of life for the foreseeable future (as it is for so many of us), I need a few coping strategies.

Think small (a.k.a Take small steps). Last night, I sorted accumulated mail -- a small task that's been on my to-do list for at least a week. The task took less than half an hour and the resulting clear space was incredibly rewarding. I could focus on the fact that there are probably 15 more small tasks clamoring for my attention, or I could congratulate myself for crossing one off my list. I choose the latter.

Use existing systems. You might have noticed that I say this a lot, and there are a couple of reasons for this. First of all, if the systems we have in place are a good fit, using them is the quickest way to restore order with the least amount of effort. This simple piece of advice also serves as a systems check. If we try to restore order using our existing systems but it doesn't work, that's a sure sign that it's time to change some things up. In addition, it can also identify the root of the problem.

Be patient with yourself. You really can't do it all, and that's okay. Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves of this simple fact. If, for example, you walk by a pile for the 27th time in a day but you're too tired to even think about it, remind yourself that you can't do it all and that's okay. Self-talk can be a powerful tool, and freeing ourselves of the burden of tackling everything we see right now can have the odd effect of motivating us to do it later on because we haven't wasted precious energy beating ourselves up for what we're not doing.

For most of us, life is not dull, and that's (mostly) a blessing. When the busyness of life threatens to overtake your organizational self-confidence, remind yourself that being organized doesn't mean having a spotless place because, after all...

...it's a process.

Taking Small Steps

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.

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3 Keys Thursday: 3 Reasons for Clearing off My Desk at the End of the Day

LUM3N via Pixabay

For most of my professional life, I have fallen short of membership in the clean desk club. A variety of factors, not the least of which is my I need to see it personal style, led me to adopt piles as the norm, leaving them stacked on my desk at the end of a (good) day. At the end of a not-so-good day? Piles not only littered the desktop, but spilled over into one another, with confidential information tucked away and the next day's "starting point" on top of whatever pile of information was front and center.

Sometime last spring, after my home office and my work office became one and the same, I did a desk re-vamp. My desk, with its personal touches and clear workspace, looked so good at the end of that day that I determined to end each day with a clear work area. 

And a new habit was born. 

Lately, I've gotten lazy/busy (or busy/lazy -- not sure which it is) and I've let things go a little. While my desk bears no resemblance to the mayhem that used to be the norm, I've also fallen short of a clear workspace several times in the last few weeks. I'm not sure which bothered me more -- the encroaching papers or the fact that I'd broken a habit that had been difficult (and that's an understatement!) to cultivate, but I knew it was time to rejoin the club.

Here are three reasons why being a member of the clean desk club matters to me. 

A clear workspace looks nice. Quite honestly, that was the main reason I decided to make this a habit. For me, clear space is the gold standard of organization and a clear desk meets that standard.

A clear workspace gives me a sense of accomplishment. Tying up loose ends and putting everything back where it belongs at the end of the day signals just that -- the end off the day -- and creates closure. In retrospect, I hadn't been closing out my days at all -- just relocating my laptop and to-do list to another spot in the house to continue the day's work in the same room as my family -- and my workspace was a casualty of burning the candle at both ends. 

A clear workspace reduces anxiety. I'd forgotten what facing a fully loaded desk in the morning feels like. Let's just say I don't recommend it. Once I rejoined the clean desk club, walking into my office each morning felt less daunting, despite the length of the day's to-do list.

During the semester, it's impossible (for me, anyway) not to have piles. They just can't live on my desk unless I'm actively working on them. In order to think and plan and tackle the to-do list in as peaceful a way as possible, I need my best (organizational) friend by my side.

Clear space.

Organizational Work-in-Progress

True Confession #10: I am an organizational work-in-progress. (Originally posted November 2019)

If you are a regular reader, you know this is something I blithely admit on a regular basis. Last weekend, however, someone else pointed it out to me and hearing it felt like a sucker punch.

The person who pointed it out to me was my daughter and the way she put it was, well, blunt. "Your stuff is everywhere, Mom."

My first instinct was to deny, but a quick look around the room where we sat made that impossible. Shame quickly followed, along with embarrassment and the sense that I'm a fraud. I mean, I write about this stuff. How could I have let this happen??

Life, that's how.

The past few weeks have been a succession of interruptions, quasi-emergencies and routine-busting crises. I've fallen behind in pretty much every conceivable area of life.

Now, approaching the other side of the tunnel I've been in, I can see the light, but it's shining on piles that reveal just how quickly even someone who knows her styles and knows how to use them can fall back into bad habits.

Every style has attributes and downfalls. While I was putting out proverbial fires, my downfalls were having a party and they didn't even have the decency to contain it to one room of the house.

When I set out to teach these styles to my students and, later, write Know Thyself, I had two goals. One of them was to help people who struggle with organization to find systems that work for them for more than two days. The other was to disabuse them of the notion that there was something wrong with them because they weren't flawlessly organized on a regular basis.

My daughter was right. At the time of her statement, I absolutely did not look like someone who writes about organization (that's not what she said, but it's so what I heard!) But, after my initial response, I needed to remind myself of a couple of things I already knew.

First, a temporary overabundance of piles does not mean I've fallen into utter, hopeless disorganization. And, second, the fact that this happens at my house from time to time is precisely why I write about this.

I'm not flawlessly organized. My house is not perfect 24-7 (far from it). My systems, which keep me organized most of the time, get overwhelmed sometimes.

And there's a good reason for that. I get overwhelmed sometimes and, since my systems are an extension of my styles (which are an extension of me), when I get overwhelmed, they do, too. Sometimes, it's simply a matter of resasserting control over my belongings. Sometimes, it's a matter of rethinking the systems. Either way, I need more than a pinch of a magic ingredient that has little to do with me, my styles or my systems.

Time.

I write about this because I get it. I know how hard it is to keep things together all the time. I'm not writing to lecture from on high but, rather, to share what I've learned in the hopes it will help you, your kids, your spouse or your seemingly hopelessly disorganized best friend. Together, we'll figure this out, stumble, acquire, declutter, figure it out again and make progress.

It's a process and, for some of us, it involves piles.

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3 Keys Thursday: 3 Key Container Attributes

Containers are perhaps the most important tool in our organizing arsenal. Whether as small as a basket for our car keys or as large as a bedroom closet, containers help us to corral clutter, create homes for the things we use daily and store the things we use less often. Though they are many and varied, containers have essentially three key components. 

The form they take.  Form refers to a container's physical attributes -- things like size and shape. In addition, containers can have features like lids or handles and can be rigid or yielding enough to allow for extra expansion. The form a container takes can draw us in or turn us away and can make the difference between our storing things well and wishing we'd made a different choice. 

The function they serve. Function is exactly what it sounds like -- the purpose the container serves. This doesn't have to be carved in stone, though. Using containers (including furniture pieces with shelves and drawers) in creative ways can mean making a better connection between our styles and our storage. A shelving unit, for example, can serve myriad function, from storing books to storing clothing or shoes.

Their style. A container's style comes from its aesthetics -- color, texture, pattern, uniqueness. Sometimes we want containers that match or blend; other times we want something that's unique or unusual. This container attribute may seem frivolous but, think about it. Aren't you more likely to use a container you like than one you don't?

All of these attributes matter. How much each one matters depends on its use (function), our available space (form) and personal taste (style), along with our personal and organizational styles. To create successful, sustainable organizational systems, we want to choose containers that appeal to us on all three levels, and that are a good fit for our space, our taste, and our style.

Finally, when it comes to containers, bigger isn't always better. Choosing containers that are the right size for what we currently own, but with a little space for future acquisitions, helps us to fight the urge to acquire more than we need, as well as protecting valuable space in our homes.

As I look around my office, I can see that my containers help to create a unified color scheme (black and white, with pops of color), while serving my I need to see it and drop and run styles. I can immediately tell which ones are overworked (the file holder on top of my table) and where another container might be needed (the floor is not a permanent home for my books), as well as those that have become catch-alls (the top drawer of my shelving unit).

Our containers help us do exactly what they promise -- contain things -- but they're only one tool in our organizing arsenal. Fortunately, there are plenty of containers out there -- each with its own form and style -- to fit nearly every function, taste and, of course, style, in every sense of the word.

Taking Time

Pixabay

Last October, I shared this true confession (#44): I am terrible at estimating how long things take. I don't know whether I'm optimistic or time-impaired, but my internal monologue is always the same.

It won't take that long.

Ha. Famous last words. It always takes longer than I think it will.

Sometime last week, I realized that this is definitely the case for my blog posts, and so I made a difficult decision.

I need to cut back.

Beginning the first week in March, I'll be posting here only once a week -- on Thursdays -- instead of on Wednesdays and Thursdays. For my remaining two Wednesday posts in February, I'll be reposting two of my favorite True Confessions.

I love writing these posts, but I also love writing and teaching. Unfortunately, each of these pursuits has been edging the others out.  During semester break, I was staying on top of things (kinda, sorta) but, now that classes have started up again, I find myself creating my posts late at night, which tells me I'm overextended. And so, I have to admit that time is not quite as elastic as I've repeatedly led myself to believe. 

One of the reasons we try to manage our time and our stuff is so that we can be at peace with ourselves and our things. When that's not happening, we need to make difficult decisions and perhaps even part with some things. Knowing that's the case, I need to practice what I teach.

The archives aren't going anywhere, and neither are my books, and I have no intention of going fully dark. In addition, you can find my STYLE Savvy posts on CatholicMom.com for as long as they'll have me.

Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow.

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Key Tools for Managing Change

The first week of a new semester is drawing to a close and I am tired. Changing schedules and responsibilities are a fact of life, but they can be a challenge. Here are three things I'm doing to keep things organized as I adjust to the change in my routine.

Make lists. New seasons bring new tasks -- big and small -- and it can be easy for things to fall between the cracks. Writing things down makes it more likely we can stay on top of both new and old responsibilities and tasks.

Use existing systems. For me, planning is not a tidy process. As I work, papers proliferate and piles persist. Making sure to allot enough time at the end my work time to put things where they belong ensures that things won’t get out of control -- or at least they won't stay that way for long.

Listen to your body. New seasons can be exhausting and may require us to cut ourselves some slack. Naps that disappeared when I was working with the rhythms of my own body clock reappeared as a matter of necessity the first week of classes. It’s tempting to berate myself and try to push through but, in the end, that’s just counterproductive. So nap I will so I can be fresh when I tackle the new challenges that emerge on a daily basis.

Whether it’s a new semester, summer vacation, a new year, or a life change, listening to ourselves and putting our styles to work can make the difference between a smooth road and a bumpy one. And, if we remember to take care of ourselves as well, that can give us the energy we need to accurately map out the road ahead.

Dispensing with Piles

athree23 via Pixabay

The new semester started this week, bringing with it new students to meet, new ideas to try, and plenty of books, syllabi and assorted materials. If you, like me, have an I need to see it personal style and/or a drop and run organizational style, you know that all of those materials can lead to something less desirable than new adventures.

Piles.

As someone with both an I need to see it personal style and a drop and run organizational style, I have to work hard to overcome the urge to put things down instead of away, especially when I'm tired and/or overwhelmed -- both of which are as standard issue as textbooks the first week of class.

Having identified this tendency, I'm happy to report that, over time, I've gotten better at putting things away instead of down. Those with an I know I put it somewhere organizational style may find themselves with a similar malady -- fighting the urge to just put things out of sight or in a safe place to create a semblance of order.

While both piles and corralling clutter work in the short run, they aren't long-term solutions for capturing and organizing all of the unrelated miscellany piles often maintain. Whether you're piling or stashing, here are a few questions to ask yourself to take the first steps from keeping things under control to actual organization.

Is it always the same stuff? At my house, it's usually the homeless items that end up in piles (next to the things I don't want to forget to take care of). While I can't quite bring myself to get rid of the reminder piles, eliminating the piles of homeless items is as simple as finding them a home.

Is it always the same place? Most homes have spots that are clutter catchers -- the kitchen counter, the dining room table, the dresser in the bedroom. Ask yourself whether the items that are piled there should be stored nearby, or if the spot is merely convenient (or perhaps a temporary "safe place"). Then, organize accordingly.

Will a strategically placed container solve the problem? If so, maybe, just maybe you can keep the pile. Just make sure that the container is sized properly. Too big, and you'll lose sight of what you need. Too small, and you might as well just keep the original pile.

As an I need to see it/drop and run person, I've come to terms with the fact that piles are a part of my life. But, by asking some strategic questions and employing the right tools, I can keep them to a minimum. And, once my things have logical homes that match my styles, I can keep those piles from forming in the first place.

What have you done with your piles lately?