Organizing: It's Complicated

 Have you promised yourself that 2023 is the year you'll get organized? Congratulations! That's a great start! 

But what is organizing, exactly? What does it look like? 

Let's start with what it isn't. Organizing isn’t purging your possessions. And minimalism, whether for spiritual purposes or something else entirely, isn't organizing either. While both of these can be tools in the organizing process because they reduce the sheer quantity of what we need to organize, neither is an organizational solution in and of itself. 

To decide what organizing is, let’s jump to our desired conclusion. What does "organized" look like? Why does it matter to you? When you picture your perfectly organized life, what do you see?

To me, being organized has two parts: being able to find what I need when I need it and living in a home that's (mostly) free of clutter because I have found a logical home for all of my possessions. 

I used to think being organized meant existing in a showplace -- somewhere where nothing was ever out of place. But, over time, I've discovered that it's hard to relax in a place where things need to be perfect all the time, just as it's hard to concentrate in a place where there's so much clutter that it's distracting. Organizing should be a source of peace, not a source of stress and frustration. 

I also discovered that those showplace spaces may not be organized in a functional way. Anyone can bundle up clutter, put it in a pretty box and put it on a shelf, but that's not a sustainable organizational plan. While it makes things look nice in the moment, it makes it hard to find what we need on a day-to-day basis, let alone when we're rushing out the door and need to grab the paper that was on the counter on Saturday before we stuck everything in a box and put a lid on it because company was coming.

Why am I not just giving you a definition and a list of helpful hints? Because organizing is personal. Sure, the basic concepts are the same, but which tools we choose to achieve organizational success (and how we use those tools) is determined by our answers to the questions I posed earlier: 

• what does "organized" look like to you?
• why does it matter?
• when you picture your perfectly organized life, what do you see?

I've shared my answers, but yours may be different. If we went shopping together, we might pick out completely different tools. Or, we might choose the same ones and use them in entirely different ways. How we organize is dictated by our answers to the questions above, how we think, how we organize naturally, and what season of life we are in. 

Right now, your decision to get organized might mean that you need a complete overhaul of a space, a room, or your whole house. And, regardless of which of those is true, which tools you decide on, and what you do with them, some days, the clutter will win. But, if you develop systems that work for you, its victory will be short-lived, and you'll always know which tools you need to win the war on clutter.

All it takes is some patience, and a little style. 

8 Things to do On or About December 26

 Is your to-do list maxed out? Has your Christmas spirit evaporated? Has your ho, ho, ho turned to ho, ho, hum?

As lists grow longer, tempers grow shorter, and the reason for the season recedes behind a pile of gifts to be wrapped and cookies to be baked, it's nice to think about taking time for ourselves. Consequently, it's no accident that I'm sharing this re-vamped re-post (from December 26, 2019) before Christmas while we still have time to plan a few things that contribute to celebrating and/or enjoying the season.

Meet a friend for coffee. Not only does this provide a relaxing opportunity to get caught up and spend time just chatting, but it can also get your day off to an enjoyable start, initiating warm feelings that can influence the rest of the day.

Sleep in. This is usually at the top of my vacation list which, unfortunately, starts the cycle of get up too late/go to bed too late that I have to break when the real world comes calling. But, after weeks of  holiday preparations (or jobs in retail), this might be an even better option than coffee.

Put away some decorations. We used to joke that my mom had the Christmas decorations taken down and put away by the time we got home from their house on the day after Christmas. While I'm not ready to undeck the halls yet, I did decide that we could dispense with the emptied out stockings. I might pull out a snowman or two to fill in the gaps, but I'm not in any hurry.

Score some bargains. I'm not a Black Friday shopper, but I used to love going shopping the day after Christmas. As I accumulated a collection of "just right" decorations (along with some surplus) and retailers started slashing prices before Christmas, I did less of this. But, each year, I take stock of staples like wrapping paper and greeting cards and use December 26 to fill in the gaps with all the stuff that's on sale. As an added bonus, I feel more prepared when it comes time to get ready for next year's holidays. These days, I check out the online sales first. 

Make a list. Another one? Actually, I look forward to the after-Christmas lists. Now that all of the "getting ready for Christmas" things have been done (or ditched), I can get to the other things that have been competing for my attention. I can't do them all in one day, though, so I'm choosing three(ish) items from my master list to add to each day so I can feel accomplished.

Organize something. Not surprisingly, every after-Christmas list includes at least one organizing project at my house. These days, it's less about mitigating chaos than tweaking existing systems, but I always feel so accomplished afterward. 

pinwhalestock via Pixabay

Chill. This is vacation, after all. Yes, I want to do all of these things (along with tackling those writing projects that have been unceremoniously pushed aside by other, time-sensitive stuff), but I also want to make time to read, do crossword puzzles, engage in creative pursuits just for fun, and spend time with my family. This time off goes way too fast, and striking that balance between enjoyable work (the stuff that makes my "want to do" list) and play (the other stuff that makes my "want to do" list) is the key to a vacation that leaves me feeling both relaxed and accomplished.

That, to me, is the best of both worlds.

Merry Christmas.

3 Keys Thursday: Making Christmas Merry

 Today, I closed the book on fall semester, which means it's time to get serious about my Christmas to-do lists. I have ten days...plenty of time, right?

Keeping Christmas prep stress at bay can be challenging. Since I no longer enjoy shopping until I drop, I've been chipping away at my shopping online and that part of Christmas preparation is nearly done. This is a huge help because anything that allows me to stay in the house and away from the traffic and panic going on "out there" makes it easier to keep the season (and myself) jolly.

Warring styles can definitely rear their heads at this time of year, making it challenging to deck the halls in a harmonious fashion. Here are three tips for simply having a wonderful Christmas time.

Pixabay

Don't be afraid to do it your way. My husband is ready to start Christmas preparations while still have Thanksgiving leftovers in the fridge, which is just when my end-of-semester tasks are ramping up. Consequently, I've declared November off-limits for any Christmas preparations that involve me, unless we're trying to get something done while my daughter is home. He likes to dedicate whole days to big projects; I like to add decorations a little at a time so the house looks more festive the closer we get to Christmas. Together, we get it done.

Don't take on other people's stress. I'm perfectly capable of stressing myself out without any outside assistance, so I prefer not to outsource. My husband's lists often look different from my own, making it all too easy to get sucked into tasks that are low priority for me, or to make a simple task into a big production. If I'm following my first key, it's easy to remind myself what my priorities are. If they don't line up with someone else's, not only is that okay, but I also don't have to accept that person's stress as my own.

Don't forget to have fun. Aside from family and friends, a sense of humor is probably the most important thing to keep close by in the days leading up to Christmas. As time ticks away, so do patience and energy, and it's easy to take the merry out of Christmas. Nurture that sense of humor by remembering to sit down and take a break occasionally, even if you can only squeeze in a few minutes of downtime. There's no thing so important that it's worth all of your time and energy.

Christmas doesn't have to be a production worthy of a spread in a glossy magazine in order to be merry. In my opinion, the best celebrations are those that are, as my mom would say, understated. Less fuss and more festivity can yield not only a happy holiday today, but one that everyone looks back on fondly after the last gift has been unwrapped and the last morsel has been eaten. And, to make that happen, perhaps our peace on earth should start with a little peace at home.

Even if that means we don't bake enough cookies to feed the entire free world.

'Tis the Season to Organize...My Brain?

 As someone with an I need to see it personal style, I'm a big fan of lists. And, having found the perfect (for me) planner, I'm usually pretty good at keeping all my lists corralled in that planner. In fact, I usually try to write all of my things to do in my planner so I don't end up with a veritable snowstorm of lists covering surfaces all over my house.

Usually.

But lately, the collision of Christmas preparations, writing promotions and projects, and the end of the semester have added a blizzard of notes to the forecast. 

So, this afternoon, after loading up my online Target cart and making a quick run to the dollar store (thus eliminating two lists), I gathered up the remaining tidbits of to-dos and laid them atop my planner so I could consolidate everything this evening when I finished working. 

Anybody want to guess how many helpful little notes I ended up with?

Nine. It was eight, but then I started a new one, exclusively for the things I needed to do today when I finished my writing session -- the one that kept getting postponed because of all the things on all the lists.

Oh, wait, not nine. Ten. There's also a sticky note on the front of my planner.

A certain amount of random listing is to be expected, but nine lists? Yikes! What's happening to me?

The same thing that's happening to everyone else. 'Tis the season. 

In addition to our usual to-do lists, we have planning-for-the-holidays lists (yes, that's plural). For those of us who are educators, we have wrapping-up-before-break lists and things-I-want-to-do-over-break lists. And shopping lists. 'Tis the season for plenty of those.

As with any other organizing tool, when lists are working in our service, they're useful. But when they threaten to proliferate so much that they could easily bring us a white Christmas made up of notes to ourselves, we've lost control.

 A combination of age and an I need to see it personal style make lists an essential tool for me but, when my lists overflow(eth), it's time to take a step back, take stock, and take charge. 

Which is why I gathered up my collection of lists this afternoon. I know that the sheer number of things to do popping like so many popcorn kernels in my brain means that grabbing the nearest pen and scrap of paper is going to be my method for at least a few more days. Then, with grades finished and entered and end-of-semester tasks behind me, one whole category of "don't forget to..." items will recede, and I can return to my usual method.

Or a slightly more overwhelming holiday version.

Until then, I need to make gathering those snowflake lists a daily occurrence, and updating my planner with their contents its nightly companion. Otherwise, the sheer volume of lists will be enough to undo me almost as much as trying to hold it all in my head.

And that sort of defeats the purpose.

That's what works for me, especially since my planner is such a great place to store my lists. But that might not be what works for you. You might have a grocery list in the kitchen, a work to-do list in your office, and a miscellaneous list in your purse. Or, you might have a notebook that contains all of your lists, or an app on your phone that keeps everything straight.

What matters isn't what you do. What matters is whether or not it works for you. In this very busy season full of so much to do and (hopefully) so much to celebrate, consider taking a moment to figure out how your own lists can work for you, rather than against you.

Then show them who's boss.

Breaking Bad (Habits)

 This post appeared around this time of year five years ago. Then:  

Like anyone else, I have bad habits when it comes to keeping things neat and running smoothly. As we head into the holiday season and things get hectic, here are a few of the habits I'm trying to break.

#1: Piling. When I get busy, my default organizational style (drop and run) kicks in. I put things down instead of putting them away. I set stacks of things aside, intending to get to them later. This isn't too bad if the stacks are meaningful and this process doesn't go on for too long. But, when this habit continues unchecked, I end up with a major project on my hands.
Solution? Don't put it down, put it away. As often as possible.

#2: Procrastination. More often than not, the most difficult part of a project for me is simply getting started. Once I stop whining and start doing, I generally get wrapped up in the task I was dreading and find it much easier than I expected it to be. And progress is a wonderful motivator.
Solution? Give it five. Knowing I have an out after five minutes helps me get started, and since getting started is half the problem, giving it five gets me halfway there. Often, once I've gotten started, I don't stop after five minutes because I want to keep going.

#3: Not writing things down. This one creates less obvious chaos than the others, but it creates plenty of mental chaos. I have notepads in plenty of locations and designated places for particular lists. When it comes to not writing it down, I really have no excuse.
Solution? Just do it.

Now:

I haven't succeeded in completely breaking these habits (especially the piling), but I've gotten much better. Finding a planner I love has made a huge difference in #3. Though I still write things down on whatever's handy when my planner is out of reach, I make sure to take time to transfer those notes into my planner. Having a central location for my lists makes it easier to assign tasks a time, which makes it far more likely that they'll get done.

How about you? What habits will you break this holiday season?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hannah Edgman via Pixabay

 

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Organizing by STYLE Gratitudes

 I can hardly believe that Know Thyself has been in print for more than three years, let alone that I've been planning and tweaking STYLE-based organizing for more than a decade. As someone who's always been "organized in her own way," I absolutely do practice what I preach. Regular readers know I have an I need to see it personal style and a drop and run organizational style, both of which are in evidence on a daily basis (abundantly so when things get busy and/or I feel tired or overwhelmed), but I am now much less likely to push the panic button when this happens. Not only do I know there's a path forward, I have a map to follow. 

But this journey has been personally rewarding from more than a tidiness perspective. As we approach Thanksgiving, I wanted to share three key things about this journey for which I'm grateful.

Embracing my styles has helped me to accept myself. Yes, there will still be piles, especially when things get hectic, but I no longer see that as a character flaw. For one thing, there will be fewer of them and, in addition I now know what to do with and about them. Visual cues (color-coding, anyone?) and one-step organizers that work with the way I think make it just as easy to put something away as it would be to simply put it down.

Embracing my styles has helped me to both narrow and expand my options. No more trying to squeeze my stuff into containers that aren't a good fit like one of Cinderella's stepsisters trying to fit into that glass slipper. Accepting the way I think and organize has taken me from ugly stepsister to triumphant princess of organization who readily rejects anything ill-fitting, knowing that some day, her organizational prince of a tool will come -- the one that's meant for me, as I am. In addition, it's freed me to be more creative in my approach. I don't need a fairy godmother -- or permission -- to look at an old container in a new way.

Embracing my styles has helped me help others embrace their own. As rewarding as it is to feel as though I'm no longer losing the clutter wars, it's perhaps more rewarding to see someone else's face light up when they realize they aren't hopelessly disorganized just because binders and file cabinets don't work for them. It's heartbreaking to see bright, creative people beat themselves up over something as insignificant as clutter, and watching other people get excited by the possibilities of non-traditional organizing is a wonderful feeling.

Amazon.com

And, while I'm on the subject of gratitude, I'd be remiss if I didn't share how grateful I am for all of you who read these posts, who've read my book and/or shared this information with friends who organize differently. Getting organized doesn't have to be exhausting and time-consuming, nor does it have to mean that you limit your worldly possessions to a select few. It takes being honest with ourselves, being patient with ourselves and, from time to time, stepping back and taking in the wider view. 

But no need to do all of that today because, when it comes to organizing, it's a process.

Then and Now: Here a List, There a List, Everywhere a To-Do List

Ah, lists. Arguably the foundation of our day-to-day successes, they come in many lengths and levels of organization. Here's what I had to say about them way back in 2015.

Then:

As we enter the season of lists, I find myself thinking about the efficiency of my to-do lists. When I was first retired and had lots of time at my disposal, my lists were beautiful and organized. I utilized my notepad-style page-a-day calendar to its fullest extent, and never wondered where my to-do list was. I kept two, in fact: one master list and one daily list, a combination of my schedule for the day and items pulled from the master list and assigned to available times in the day.

When things get hectic and busy, however, I revert to dash-and-run listing: no piece of paper or writing utensil is safe. I have lists on the counter, lists on my desk, lists in the car and one big list clipped to the front of my grade book. School lists form on the front-of-grade-book sheet, and miscellaneous lists made up of things I remember on the run form on notepads in my car, scrap paper, and the backs of receipts. Somehow, when I need lists the most, I fall into the most inefficient pattern of list-making possible.

Why on earth would anyone do this?

• Lack of time:  As time to do things shrinks, my fear of forgetting things grows. In my rush to get from Point A to Point B, I grab anything handy to write down the things that pop into my mind before they get away from me. 
• Fear of the big list: I once watched a colleague create a list that spanned several pages of a legal pad. I felt panic-stricken for her and vowed never to create a list that long. Multiple small lists may be inefficient, but they're less terrifying.
• Where is the big list anyway? Again, the dash from Point A to Point B and points beyond plays a role. If my master list for the day is at home on my desk, it's inaccessible when I'm not home. Writing things down somewhere quickly trumps writing things down in an assigned space. Not writing them down isn't even an option.

Writing things down is good. Scattering lists like bread crumbs is not.

I know what works for me (that's why I buy that notepad-style page-a-day calendar every year), but time management is no different from stuff management. When we're overwhelmed, we sometimes forget to stick to the plan. When we're really overwhelmed, we sometimes forget there is a plan.

The solution? Keep it simple. The fewer the lists, the better, but if, like me, you're overwhelmed by one big, long, master list, organize your lists by topic (to do, to buy, to call), by location (home, work, car/errands) or by day of the week. By all means, keep notepads in a variety of places to catch those stray thoughts, but tape, staple, clip or otherwise attach the wayward notes to the main list so you're not wasting time and energy looking for the right list.

Meanwhile, I hope you have many opportunities to enjoy my favorite part of list-making....

Checking things off.

A plethora of planners, ready & waiting.

Now: I'm happy to say that my days of scattering lists like bread crumbs are (mostly) behind me. I found a planner (undated) I love so much that I've stocked up, acquiring copies on my own and adding them to birthday and Christmas lists. 

Why do l love this planner so much? Well, there are myriad reasons, but one of the biggest ones is that, with a little bit of practice, I've learned to make it List Central. While I still jot things down on the go, those on-the-fly notations get added to the list in my planner at my earliest opportunity. From there, the to-dos get prioritized and assigned a day -- or a tentative day, anyway -- helping me to feel organized even when my lists are long enough to give me pause.

Sometimes, it takes (a long) time to find the right tool. But, to paraphrase an old song, Once you have found it, never let it go.

At least as long as it's still working.

Thursday Review: Be the Difference Planner by Ink and Willow

 I love planners. In any given year, I use at least three to keep track of everything from schedules and to-do lists to various projects. And, as someone with an I need to see it personal style, my preferred planners need to include plenty of space where I can lay everything out (where I can see it).

That said, I have never seen a planner like this one. A quick flip-through was enough to convince me that I need to take some time with this book. Consequently, I brought it with me to the beach so I could sit down, go through it slowly, and savor it. 

 

Not a lot of planners make me do this. 

 

Although you can’t judge a book by its cover, this cover bears mentioning.  Not only is it bright and appealing, evoking a global feel in its color scheme and title presentation, but it’s literally flexible. Book-bound, not spiral, it’s harder than a paperback and softer than a hardcover, making it sturdy enough to withstand lots of tossing into this bag or that as its owner moves from place to place and project to project. (Perfect for those with an I love to be busy personal style).

 

But this consideration for the user doesn’t end with the cover. From the front matter, to the layout, to the choice of content, the “why” for this planner has been thought through to make it not only user friendly, but fun to use. Like a book, it draws users in, first with this sentiment in the introduction:

"The world around us has always been broken, but as believers, we have been called to do something about it."

 And then, in the “How to Use this Planner” section:

 

            “Within these pages, you’ll find the space and tools to identify the issues that matter 

            most to you and to help you map out intentional steps to create a meaningful impact.“

 

I’ve seen a lot of planners. I’ve used a lot of planners. But I’ve never found one with a call to action.

 

Let me pause here for a moment and say that if you’re looking for a traditional planner with monthly calendars and lots of lined pages for to-do lists, this one isn’t for you. But, if you want space to plan out a project that is close to your heart, or to figure out how to find or create such a project, this one is worth savoring. 

 

Laid out in a way that makes it easy to personalize based on your focus (whether you have one or many), the Be the Difference planner helps users to think through their ideas, organize them, and put a plan on paper. Whether you are a big picture thinker or a nuts-and-bolts list-creator, you’ll find pages in this book to help you take whatever project your heart desires to the next level. 

Each (undated) month’s pages include a monthly calendar (two-page spread), space for notes, to-dos, brainstorming, references, and contacts, along with an inspirational quote and space for reflection at the end of the month, as well as quarterly reflection pages. The back of the book offers suggestions for interesting issues, while the front of the book offers space to help users think through ways they can make a difference.

 

Suitable for individuals and committees, the Be the Difference planner provides guided space to go from idea to action, whether your target is local, national or global. Though its stated function is “planner,” it is much more, and impressively so, making its $16.99 price point seems more than reasonable given its uniqueness and utility. 

 

If you've got a project in mind and you like to think on the page, this planner can help you make a difference. At the very least, it can be a place where you can lay out your ideas and take the first steps from planning to implementation, making it a planner in the truest sense of the word.

Full disclosure: I received a free copy of this planner in exchange for a review. 

TLC Meets STYLE

 A few weekends ago, I opened a cupboard in our downstairs hallway to get something and something else – I don’t remember what – fell on the floor. Mind you this was not a Fibber McGee closet packed to the gills in a haphazard fashion. It was organized -- or at least it had been -- but my drop and run style had begun to contribute to its deterioration.

So, I decided to straighten up a little. Well, you know how that goes. I started by pulling out the things that weren't where they belonged, then began to dig deeper in a quest to see if the original plan was still a good fit for the space.

Before I knew it, I had the contents of nearly half the closet spread out on my dining room table. Once I could see everything that needed more definite homes, I began to put things into categories. Then, I raided the container stash in my basement and selected the ones that both fit the space and were the right size for the things I needed to store.

Easy peasy.

Several hours later, I had reconfigured about half of the closet. I tossed a bunch of stuff I no longer needed, moved infrequently used items things out of this particular prime real estate into new locations, and updated the plan for the space based on what it now needed to hold.

STYLE in action. What did that look like?

Start with Successes: I began by leaving the things that were working alone. This kept the task manageable. Besides, there was no reason to start from scratch when some of the systems were working. That made it easier to...

Take small steps toward improving the space, and then...

Let it go! Laying everything out and sorting by category made it clear what belonged and what didn't. That made it easier to remove anything that didn't need to be in prime real estate and toss any duplicates, outdated/expired items, and things that I no longer needed. Then, I could fix the issues and say,

"Yes, it has a home!"for everything in the closet. Most of what I removed from the closet at the outset needed a home, and some of the things stored there no longer needed to be there. Letting go of the latter made room for the former, and adding new containers made the whole thing work. And that brought me to...

Easy upkeep. The prize at the end of the process. :-)

I love the changes I've made. Not only does everything look better, but it's easier to find things and just opening the closet doors makes me smile. And the best part?

Nothing falls on the floor when I open the door.

Tried and True Strategies

 If you've been reading this blog for more than five minutes, you know that organizing by STYLE is about choosing the strategies that work with our personal and organizational styles. But, sometimes, there are super strategies -- ways of doing things that work across all (or at least most) personal and organizational styles. 

Here are three of my favorites. 

Consistent locations. One aspect of my mom's favorite organizational maxim ("a place for everything and everything in its place"), logical, consistent homes are time savers. If we know where it goes and we get in the habit of putting it there (no matter what "it" is), we don't waste time and energy searching every nook and cranny for the thing we need.

Give it 5. Have an overwhelming task? Set a timer for five minutes and tackle it. You won't finish, but you'll make a dent, and, once you get started, you just might keep going and get more done than you expected. Getting started is often the hardest part, and promising ourselves to work for just five minutes can help us clear that hurdle, 

Backwards to-do list. Some days, we have to make a special effort to focus on our accomplishments. Those are backwards to-do list days -- days when, instead of writing down what we need to do, we write down what we've accomplished as we accomplish it. A load of laundry in the washer? Jot it down. Dinner in the slow cooker? Add it to the list. One shelf in the closet reorganized? Write it down. At the end of the day, instead of having a partially checked-off list, we have a list of everything we've done. It's a small difference in list-making that can make a big difference in motivation and that can help us to focus on what we've accomplished instead of what we've left undone.

How about you? What's your go-to organizational strategy?

3 Keys Thursday: The "M" Word

 When I write about organizing, I intentionally avoid using the "m" word. In my mind, both "mess" and "messy" have judgmental connotations, and a lack of judgment is at the heart of organizing by STYLE. Here, we are all works-in-progress, getting better one piece of paper, one organizational system, and one space at time.

In addition, those of us who struggle with organization are hard enough on ourselves. Personally, I find that judgment, head-shaking and finger-pointing by those who (allegedly) know better tend to make me do one of two things: dig in my heels, or throw up my hands in defeat, certain things will never get better. And these actions run counter to the ones we need to take to make things better. 

So, on those occasions that necessitate action, we need to skip the labels (except the ones that go with our styles) and use the mindsets and strategies that we know work. 

• Remember that it's a process. Sorting and re-organizing take time. Keeping this in mind at the outset can help us to be patient with ourselves as we take small steps to improve the situation. 

• Aim for maximum impact. Seeing progress makes it easier to be patient with the process. Sometimes this means being counterintuitive and starting small, since small piles and projects yield clear space and finish lines faster than big piles and tasks that take all day. If you have limited time, start with either the project you think you can finish in that time frame, or the one that's annoying you the most.

• Stick with your styles, but don't let them run amok. No matter your style, make sure you have style-specific supplies on hand before you start. Otherwise, your organizing session is likely to end poorly, either in systems that won't work in the long term or defaulting to whatever created the piles in the first place.

Sometimes, life hands us clutter. Other times, it appears on its own and grows over time. Either way, we can emerge victorious. 

Thursday Thoughts (on a Friday): Domino Organizing and System Failures

 For the second week in a row, I missed my self-imposed Thursday deadline and am (apologetically) writing this post on a Friday. Today, however, I am officially on fall break (as of about three hours ago), and I am giving due consideration to which organizing projects will make the cut for what is essentially a four-day weekend. 

Inside? Outside? Visible surfaces? Insides of drawers and closets? All are vying for my attention. 

A couple of weekends ago, I whipped the most odious offenders into shape, but I somehow didn't manage to get to my dining room table, which has become a holding zone for wayward and homeless items (and not for the first time). Consequently, that tops the list, in tandem with the counter in my office. 

Why in tandem? Because the system I'm using to keep track of my work files is working. Unfortunately, it's currently headquartered on my dining room table. Clearing the counter in the office (of a pile that was created when I removed a piece of furniture) means creating space so I can move the work files into the office, which will also clear space on the dining room table. 

Ah yes. The infamous domino organizing. 

Leading the charge in all of this clutter is, as usual, the homeless items. When a few odds and ends start to pile up, it's usually because I need to find them a home. When it goes beyond that, I can almost always put the offenders into categories, which helps me to identify a system that's not working.

Which is exactly the case here. 

Fortunately, I have some ideas. 

But it's definitely a process -- one I am looking forward to digging into.

Then and Now: Space to Plan Means Space to Think

This post from 2011 is old enough to predate this blog. I wrote it as a post for The Porch Swing Chronicles before my organizing posts got a home of their own here. 

Then:

The world of education is filed with planners, and not just the paper or electronic kind. Most teachers are natural planners, wonderful at structuring their worlds. They make plans in advance, stick to routines, schedule what comes next.

I am a wall calendar in a planner world. I need big blocks of space that make me feel as though anything is possible. I can adjust to the smaller blocks in a desk-size planner, can do short stints in a pocket planner, but lined pages make me feel too confined, and graph paper might just put me over the edge. And don't even get me started on Blackberries and Smart Phones. I prefer that my phone be less intelligent than its owner, thank you very much.

During the school year, I adapt. A lot. In the summer, I aim for as many of those big, beautiful blocks of white space as I can find because those white spaces are filled with promise. The promise of projects that don't fit into pocket-sized blocks, days spent reading, writing or just plain dawdling for as big a block of time as I can imagine. Days that I can meet friends and linger over lunch. Or pull out board games and have a marathon without worrying about where I need to be next.

Sometimes, I envy the planner people. Their lives seem so smooth, so organized, while mine can seem like a disorganized free-for-all. But when I think about being boxed in, I decide that trading places might not be the deal I'm looking for. It looks good on the outside, but makes me all knotted up on the inside.

So, I'll stick to admiring them, and waving at them from across the white expanse of my big blocks of unscheduled time.

Now:

This post may be old enough to predate this blog, but it's not so old that it's no longer true. Clear spaces are my favorite organizing payoff, and blank space on calendar pages are every bit as enthralling. What can I say? I love possibility. 

But I also love planners that let me fill the white space in a way that makes sense to me.

Pretty, Functional and Virtual

 Some organizing tools really do stand the test of time. This app, which I've now been using for more than three years, is one of them. 

As someone with an I need to see it personal style, I struggle with my desktops -- both actual and virtual. I've made some progress with my actual desk, seeking out containers that match my style and pressing them into service.

But my computer desktop? That's another story.

Last night, I spent a lot of time whipping my computer desktop into shape. Putting things into folders is hard for me -- not actually difficult as it takes about two seconds -- but hard because my fear that out of sight is out of mind is very real. One of the reasons I love my MacBook is the drag-and-drop feature that allows me to pull things easily on and off the desktop. But, in order to do this, the things I want to drag and drop need to be on the desktop.

You see my conundrum.

But last night, I decided I was tired of a desktop that looked like a dumping ground and so I started dragging things into folders. When I was finished, the desktop looked amazing. Several columns of little blue folders all labeled and lined up. There was only one problem.

All the folders looked the same -- except for their labels, of course.

Which was why I'd avoided doing this in the first place.

Although I loved my newly created clear space (my favorite reward for an organizational job well-done), I felt the need to jazz up the desktop a little. I thought for the hundredth time how great it would be if I could color-code my virtual file folders the way I color-code my actual folders. There had to be a way, right? And if anyone would know, Google would.

So I Googled it. And you know what? There's an app for that! And it's FREE!

Check out ColorFolder Master on the App Store!

I could not have been happier.

Ten minutes later, I had color-coded file folders on my newly de-cluttered desk top. I haven't quite worked out which types of folders should be which colors -- although I could give every single folder its own color if I wanted to -- and I hit a little snag when I changed my mind about the color I wanted for one folder, but I found a work-around. And, since I now have the app on my laptop, I can change the folder colors any time I want.

It really is the little things.

Making My Own Map and Obeying the Speed Limit

 On Monday, I tried something I haven't done in a long time. It's something I vaguely remember from my youth, back when responsibilities were lighter and technology was not yet a daily interloper.

I think it's called "monotasking."

A number of factors motivated this, not the least of which was two consecutive weekends away. They had been lovely and relaxing while they were happening, but they had left the rest of my life in disarray. Everywhere I looked (including inside my own head), something was clamoring for my attention. 

When it comes to organizing, I often give the advice to start anywhere and so, on Monday, I did just that. Not only did I start "anywhere," I ditched all prioritizing and started where I wanted to start. I forced myself to slow down (I even asked Alexa to play some Mozart to help me put the brakes on my racing brain) and focus on each task as I did it. When I finished a task, I paused, asking myself not what I should do next, but what I wanted to do next. 

After a bit, I got into a rhythm. When a new idea popped into my head ("Oh! Check the dryer!"), I sat with it for a moment, deciding if it was important enough to interrupt the rhythm of whatever I was doing at the moment. If not, I filed it (so to speak) under one of two options: that's something I could do or I'll do that when I finish this.

As I was putting away the makeup I'd left in utter disarray on the bathroom counter in my hurry to get out of the house that morning, I noticed something. I was moving more slowly, more deliberately. Instead of racing through a task and dashing to the next one (or trying to do two things at once), I was giving my attention to each task in a less frenzied fashion than usual. 

It was nice.

So often, we feel frazzled by all that we have to do. But, how often do we recognize that we're part of the problem? Or that we hold the key to the solution simply by making a different choice?

One of the reasons I undertook this little experiment was that I was scared. I felt as though I'd lost my focus in places where it mattered, and I needed to get it back. Torn in what felt like a thousand different directions, I was operating on autopilot, outside of myself. I told myself that I was simply overextended, but the truth is, I was afraid it was more serious than that. I needed to quiet not only that voice, but also the others clamoring inside my head, pushing me toward this task or that one.

Our lives are busy. Our obligations are numerous. Sometimes, we need to quiet ourselves in order to determine what really matters. We can do this in prayer or meditation, certainly, but we can also do this by moving mindfully through our days, resisting the urge to race and indulging the desire to linger, at least some of the time.

I got quite a bit done on Monday afternoon. It didn't necessarily align with my to-do list but, if I'm to be honest, there was no way I was getting all the way through that list in one afternoon anyway.

Some days, our journey is a straight line. Other days, it follows the curve of our hearts.

Organizing FAQs: How Can I Make Progress When I Don’t Have Time?

 

Organizing is a process and processes take time. So, how can we make progress in this process when time is limited?

First, let me say, I feel your pain. The switch from two classes (on campus three days a week) last spring to online instruction to summer vacation to three classes (on campus five days a week) this fall has left me feeling discombobulated and overwhelmed. I’m not complaining, exactly, but I am struggling. Three weeks into the semester, I'm still trying to find my footing. 

Meanwhile, less time at home has left me with plenty of things to trip over, both literally and figuratively. The spaces I worked so long and hard to clear off and keep clear have been betrayed by my treasonous drop and run organizational style. Around me, piles are springing up, their eviction the latest addition to  my already burgeoning to-do list. Add to that my brilliant idea to say yes to out-of-town travel for two weekends in a row and I’m waiting to see which will explode first: my head or those precarious piles.

Melodramatic? Just a tad. But a relatively accurate assessment of how I’m feeling.

Several things are called for here — patience and a routine being two of them — but while those attributes  will serve to put things in perspective and help me create a road map, neither will clear the clutter. 

But taking small steps will. 

Today, I took the first small step by adding those clutter collecting spaces to my to-do list. Walking past them and groaning just makes me feel bad. Adding to them to my list means that when time allows, I’ll pencil them into a time slot and actually tackle them. 

Unfortunately, I don’t see a big block of time anywhere in my immediate future. So, between now and the appointed hour, I need to do two things. I need to be slow and steady, settling for small victories.

And I need to practice saying no.

No to extra activities scheduled during prime time — that time of day when energy and motivation are plentiful. No to caving in and allowing my drop and run organizational style to add anything else to those piles. If I’m dropping and running (and trust me, I will), I need to drop whatever I’m holding where it belongs, not where it has to be dealt with later. Turning a one-step process into a multi-step process by putting things down instead of away is a step in the wrong direction.

And when it comes to stepping confidently in the right direction, small steps are my friend. Picking up one thing from the pile and putting it away every time I walk past. Setting a timer for five minutes and making as  much progress as I can. Tackling the pile while I’m waiting for water to boil or for the dryer to finish its cycle.

Baby steps.

It’s not what I want — what I want is a magic wand that makes the piles disappear — but it’s what I have. And this all-too-familiar, one-step-at-a-time process works. I know this, because I’ve been here before. Sometimes the process is  quick, but often it’s painstakingly slow because it takes place alongside an already full life.

And this is a good thing. As much as the clutter annoys me, I know it exists because i am busy with things that matter more than piles. So, if I’m smart, I won’t let the clutter — a temporary part of the landscape — obscure the big picture.

Easier said than done. It is, after all, a process.

3 Keys Thursday: The Value of an Empty Head

 I'm finishing up the second week of a new semester and the to-do's are piling up faster than I can check them off my list. It's the norm, and I'll adjust, but it always takes more time than I think it will.

I keep a to-do list, but ideas pop into my head as the day goes on, often in places or at times where it’s hard to write them down. 

Carrying them around in my head is exhausting. Fortunately, having a few key strategies for wrangling these ever-emerging ideas can bring me the blissful relief of writing it all down and letting it go.

If it's quick, just do it. Unless you are on the way out the door, if it takes less time to do it than  it does to write it down, just get it over with already.

Keep a master list in one place. For me, it's my planner, which has a layout that has space to jot down three priorities for each day, with lots of lines beneath those top three for the tasks I hope to get to...soon. While it's frustrating to see a bunch of unchecked items at the end of the day, it's less frustrating than corralling a bunch of notes dropped here and there.

Record it. Within reach of your phone but nowhere near that master list? Record an email and send it to yourself, or designate a file on your phone (for me, it's the notes app) to collect all those ideas you get on the run.

Do I still have notepads within reach in several rooms of the house? Why, yes, I do. But, now I make it a habit to gather loose notes up each night and transfer their contents to my master list. Even when the list gets long, the sense of peace it gives me to have all of my to-dos in one place (instead of lurking on counters and desktops and popping up at every turn) makes up for it.

During this busy season -- or any season, for that matter -- there are things I can control and things I can't. I may not always be able to control how many items I get through in a day, but I can at least make it easier to figure out what comes next and which task to tackle if a spare minute should arise. 

And, when it comes to lists, the only thing that's better than emptying my head onto the page is checking things off after I complete them.

The Intangibles

 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.

Back-to-School: It's Not Just for Kids

 I'm currently up to my ears in fall semester planning and frustrated that organizing is something I can only talk/write about until things settle into a routine. Luckily, I had a chance to do just that on Tuesday, when Tracy Stewart, the woman behind OSV's Up Close webinar series, was kind enough to host me on the webcast once again. 

Fittingly enough, we talked about back-to-school organizing, but we got to move beyond just little kids and talk a bit about college students and adults as well. I think that's the first time I've had that sort of back-to-school discussion, and it was a lot of fun.

In addition, OSV (the publisher of Know Thyself) offered the book at 20% off in conjunction with the webinar. Sale price is good at the OSV Bookstore through August 22 with the code KNOW20.

You can listen to the webcast here. 

If back to school is a thing at your house, I wish you all the best! 

Then and Now: Styles and Transitions

 As I (along with many of you) transition into the school year (or prepare to do so), this post from August 2019 seemed like a good reminder of how our styles can be the light at the end of a very cluttered tunnel.

Then:

Right now, I'm transitioning into the school year. It's the first week of school so, by some standards, I've already transitioned. But, as any teacher knows, it takes the first few weeks to get back into the swing of things.

This is one of the times when I most appreciate my tried-and-true, style-based systems. Engrossed as I am in planning and printing, I've allowed piles to form on heretofore clear surfaces (which is definitely not part of the plan). I know, though, that the missing ingredient here is not organization, but time.

When time is short, our styles elbow their way to the forefront, reminding our fledgling habits who's calling the shots. But, if we have style-based systems in place, we can placate our styles and redirect them by using the plans we've set up with them in mind.

If you're thinking this sounds a little like pacifying small children or, worse yet, herding cats, you're not far off. For many of us, our styles have been running the show for so long with few expectations or limitations that it's very, very easy to fall into old habits. This is especially true when time is short or we're transitioning from one season to another. Now, as I transition from summer to fall, even a casual observer would easily label me I need to see it/drop and run just from the state of my desk, dining room table and family room table. All the new ideas that are blooming and bursting are great; the fact that they litter multiple flat surfaces is not.

But I've been here before. I've learned that as long as I don't lose sight of the big picture, I can take my styles in hand and gently restore order. This week is less chaotic than last week and so, each day, I'm eliminating one hot spot and slowly but surely restoring clear space. Every small victory (today it was the bench in the mudroom) motivates me to keep going until the flat surfaces in my home no longer bear testimony to my tangled web of past, present and future course activities.

GraphicMama-team via Pixabay

And, these days, because I have systems in place that hold my clamoring styles in high regard, reclaiming the spaces is faster and easier than it used to be. These days, the items in the piles have homes and are therefore easily put away in a way that makes sense to me and is, therefore, easy to maintain.

Our styles are, indeed, double-edged swords. They can convince us that we are organizationally hopeless, doomed to living out of piles and retrieving smushed papers from small spaces. Or, they can form the foundation of a system that works.

Because, after all, all our styles really want is a little respect.

Now:

And the payoff for respecting our styles and planning accordingly can be pretty amazing! Two years later, I'm not looking at multiple cluttered surfaces. I've gathered all the things I need for planning and transitioning and given them a home in a specific, portable container. When I'm using its contents, the container (open on the top to match my I need to see it personal style) is beside me, usually in the sunroom. When I'm finished, it goes back to its (newly cleared) spot on a shelf in my office.

In the spirit of full disclosure, I have to say that having more space (adding the new sunroom) and less paper (after lots of experience with online teaching) has played a role in this, but the process of creating syllabi and refining assignments still creates a lot of clutter,  even when most of the final product ends up online. This is especially true for someone with an I need to see it personal style and a drop and run organizational style. Finding the tools that work for my styles has made an enormous difference in how much school-related clutter takes over my house in the days leading up to the new semester. Less clutter means less stress in a time of transition.

Score one for styles.

OBS FAQs: Why it's Not as Simple as "Just Get Rid of It"

 Does organizing have to be a ruthless pursuit?

This question has been running through my mind lately, prompted, in part, by an editorial column and a social media meme.

In the July/August issue of Better Homes and Gardens, Editor-in-Chief Stephen Orr shared his thoughts on memories in our homes:

"If you're like me, you--consciously or not--imbue your decorating, your cooking, and even your gardening with objects, recipes, and plants you associate with friends and family....these pieces may not be meaningful to the casual   observer, but it makes me happy to know they're there."

Around the same time this meme popped up on my Facebook feed:

My response? That's not organizing. That's cleaning.

When it comes to letting go of things, there are two universal truths. The first is that we cannot keep everything we bring into our homes. If we did, we would quickly be overrun by stuff.

The second is that it truly is easier to organize when there is less stuff to organize. That does not mean that we have to get rid of most of our stuff. In fact, it's extreme (ruthless) approaches like that one that convince people they can never win the battle over their stuff and that they're destined to be perpetually disorganized.

This is not true.

When done well, organizing finds the happy medium between the two. It allows for us to keep the things we love, carving out space (homes) for them wherever we go because they evoke memories and feelings that make us smile. Organizing also nudges us to get rid of the extraneous, the broken (mostly), the no-longer useful, the things we've outgrown, and the things that would be far more useful to someone else.

Still, there are piles of things that don't fit any of those categories. Therein lies the challenge.

Though my primary personal style is I need to see it, I have enough I love stuff in me to appreciate the sentiments of that Better Homes and Gardens editor. Because this is true, I understand those who see treasure where others see trash. 

Alexas_Fotos via Pixabay

Some things are irrefutably trash. Banana peels, for example. A collection of banana peels is not only a health hazard, it has no use or redeeming value (unless it's part of a compost pile). The inability to tell trash from treasure on that level is problematic and is potentially symptomatic of the all-too-familiar disorder of hoarding. 

When stuff takes over a house and the owners can no longer use the surfaces for their intended purposes, this is also problematic. Again, this may be a symptom of a larger issue.

But for most of us, the desire to hold on to things that evoke memories, make us smile, or otherwise enhance our lives and our living spaces is a personal preference. To be organized means to find homes for all of these items and, when the piles grow too large, to be able to cull them so that we, not our things, own our living spaces. Organizing means being able to find what we need when we need it, and being able to easily put things where they belong because we've assigned them a home in our living spaces. This, of necessity, means that the ratio of stuff to space needs to be reasonable.

What makes a house a home varies widely. For one person, it's clean lines and clear spaces with little in the way of extraneous decor, let alone anything that can be construed as clutter. For the next, it's
overstuffed sofas and throw pillows and afghans crocheted by grandmothers we barely remember, bookended by tables lined with family photographs.

It's possible for both of these people to be organized. It's also very likely that their methods will be considerably different.

Getting organized means taking control of our things, and the first step in doing that is making the 

choice of what to hold on to and what to get rid of, according to our rules. Only then can we organize what remains.

By STYLE, of course.

sagewords via Pixabay