3 Keys Thursday: 3 Organization Beliefs that Make Things Harder than They Have to Be

I don't know about you, but I'm certainly good at getting in my own way when it comes to organizing -- or at least I used to be. Finding my styles and working with them (instead of in spite of them) was a BIG step in the right direction, as was learning to organize with STYLE. But there was another part of organizing that was as ingrained in me as my styles.

My implicit beliefs about organization. Here are three I'm learning to kick to the curb along with the clutter.

Perfectionism. Life is busy and ever-changing, so expecting a perfectly organized house or even a perfectly organized space to last more than 30 seconds is unrealistic. Enjoy perfection while it lasts, but don't spend every free moment pursuing it or trying to reclaim it. There are better ways to spend time.

An all-or-nothing attitude. This one is related to perfectionism, but has more to do with how we dig in. When we look at a space in need of a little (or a lot of) TLC, we think we need to set aside a day, or even a weekend to restore the entire space all at once. Taking small steps and making progress a little at a time is not only less overwhelming, it's also more practical. A complete overhaul often leaves us searching for everything we put out of sight when we assigned new homes to all those items that had previously been visible. Doing things a little at a time gives us a chance to adjust and build on our new habits.

Believing that neat = organized. Anyone who's ever thrown all of their desk miscellany into a deep drawer or stashed things in whatever space was available when company was en route knows that "neat" and "organized" are two different things. Sure, tidiness is a goal, but so is being able to find what we need when we need it.

Look around you. Find your successes and, when the day is finished, plan your next small steps. Learn to let go of stuff you don't need (like the attitudes above) as a matter of course, find homes for the things you want to keep and make easy upkeep -- not perfection -- your goal.

Now go put your feet up because, after all, what's the point of pursuing organization if it doesn't leave us a little time for fun and relaxation? 

Wednesday True Confessions: Think Time

True Confession #36: I need time to let things evolve. In education, we call this "think time" -- the space we leave between a question we've posed and the answers our students provide. When it comes to organizing, it's the space between the start of a project and its completion, especially when we're taking small steps and working on something a little at a time.

That's exactly the approach I've been taking with the counter in my office. As promised here and to myself, I'm working on it for 15 minutes every day until I get it de-cluttered and looking nice. I've chipped away at it since we got home from the beach, missing only one day (but spending way more than 15 minutes on it on other days) and I'm discovering that the closer I get to finishing the project, the more think time I need. 

Last night, for example, I don't think I got rid of anything. I'm down to one small pile of miscellaneous items, none of which is likely to be tossed and all of which need a home. Instead of tackling those decisions, I spent my 15+ minutes cleaning the counter and rearranging the decorative items that are vying for a place of honor on the finished space. Some might call this procrastination, and they wouldn't be entirely wrong.

But it's more than that. When I set the timer last night, the first thing that caught my eye was a mini display I'd created. It was too tall and, even though it was organized, it made the space look cluttered. So, I took it apart and played with the arrangement, moving this item and relocating that one and, in the end, the counter looked better than it had when I started, which is my only goal in my daily plan of attack.

If we want to organize in a sustainable way, we need to take our time, considering what belongs, what doesn't, what deserves a home, (even if it's somewhere else in the room or in the house), as well as what that home should look like. One reason I like taking small steps is that I'm more likely to remember what I put where and to create a space that's not only organized, but also pleasing to the eye. Because the line between the right amount of stuff and too much stuff can be very thin, this process takes time.

I'm happy with the gradual uncovering of clear space this project has yielded, and I enjoy hearing my family comment on it as well. But, once I've removed all the papers and clutter, I want the counter to look nice not just because it's clear, but because it's a reflection of the inhabitant of the space as well.

And that takes not only organizing time, but think time as well.

 

True Confessions Wednesday: The Strange Co-existence of Order and Chaos

True Confession #34: My house is a blend of order and chaos. Okay, maybe chaos is too strong a word, but, as I've said before, I'm a work in progress. That means that there are places in my house that are exactly as I want them to be and then there's....

The rest of the house.

While a couple of rooms are consistently under control, order and chaos often co-exist in other rooms. Since we have a small house, this means there may be a lovely, clear organized surface two feet away from an organizing challenge in the works. 

My office is a prime example. I have conquered my desk, long an organizing challenge, and now it's usually cleared off unless I'm working there. On the other hand, the counter across the room (and "across the room" is a generous description) is a perpetual clutter magnet and the space in my house that comes closest to actual chaos. I make progress on a weekend, only to find that, by the end of the week, I've dumped new items there. It's a process, and not one I am winning.

While I'm a big fan of seizing small chunks of time to make progress, there are some areas that need either a continual succession of small chunks of time or a dedicated time block of an hour, an afternoon, or even a weekend.

I think my counter falls into that category.

Since I believe in taking small steps, and since I'm unlikely to have a totally free afternoon in which to tackle this organizing challenge, I'm going to set a small, approachable goal. Each day, I will spend at least 15 minutes de-cluttering my counter (even if that means three increments of five minutes each) until I whip it into the lovely, clear space I want it to be. 

Long-time readers who are feeling a sense of déjà vu are not wrong. Seven years ago, I launched Operation: Clear the Counter and I made progress. But, in the past seven years, I've re-vamped, re-organized and de-cluttered a lot of other spaces in my house and within the piles on my counter are items rendered homeless by those projects. Oh, and I retired, bringing all new piles home with me. 

As someone who writes about organization and has mastered it in many areas, I don't like admitting to harboring chaos. This counter project is a big one -- one that has the potential to be just the tip of the organizing iceberg -- so I'm hoping my small steps will not only yield big successes but also help keep the frustration of an tackling an enormous challenge at bay. And I'm hoping that going public will be yet another nudge to creating that Jerry Seinfeld calendar that truly does provide motivation.

Time to put some STYLE into action, fifteen minutes at a time.

True Confessions Wednesday: Inbox Zero is a Myth

True Confession #31: I cannot imagine that I will ever get to inbox zero.

Lately, I've been working on reducing the embarrassingly high number of emails in my inboxes at work and at home. I've also been working on being more intentional in my consumption of the news and in my use of social media, as both have a tendency to impact my mood and, therefore, my actions.

The other day, as I was working, emails were coming in, as they usually do. I've gotten pretty good at glancing quickly at the sender and then getting back to work, often deleting the incoming mail before it hits my inbox.

On that particular day, though, I became more aware of my reaction to the incoming mail. I caught myself making a face when a newsletter I'd subscribed to quite some time ago came across the screen.

Clearly, I was never going to read that newsletter -- or the rest of the collection taking up space in my inbox -- but instead of that being problematic, it sparked a plan.

First of all, I did a search for all those newsletters (Wow! More than 50!), unsubscribed, and deleted them. Very freeing.

Then, I decided that might be the foundation of a plan that could help not only my inbox, but my mood as well. I get tons of junk in my inbox, and most of it registers as neutral or nuisance. How much was that affecting me? And why should I be letting anything into my inbox on a regular basis if it doesn't make me smile when I see it there?

So, I decided that any time I got an email that triggered a negative reaction, I would take immediate action. If I could, I'd stop what I was doing, unsubscribe, and delete the whole lot. If I couldn't stop, I'd jot down the name of the sender and go through that process later, when I did my nightly inbox purge.

For me, keeping up with virtual clutter is even harder than keeping up with actual clutter. When it comes to tangible possessions, I'm picky about what comes into my home in the first place (and I derive satisfaction when I send it out again when it ceases to be useful), but email is sneakier, arriving whether or not I'm at my computer and even when I'm asleep. Not only that but, when it comes to information, I'm all I love stuff all the time. I have a lifetime supply of books I want to read, and my current situation with emails is just as bad -- worse, actually. Because emails don't take up physical space, I don't truly see them and so they accumulate in a way I'd never allow with physical clutter.


But I'm putting STYLE to work on my inbox.

• I'm starting with successes, and this plan is one of them.
• I'm taking a small step, 
• finding homes for the keepers (yes, they have one)
• slowly letting the rest go, 
• and unsubscribing to make easy upkeep a real thing.

Wish me luck. 

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Key Elements of STYLE

In yesterday's post, I talked about the personal and organizational styles. Part of who we are and what we do naturally, they can be stumbling blocks or building blocks. Once we know that, we can embrace them, but we also need to know what to do with them.

The personal and organizational styles guide the way we organize by helping us choose the tools that work and flipping existing habits into helpful ones, but they don't provide a specific process. For that, we need a different kind of STYLE.

While each of these letters stands for an important piece of the process, three of them are also an important part of the organizing by STYLE philosophy. Whether you're an organizing by STYLE veteran or you're just starting out, the first three skills are key to embracing your styles rather than fighting them. Why does this matter? Because beating ourselves up is not only unhealthy, but it wastes time and energy that could be spent on actually making progress.

For those who are new to this approach, these three keys, combined with our personal and organizational styles, build the foundation to a system that works and is sustainable. For those who've  been doing this for a while, they can be a troubleshooting guide.

When I see something I need to improve (yes, that happens regularly), it's often one of these three keys that leads me to a solution. If I start with successes, I begin by assuming I'm doing something right, even if the system isn't working. Something this simple is energizing and opens the door to problem-solving; okay, if this part is working, but this part is not, what does that tell me about the changes I need to make? It may not happen all at once but, over time, it defines a blueprint for change.

Often, we get overwhelmed by the mere idea of getting organized. We have a life change or make a New Year's resolution, but we don't know where to start. We might even see the successes, but they seem so small compared to work we need to do that we're tempted to quit before we start. If we take small steps, the task not only seems less daunting, but also builds in more successes along the way. Success breeds success and soon, we're seeing progress.

Finally, the (relatively) simple task of deciding yes, it has a home and defining where that is reduces clutter not only in the moment, but on a long-term basis as well. I don't know about you but, at my house, homeless items make up about 90% of the clutter. If something is worth keeping, it's worth creating a place for and, once we know what that place is, we're more likely to put it there.

Whether you're a regular reader or have landed here only because you're on Day 2 of your 2020 New Year's resolution, don't forget that this is a process. Just as we won't lose those pesky 20 pounds overnight, we won't get organized that quickly either. The good news is the we don't have to do it all at once. If we use our styles as our guide and take small steps, building on our successes, we'll get there. Even better, we'll get to a place where we can maintain what we've created because it's built on what works for us.

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Key Reminders for Organizational Works-in-Progress

DodgertonSkillhause via Morguefile

When it comes to organization, I'm a work-in-progress. I know what works for me, I know what to do and I know how to do it.

The trouble is, those things don't take me all the way to the finish line which means that even though I am organized, I don't always look organized. When time and energy cooperate, I generally come out on the winning end of the organization bargain, but often, they don't and I'm left with a gap between what I know and what I can accomplish. This annoys me, but even worse, it leaves me feeling vulnerable and somewhat lacking in the sense of humor department, especially when I get teased about my I need to see it piles.

At one time or another, I think that all of us feel like organization frauds. Whether it's our I need to see it or drop and run piles that give us away, or the I know I put it somewhere or cram and jam styles that leave us hoping guests won't look beyond our clear surfaces to see what's hiding behind door #1, we're always a little insecure about whether or not we're doing this organization thing right.

More often than not, we are, especially since "right" is defined by the user of the system. If we can find what we want when we want it, we're functionally organized, which is what matters most.

Still, there are those days when logic is insufficient to compensate for our organizational insecurities. Here are a few key pieces of advice for "one of those days."

Ditch perfection. No one is perfectly organized. Ask any Type A organizer to point to the flaws in her system, and she'll probably give you a list. Although a perfectly organized home and/or office is lovely, there's so much more to life than chasing organizational perfection. Know when to walk away from that need for perfection and read a book, take a nap or spend time with the people you love.

Start with successes. This first step in the STYLE process is meant to remind us of the things we're doing right. As an I need to see it/drop and run girl, I've learned what works for me but often, instead of seeing all the things I'm doing right, I focus on the piles of homeless items that seem to pop up relentlessly. If you must focus on what remains to be done (and, some days, we must), remember to counterbalance it with all you've learned and accomplished so far. Chances are, that will tip the scales in your favor (even if some organizing remains to be done).

Remember that it's a process. Thanks to a steady flow of items into our homes, whether groceries possessions, or some combination of the two, organizing is one of those life tasks that is never finished. In some ways, this is a good thing. Putting strategies in place that keep things from crossing over to the organizational dark side helps to stem the tide and gives us practice building organizational skills that work for us so that, over time, we become more efficient.

Pixabay

Accepting that when it comes to organization, things will never be perfect or finished can encourage us to cut ourselves a little slack. Once we stop beating ourselves up, we can use that misplaced energy to put a few more things away or come up with a new strategy that makes life easier.

Or maybe even develop a sense of humor.

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Keys for Digging into De-Cluttering

Photo: Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

Currently, I'm at work on the Let it Go! section of my organizing book. As often happens, writing inspires action and I feel motivated to tackle the clutter in my office that's been calling to me all summer. Unfortunately, this is often easier said than done. Although I love stuff isn't my primary personal style, all of the stuff that piled up in my office was, at one time, stuff that was important for one reason or another. Consequently, it takes more than a writing-induced nudge to turn motivation into action.

One way to jump-start that motivation is to devise a plan of attack, but a bit more greasing of the skids helps to keep things going if and when the plan stalls. Here are three ideas to keep in mind when the implementation is harder than expected.

Start with something easy. I opted to start my latest attack on my office with binders I hadn't opened in over a year. No-nonsense, non-sentiment-provoking paper. Starting out by sorting something where the keep/toss decision is relatively easy keeps us from hitting a wall at the outset. Similarly, starting to sort piles from the bottom is easier than starting at the top. With paper and clothing in particular, the oldest items are usually on the bottom of the pile. Outdated and forgotten, they're relatively easy to get rid of. Once we've tossed a few things, the whole Let it Go! process just feels easier.

Start small. Nothing makes me procrastinate faster than feeling overwhelmed. Promise yourself you'll eliminate one pile or work for half an hour, and then walk away, secure in the knowledge that you've made progress. Maybe even play "Beat the Clock," setting a timer and seeing how many items you can toss or put away before the timer goes off or tell yourself you can stop after you toss or put away a certain number of items.

Pick a season. Although I mean to go through all of my Christmas stuff in the off-season and my school files over the summer, what usually happens is that the need for these items (or new versions of them) is what finally motivates me to attack the piles. As with strategy #1, tackling old stuff can be just what I need to stop procrastinating and start de-cluttering, especially if it means making way for new and improved versions. And, when my mind is already "in gear" for a particular task or season, the work goes more quickly.

When Let it Go! feels too challenging, it's easy to procrastinate, which is sad because we miss out on the benefits a good de-cluttering session can provide. At its best, Let it Go! can help us feel lighter as we eliminate the old to make room for the new, or to free up the most beautiful of all organizational sights.

Clear space.

Does The Thought of Decluttering Make You Cringe?

Pixabay

Last night, I had dinner with friends, all of whom are in the midst of summer vacation. We talked about travel plans and summer projects (among other things) and one of my friends told us about her  recent (ruthless) closet purge. She had two categories: useful and trash. Another had recently changed positions within her organization, and her approach to the transition was similar. Years of materials went directly into the recycling bin.

No one cringed at these stories. In fact, I think most of us were motivated to go home and do the same thing. 

The ruthless closet clean-out is not something all styles manage well. In fact, Let it go! is probably the toughest part of the STYLE process for many of us, even if we don't claim the I love stuff personal style as our own. Maintaining a balance between what comes in and what goes out is, however, a necessary part of the process; without it, we quickly overrun our living space, making organizing far more complicated -- and exhausting -- than it needs to be. And we all fear those times (like this morning, less than 24 hours after my desire to ruthlessly clear out a closet), when we regret our ruthlessness, and long to be able to access something we got rid of in a fit of efficiency. (White pants! Why did I get rid of those comfy white pants?)

Sorting through things and figuring out what to do with them can be overwhelming, but it can also be liberating. Some things are easy to toss. Is it broken? Missing a piece? Hopelessly out of style? A duplicate, triplicate or worse?

Others are more challenging. The dress we paid too much for and wore only once. Clothes we hope to fit into again some day. The makings of a craft or home improvement project we never got around to. Greeting cards, kids' drawings, faded photographs and other similarly sentiment-inducing items.

If you're not the ruthless type, taking small steps to reduce, declutter and recycle can yield the same satisfaction with less (or maybe even no) regret. Restoring order to one space, moving things from an old, too-small container to a new one that's more realistic or starting at the back of a closet or the bottom of a pile (where old and outdated items often lurk) can make weeding a natural part of the process instead of a dreaded task.

Starting with a purpose can help. How many times have you gone looking for something you needed only to come across several things you didn't need in the process? This type of organic cleaning out can be satisfying without being emotionally draining.

You don't need to be ruthless to make progress. Look around. What can you let go of? Start with what's easy and build from there.

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Key Pieces on Organizing by STYLE

Photo: Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

In addition to writing about Organizing by STYLE here, I also blog about it at CatholicMom.com and  sometimes for print magazines and online publications as well. Last spring, three of the pieces I wrote for the Today's Catholic Teacher website focused on a pairing: one of the personal styles and one of the organizational styles. Entitled "Exploring the Way We Organize by STYLE," each piece went into two of the styles in a bit more detail. Since the styles are mix and match, so to speak, the styles didn't necessarily work together as a pair, but the pieces were, as the title suggests, a way of exploring one personal style and one organizational style.

I was reminded of these pieces as I put together my presentation for the Pennwriters conference last weekend, where I introduced Organizing by STYLE to writers. It occurred to me that it might be a good idea to share these pieces here as a way of getting back to basics and/or zooming in on each of the styles.

So here they are: the links to the pieces. Still not sure of your style? Try taking the Styles Quiz, then use the information below to find out how to make those styles work for you.

Exploring the Way We Organize by STYLE: I Need to See it and Drop and Run

Exploring the Way We Organize by STYLE: I Love Stuff and I Know I Put it Somewhere

Exploring the Way We Organize by STYLE: I Love to Be Busy and Cram and Jam

Which styles hold the key to your organizational success?

Office Intervention Part 3B: Short-Term Stalemate

My office intervention is at a temporary standstill. The end of the semester is just two weeks away and other priorities have to be front and center -- there's just no way around it.

But this isn't all bad. Though my intervention activities have shifted, my temporary inability to devote time to making headway gives me a perfect opportunity for practicing the E in STYLE: Easy upkeep.

Or, in everyday terms, can I keep the clear spaces clear? This is, after all, the goal of getting organized in the first place -- creating systems that are sustainable and that fit into our everyday lives.

So far, so good, with the exception of a textbook that needs to find a home. It's actually been pretty easy to curb my drop and run tendencies with respect to my office counter. I like the way the clear space on the counter looks too much to mess it up. And, perhaps just as important, I found permanent new homes for the things that were taking up that space.

So, as the semester winds down and the end-of-semester workload winds up, my intervention has been reduced to picking up this and tossing that in an effort to take small steps that will keep this necessary project going. Motivated by the clear space, I am ready to reduce the piles, even if it means getting rid of things -- perhaps especially so. If it's gone for good, I don't need to deal with it again, which simplifies future organizing tremendously.

Do you struggle with the important but necessary step of getting rid of things? Check out this post for a short list of a few easy-to-part-with items and some style-specific advice.

Meanwhile, where is the upkeep easy at your house?

Let it Go!

For many of us getting organized and getting rid of excess stuff go hand in hand. But if you've got an I love stuff personal style, that second part can be a little bit intimidating. So many things that seem insignificant to other people are wrapped in a cocoon of memories for I love stuff folks.

Even those of us who wouldn't put ourselves into the I love stuff category can become overwhelmed sorting through things and figuring out what to do with them. All of the things we've collected were, at some point, important to us, serving a useful purpose or imbued with some meaning. This, coupled with the fact that we might have scrimped and saved for (or spent months paying off) the items in question can lend an exaggerated value to our things, convincing us that our trash is someone else's treasure.

It usually isn't.

And therein lies the painful part. Sometimes, we simply have to put them out with the trash.

I must admit to cringing at this option, arguing that surely someone, somewhere can use this! Convinced of this fact, some of us spend hours pricing things and sitting out in the sun (we hope) at a yard sale, hoping to recoup some of our investment. I used to belong to this group, but after the money earned at the last very hot, very long yard sale I hosted disappeared in about a tenth of the time it took to earn it, I crossed this option off my list. 

If you, like me, long to reduce, declutter and recycle but don't want to go the yard sale route, you might benefit from setting some boundaries. First, corral three boxes and separate your disposables into categories: trash (if I'm brutally honest with myself, no one else will want this stuff), recycle and resell/donate.

Pixabay

At the end of the sorting session, take out the trash and recycling. Then, set a decision date for the resell/donate items, based on how long you think it will take to find a place that might be interested in them. Write that date on the box and on your calendar.

When you figure out where you're taking the things in that pile, write the drop-off date in your planner and put the items in the car. If the deadline comes and goes and the items are still in your car, they become trash.

Can you cut yourself some slack, donating the items a week after deadline? That's entirely up to you. But, if you're serious about letting things go, that means letting them go completely, not simply moving them from the basement to the mudroom to the car, where they take up an indefinite period of residence. (Not that I've ever done that).

Let it go! is probably the toughest part of the STYLE process but, without it, we quickly overrun our living space, making organizing far more complicated than it needs to be. Luckily, unless you're relocating, letting it go is not something that has to be done all at once; in fact, it's often most productive when done in stages.

Look around. What can you let go of?

Way Back Wednesday: Take Small Steps

Today's post is the second in a series on using the STYLE process to take your organizing to the next level. Last week, we focused on the "S": Start with successes. This week, we're moving on to "T": Take small steps.

My desk  -- or the clearing off thereof -- has been on my list for over a week. Unfortunately, since it's merely annoying and not time sensitive, it keeps getting bumped to the bottom of the list by tasks that have actual due dates. Meanwhile, I do what I can in small snippets of time -- filing this paper, recycling that one -- until I have time to dedicate to giving the surface my full attention.

We all know that getting organized is a time-intensive task. It's easy to forget, however, that staying organized also requires a time commitment. It's easier (and faster) to just put something down on a flat surface (the desk, the kitchen counter, the dining room table) than it is to put it where it belongs, but the time we save in the moment isn't really saved time. We spend that banked time when it comes time to put away the things we set down in a convenient spot.

We can take small steps in lots of ways. We can spend just a few minutes tackling a hot spot (Give it Five!) or work to improve our habits (Don't put it down, put it away!) We can set small goals, tackling one spot, one drawer or one shelf at a time until the whole area looks just the way we want it.  Or, we can pick up as we go, concentrating on making things just a little bit better. We can focus on finding one container that does double duty by creating a home for wayward items and looking pretty in the process. We can work on broadening the good habits we already have in place, taking all the out-of-season items out of a closet or finally getting that bag of donations out of the trunk of the car and to its destination.

No matter which steps we take, it's important to notice the improvements we make. Taking small steps can get us to our destination, but only if we recognize that we're on the right path.

What small step did you take today? Acknowledge it, congratulate yourself and pay attention not only to where you're going, but also where you've been. 

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Ways to Set Up for Success

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

In yesterday's post, I wrote about focusing on successes. As I type this post (about twelve hours later than usual), it would be very easy for me to focus on the lateness of the post and to therefore go down the rabbit hole of self-blame. If instead, I choose to focus on the fact that this post is getting written despite the fact I had a very busy day, I'm starting with success. This simple change in thinking (combined with the fact that I don't want to let down readers who know which days new posts appear) motivates me to write the post instead of just giving up and watching reruns of The Big Bang Theory.

Keeping ourselves motivated about organizing often works in a similar fashion. It's so easy to focus on what's not working -- the piles, the clutter, the desk that never seems to stay cleared off for more than fifteen minutes. If instead, we choose to seek out what's working and build from there, we stop the blame game in its tracks. Often, this is the first step to creating a system that works.

Starting with success gives us a chance to celebrate the things we do well, and to use them as a means of developing the confidence we need to work through the process of getting -- and staying -- organized. Here are three ways to start with success.

Celebrate good habits and build on them. Do you make your bed every day? Hang up your coat when you come into the house? Hang your purse in the same spot every time? Toss the junk mail immediately upon bringing it into the house? Good habits form the foundation of our organizational successes. Adding one more step to an existing habit (ditching the junk mail and then sorting the rest of the mail immediately, for example) extends the habit and takes you one step closer to that elusive feeling of organizational success.

Keep the tools that work, scratch the tools that don't. Yes, that file cabinet in your office is a great organizational tool, but if you stack papers on top of it instead of filing them inside, it's not a good tool for you. One size does not fit all. Look around at what's working, and keep it -- better yet, replicate it in other places. Then, get rid of all the other "good stuff" that doesn't work for you (or a family member) and toss out the guilt along with it. Creating style-specific systems allows you to let go of energy-sucking guilt along with the stuff that doesn't work.

mohamed1982eg via Pixabay

Focus on what you've done, and let go of what you haven't. Have you ever gotten to the end of the day and spent what was left of your energy beating yourself up for what you didn't do? Clearly, that sounds silly when we say it out loud, but I'd bet my next paycheck that many of us have done exactly that. If instead, we pause to reflect on what we have accomplished, not only does it feel better, but it can also energize us at a time when we need it most. If the things that remained undone are important, add them to the next day's list, but don't waste energy feeling guilty. If necessary, create a backwards to do list to lay alongside the list of things that remain to be done, and then move forward and enjoy some well-deserved relaxation.

Getting organized is a process -- one that is sometimes a one step forward, two steps backward dance. If we use success as our foundation, we can have a lot more fun at the dance.

Start with Successes

Susannp4 via Pixabay

Today's post is the first in a series on using the STYLE process to take your organizing to the next level. 

My home is by no means an organizational showplace. When I say I'm an organizational work in progress, I'm not kidding. I no sooner get one area under control than another demands my attention. And, when I'm tired and overwhelmed, it's easy to revert to the worst aspects of my I need to see it personal style and drop and run organizational style, which invariably leads to clutter quickly replacing clear spaces.

It's a process.

But every day, I make my bed. When I read in one of Marcia Ramsland's books that making the bed instantly tidies better than half of the room, I decided that the two to three minutes I'd spend pulling up the covers and tucking them into place yielded perhaps the best effort-to-value ratio of any organizational task I faced.

When I stop looking for perfection (the things I do every single time and/or every day) and focus on tasks I perform habitually (most of the time), it's easy to spot organizational successes. The counter in the kitchen where we used to dump our mail improved tremendously once I found a style-based solution to the influx. Assigning homes to the things I most typically drop when I'm in a hurry served to clear up not only floor space and counter space, but also to allow us to use furniture like sofas and chairs for their intended purpose: sitting. Using a visual system (labels, color-coding, patterned file folders) for paperwork eliminated the "guess what's in this manila file folder" game.

These successes matter. They remind us that we know what we're doing, no matter how lived in or imperfect our homes and organizational systems may be some days. When we focus more on what's working than what isn't, not only do we feel better, but we learn what to replicate other areas, and what to strive for to make our hot spots into neat spots.

The first step in getting organized by STYLE is to determine the styles that define you. In addition to taking the styles quiz, one way to do this is to see what works for you -- to identify your successes. Doing this will help refine your styles and determine the strategies that take you from frustration to organization.

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Keys for Injecting Style into Your Organizational Process

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

When it comes to organizing, there's STYLE, and then there's style. The first one is a process, one that takes personal styles (I need to see it, I love stuff and I love to be busy) and organizational styles (cram and jam, drop and run, I know I put it somewhere) into account. The second refers to a certain flair, one that takes organizing from mundane to interesting and fun.

In yesterday's post, I touted the importance of the second kind of style -- the one whose partners are form and function.

Wondering how to bring a little flair to your organizational process, while still keeping it functional? Here are a few ideas.

• Add a pop of color, a coordinating pattern or a hint of texture. Color, pattern and texture are functional staples for those with an I need to see it personal style and they can be used to brighten up a space as well. Just as a throw pillow adds life to a neutral sofa, a bright or patterned container can be more than just a place to keep things. The addition of colorful, patterned or textured containers to a space can also be helpful for those with the I know I put it somewhere organizational style, providing them with a visual reminder of which somewhere serves as storage for which things.

• Keep it neutral. Color is great, but sometimes we want our storage to blend into its surroundings. Perhaps the colors in the space are loud enough, the patterns busy enough or the texture a key feature in the furnishings. In these cases, choosing organizers that blend may be a more stylish option. If monochromatic and neutral don't work for your personal and/or organizational styles, look for other ways to distinguish what goes where. Labels (a visual reminder of what's inside the container) and location (keeping all similar items in a set of containers that go together and are stored together) can be helpful for folks with an I need to see it personal style or an I know I put it somewhere organizational style, and these same strategies play right into the strengths of those with a cram and jam or drop and run organizational style. No matter the style, minimizing the number of steps involved is key to the success of the organizational system.

• Make it unique. One-of-a-kind containers are not only great additions to a room, but also great visual reminders. A strong argument against the idea that storage has to be utilitarian, their visual appeal contributes to one form of style, while their visibility is a key element in organizing by STYLE. Unique, distinct or unusual boxes, baskets and bins can dress up the concepts of open storage, one-step storage and visual attention-grabbing that underlie the organizational styles and look good doing it.

If you keep these concepts in mind when setting up or revamping your organizational systems, there will never be a need for one kind of STYLE to run roughshod over the other. 

Welcoming Style

Photo: Pexels via Pixabay

Lately, I have been loving my office. It all started when the white lights I'd had for a couple of years breathed their last, and I had to replace them. The string of new lights was long enough to allow a new configuration, one that added more light to the room, brightening up the small space. Soon after, I found myself spending more time in my tiny office. Nothing had changed but the lights, and yet the room felt more warm and welcoming. 

The same is often true with a new organizing tool. One small change can start a domino effect. Suddenly, not only is there an improvement in the look of the space, there's an improvement in how the space feels as well. We become excited about the possibilities again and, instead of avoiding a space that was once in need of an upgrade, we feel motivated to expand outward, bringing improvements to other areas as well. 

While it's important for our organizational tools to function well, the form they take and the style they embody matters as well. We're more motivated to use a tool that hits all of these three key concepts. A tool needs to be functional, fitting our styles and working with them, not against them. Its form -- the size, shape and physical attributes of the tool or container -- needs to fit into our physical space, or, in the case of something like a planner, the parameters of our life.

But often, it's the style of the tool that brings us back to it again and again. When we like the look of the container or tool, we're more likely to use it. The more we use it, the more habit-forming its use becomes and soon, we've developed a smooth, workable process that keeps us organized.

So, the next time you're tempted to dismiss a purchase as frivolous, put it through the attribute test.

Alexas Fotos via Pixab

• Form: Will it work in your space and in your life?
• Function: Will it fill a need and/or serve a purpose?
• Style: Do you find it appealing?

When you find something that does all of these things, you've hit the container jackpot and you're well on your way to organizing not only by STYLE, but with style as well.

And that not only looks good, but feels good as well.

3 Key Concepts for the Cram and Jam Organizational Style

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

No one can accuse the cram and jam organizer of wasting space. Whether it's a desk, a drawer or a backpack, chances are it will be full-to-bursting before the cram and jammer feels the need to expand into a new space.

The one advantage to this type of organizational plan is that everything tends to be in one place, which limits the number of places that the cram and jam organizer needs to go in search of missing items.

As always, the key is to work with the style in question to make it as easy to put something away as it is to put it down, or, in this case, stuff it into an available space.

• When it comes to organizing, those with the cram and jam organizational style benefit from flexible, medium-sized storage. If the container is too small, things will get smashed, wrinkled or otherwise ruined; too big and things will get lost. Using fabric bins without lids can allow the cram and jammer to stuff to his or her heart's content without overloading drawers to the breaking point. A nightly dumping of whatever was carried each day (backpack, purse, tote bag) into a bin or other container affords the cram and jammer the opportunity to return what's necessary to the bag from whence it came and toss or store the rest. 

• When it comes to list-making, try replacing scratch paper with notepads. That way, when one page is full (even by cram and jam standards), a fresh one stands at the ready. This consistent availability of a new writing surface might help curtail the need to fill up every last square inch on a single sheet of paper.

• As for goal-setting, the cram and jam organizer might not have to make specific adaptations unless the tendency to overstuff spaces also extends to a need to overfill  time. If this is the case, and you or your favorite cram and jam organizer tends to cram each hour with tasks, leaving each day jam-packed, try creating a time grid. Divide each usable hour (no more than eight usable hours each day so there's room for task overflow, if necessary) into no more than four increments with one task each. For every three grids in a row that are filled, leave the next one blank as a buffer against overscheduling. Use a bold marker to draw a heavy black line at the end of each day. Only urgent and important tasks can cross the line and extend beyond the eight hour day. Everything else will need to wait.

If you're a cram and jam organizer, what key ideas do you swear by? Share in the comments below. 

For more ideas on the cram and jam organizational style, check out my original post here. 

For printable information sheets 
about containers and the styles, 

click on the CHARTS tab at the top of this page.

3 Key Concepts for the I Love Stuff Personal Style

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

Ah, the poor I love stuff person. His (or her) ability to see treasure and potential where others see clutter has led to unflattering nicknames like "pack rat" and "hoarder." While it's true that those who suffer from hoarding disorder are often I love stuff folks, collecting does not reach a clinically problematic level for most I love stuff folks.

Nevertheless, most people with the I love stuff personal style tend to be emotionally attached to their things. Considering the form, function and style of each treasure can help limit the size of collections. 

In addition: 

• When it comes to organizing, I love stuff folks might consider limiting the number of items that serve only a decorative purpose and displaying them on a rotating basis. This doesn't mean getting rid of treasured pieces. Try tucking treasured collections away in accessible spaces and swapping the things you want to show off from time to time. If this sounds like the divide and conquer advice from last week, it is--with a twist. Where I love to be busy folks will organize by activity, I love stuff folks will do better to organize by collection and, what constitutes a "collection" varies widely from one I love stuff person to another. Some I love stuff folks will even count their storage containers among their collectibles, especially when they are unique and attractive.

Pixabay

• When it comes to list-making, those with the I love stuff personal style may have a plethora of writing implements and notepads. If this sounds like you, don't despair. Again, I'm not going to ask you to get rid of anything (as long as it works). Beginning with the notepads, lay out your collection of goodies and think about how you can press them into service. You might choose to toss one notebook and one writing implement in each bag you use so that wherever you go, you have a pen (or pencil) and paper. You might put one tablet in each room of the house so that wherever you are, you have a pen (or pencil) and paper. Or, perhaps you'll assign each notepad a task: one for to-do lists, one for grocery lists, one for phone messages, one for random tasks. Once you've done this, store all of the remaining notepads in one place and put them away. If you'd like, you can also toss in the writing implements, once you know you have enough pens and pencils in the places you need them. 

Pixabay

• If your goal-setting includes reducing the volume of stuff you have, remember that throwing things away isn't your only choice. Handing things down, donating them, and repurposing them allows them to continue to be useful in a new way. You might also consider the one in-one out rule. When you acquire something new, can you recycle or donate something old? Finally, consider setting an acquisitions goal that allows you to refine your collections, rather than just adding to them. What parameters do you want your new acquisitions adhere to? Beauty? Usefulness? Completing a collection? Thoughtful acquisition allows you to continue to add to your collections without being overwhelmed by them.

Pixabay

If you're an I love stuff person, what key ideas do you swear by? Share in the comments below. 

For more ideas on the I love stuff personal style, check out my original post here. 

Tackling Rectangular Spaces

One of my goals for this summer is getting rid of stuff we don't need and/or no longer want. Inspired in part by my daughter's relentless pursuit of clear space when she came home from college and in part by the fact that I actually like doing this stuff, it's one of those things on my to-do list that I look forward to tackling.


In part, this means digging into drawers and closets, tasks that lend themselves well to the STYLE steps.

• Start with successes. One look inside a drawer that's working reveals the key elements: 
• It's lined with something pretty (wrapping paper, shelf paper, shelf liner). This is by no means an organizational necessity, but it creates a foundation that motivates me to keep things neat.
• I can see everything without having to dig through the drawer OR it contains neatly stacked items.
• Everything in the drawer belongs there and is something I use.

• Take small steps. When it comes to closets, tackling just one area or setting a timer can help keep me from becoming overwhelmed. As for drawers, clearing one drawer at a time meets the small steps requirement.

• Yes, it has a home! If a drawer or space is in good shape, it contains only things that belong there. If this isn't the case, I need to go through the drawer or area item by item. Stuff that goes back goes in one pile and everything else gets put into piles depending on where it needs to go instead (toss, donate, repair, etc.). Once the drawer is empty, it's time to make it look pretty and decide whether or not it needs to be subdivided before everything goes back in. In the case of closets, once an area has been cleared, I need to decide whether or not it needs to be subdivided before everything goes back, and, if so, which containers I need to use.

• Let it go! Once I've created my piles, this is easy. Pick each pile up and toss it or box it up.

• Easy upkeep. Once I'm finished, the area I worked on should meet the criteria in the first step (Start with Successes). This means I've chosen containers and locations that make it as easy to put things where they belong as it is to simply drop them somewhere else. Mission accomplished? Next drawer!

Right now, most of the  drawers in my dining room, which have been neglected for a while, need an overhaul, but the clothes closet in my bedroom needs little attention because I tackled that two summers ago and did an update last fall. What's really exciting about this process is finding an area that needs very little attention because it's already working! 

That's when I know I've been organizing by STYLE.