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! 

True Confessions Wednesday: Pile or System?

True Confession #22: My drop-and-run systems are often just piles in disguise.

A couple of weeks ago, I was looking for a place to store my daughter's gluten-free stash without doing a major kitchen storage overhaul. My eyes lit on the bins underneath my mail counter, two of which were only partially full (room to grow), so I reached into the middle one, pulled out a pile of magazines and voilà! Problem solved.

Except now I have a pile of homeless (and probably outdated) magazines.

For now, this pile is on the steps leading to the second floor of our house. Last weekend, I was good at picking up a new magazine every time -- okay, many times when -- I passed the piles but as the week got busy, the pile got neglected.

I could just add it to one of the (many) other piles of reading materials I have but I keep holding out hope that its current location will catch my I need to see it eye so that I solve the problem rather than compounding it.

Getting back to my original confession, the concept of piles in disguise is not entirely bad. After all, when you think about it, most organizing systems for papers are organized piles. Binders. File cabinets. In/out boxes.

My magazine bin.

The trick is to keep the pile organized in whatever way works for your styles. I have one bin that is all catalogs so that when I get the mail, every catalog either goes there or gets recycled immediately (Don't put it down, put it away). When I'm looking for a catalog, I look in the bin (the home for catalogs) and when it gets full, it's time to go through the catalogs and get rid of duplicates (two from the same company) and anything outdated. This is a pile in disguise (the bin being its disguise) but, since it's not haphazard, it's also an organized pile. The bin contains everything, matches its neighbors and leaves things looking better than a random pile of magazines would.

As for the pile sitting on my steps? Now a random pile, it was an organized pile before I sacrificed my bin for the greater good. How was it not random in the bin? Only certain magazines got slipped into that bin so that if I were looking for one of those issues, I'd know where to find it.

As I've mentioned before, this blog is therapeutic in that writing about what I need to do often gives me the nudge I need to do the thing I wrote about. With some time off next week, maybe I'll tackle that pile and not only get rid of it, but read its contents. Or maybe tonight I should just take the whole thing back in the family room and get rid of whatever's in there that I know I won't read anyway, assuming those items actually exist. Either of those would be progress.

Stay tuned.

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.

Is There a Pattern to Your Piles?

kconcha via Pixabay

Last fall, I wrote about piles as a system for those of us with an I need to see it personal style, and lately, I've been thinking more about what's in those piles. Once I started paying attention, it didn't take long before I realized that there's definitely a pattern to the things I pile up. Papers that are actionable or need filing and homeless items top the list, which led me to the next question.

Why?

When it comes to papers, I pile them instead of putting them away because I'm afraid of losing or forgetting something. I often make notes about new ways to do things, especially in my classes, and leaving the paper out and visible keeps the new approach in the forefront of my mind. When it comes to bills and other time-sensitive items, I leave those out so I won't forget to pay them and/or miss a deadline. Something about the bill staring up at me is more effective than marking a date on a calendar.

Last night, as part of the "make room" portion of my Christmas planning and decorating, I sorted through a pile of things that had taken up residence on the mail counter in my kitchen. This pile annoyed me greatly every time I saw it because that area is one I'm usually very good at keeping uncluttered. 

The pile contained the usual suspects -- papers to file, time-sensitive ads, envelopes for Christmas cards we've already received that I kept so I could check the addresses against my book -- along with
a plethora of one homeless item in particular.

Magazines.

I stopped my subscriptions to most magazines ages ago because they have a tendency to pile up before I have time to read them, but somehow, a few have crept back into the rotation. One is, unfortunately, a weekly publication.

I don't stand a chance.

By the end of the evening, I'd sorted the pile, written out about half of my Christmas cards (I need to buy another box), filed a few things and left a pile of magazines in my wake.

As I typed this, a potential home for those magazines popped into my head so, this evening, I know just what sorting task lies ahead -- clearing out the old and making room for the new. In this new home, the magazines will be slightly out of sight, but not entirely so, a compromise solution that will eliminate the pile and jog my memory, albeit to a lesser extent. In addition, I'll need to winnow the most recent and most interesting issues from the rest because there's no point in keeping issues I'm unlikely to read.

Finally, I need to consider these magazines a "maybe" pile, and mark them accordingly, topping the pile with a sticky note with today's date and an expiration date on it. If I haven't read them by the time I go back to teaching next semester, those magazines need to go in the recycling bin, or at least be resorted so the pile is more realistic. Not only will they be outdated by then, but my leisure reading time will all but disappear, making them clutter instead of reading material.

In organizing, as in life, I'm always happiest when I have a plan. I'm looking forward to seeing how this one works, but I'm even more excited to transform those miscellaneous piles into an actual stack of reading material.

Now all I need to do is add "time to read" to my Christmas list.

Choosing Containers

Alexas Fotos via Pixabay

Last week, we brought my daughter home from college. When we sent her off to school last year, we weren't sure what her storage space would look like, so we sent a variety of containers -- soft and squishy, round plastic without lids, rectangular see-through plastic with lids, rolling....

It was quite a combination. Some have survived the transition from one year (and one dorm room) to the next; others have been abandoned based on space restrictions, functionality or both. 

Container selection is one of my favorite parts of organization, but it can also be the most overwhelming, especially when each year brings a new room in a new building. There are so many choices, both functional and beautiful, that it's easy to get lost in the aisles, trying to narrow the choices. Add responsible shopping (matching your styles and your budget) to the list, and it can be tempting to run screaming from the store, empty-handed. 

Confused about what might work for your styles? Check out this chart, which summarizes the preferred container qualities for each personal and organizational style. As you look over the chart, think about whether or not the recommendations match your personal preferences. Where can you find crossover? 

As an I need to see it/drop and run person, I can use containers that are clear, color-coded, labeled and/or unusual/unique because these container attributes match both of my styles. My container preference, however, will change depending on what I'm storing and where I'm storing it. In addition, two people who identify themselves as the same style will have different personal preferences. Clear drawers may be a perfect match for one I need to see it person, for example, but be a disaster for another because she can’t see what’s at the back of the drawer.  

What if you've identified yourself as one style, but you're drawn to containers listed in another category? As long as they haven't proven unsuccessful in the past, give them a shot! There’s no harm in trying different things to get an idea of what works and what doesn’t. 

Once the chart reflects your personal preferences, tuck it into your wallet, your purse, your glove compartment or your reusable shopping bag so you have it with you when you go to the store. 

If you’re still in the sampling stage, there are many worthwhile containers to be had at dollar stores, grocery stores and on sale at variety stores. 

If you know just what you're looking for, more power to you! Feel free to buy those perfect containers in multiples if you already know they work for your styles. Just keep the receipt in case you over-buy or underestimate in terms of size or usefulness. (Not that I would know anything about that).

What's your favorite container?

Taking My Own Advice

Definitely no junk in this drawer. :-)
Photo: janmarcust via Pixabay

Do you have a junk drawer? If you've lived in your house for more than a decade, chances are you have several. Before you leap to defend yourself, ask yourself this question: "When was the last time I really looked at what's inside my drawers?"

I admit to one junk drawer, but quite a few that are junky; and, in fact, my junk drawer didn't start out as a junk drawer, which probably means it's time for me to reclaim it. This sudden desire to tackle my drawers was inspired by the writing of last Wednesday's post  -- a task that was not only fun, but also got me thinking.

How many of these things do I need to tackle in 2018?

I stand by my own advice to choose just a few of the eighteen I proposed (in addition to #1, #9 and #18, for obvious reasons), but I have to admit that cleaning out one drawer (okay, maybe a couple) is more necessary and productive at my house than cleaning out one closet (#4).

I've completely revamped five drawers in my house over the last couple of years, and in all but one case, the makeover not only stuck, but still works. And, even better, opening those drawers still makes me smile because not only does it look nice inside, I can also see everything I need. And, in the case of my flag drawer in particular, it's made me more efficient in at least one task.

Drawer makeovers are something I enjoy, in part because they're one of the few times where multitasking actually works. I can listen to music or a podcast or, if the piles are portable, I can even watch television as I sort. And, by the time a drawer needs resorting, I'm likely to easily get rid of lots of stuff I forgot I had, and maybe even take a trip down memory lane as I stumble across photos, ticket stubs or other memorabilia.

And so right now, in the middle of my cluttered office and my busy day, I'm taking a moment to write "dining room drawer" in my planner. Writing it down and putting it where I have to look at it daily means that even if I have to chip away at that drawer a little at a time, I will make progress -- if for no other reason than to be able to check it off my list.

And maybe, if I'm lucky, it'll free up some of the space I so desperately need to reduce the clutter in my office.

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Keys to Managing Stuff While Time Works its Magic

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

Yesterday, I posted about the role that time plays in the organization process. While this is a great idea in theory, the practice sometimes gets us into trouble.

Take my pile-up on the step for example. That is not a procedure I'd recommend. If we need to employ time as part of the process, we need to use a few strategies when we set aside our "maybes" to ensure that time is a tool and not simply an excuse.

• Store it intentionally. Whether you box it up and stash it out of sight or leave it where it lives until you make a decision, put your collection of maybes somewhere on purpose and mark it accordingly. Label the box, tag the clothing or use some other method to remind yourself that the item is in limbo. Otherwise, you've made the decision to keep it -- at least until the next time you get to that pile or location.

• Set a deadline. If you box up your maybes and store them out of sight, make sure to mark them with an expiration date. Write it on the box in permanent marker or on a sticky note in pencil -- either way, determine at which point it moves from "maybe" to "keep" or "find a new home for." Or, consider the change of season your decision point. Unless you're a snowbird or going on a tropical vacation, there's no better time to get rid of those clothes you didn't wear all summer than at the beginning of fall.

• Decide whether to view or not to view. I'm a big fan of not viewing things a second time. If they're a maybe when I put them in the box and I haven't opened the box by the time the deadline rolls around, opening the box again is only an invitation to a new dilemma. It's important to make this decision when you put things in the box, however. You need to know you've made a promise to yourself that the box leaves your house with its contents uninvestigated before you put things in the box, especially if your personal style is I love stuff. If you know you shouldn't look, but think you won't be able to help yourself, make a list of the contents and tape it to the outside of the box. Reading a list of contents is much less emotionally evocative than going through the items one last time.

When used strategically, time can be a valuable part of our organizational process. Employed as a thinking tool instead of an excuse to hang on to things past their prime, time allows us to thoughtfully separate trash from treasure. Then, when we are finished, we are left with the things we use and enjoy enough to care for and store appropriately.

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. 

That Which is Acquired Must Also be Stored

MabelAmber via Pixabay

I have a general rule of fashion: if I was old enough to wear it the first time it was in style, I'm too old to wear it when it (inevitably) comes back around.

Recently, however, I caved in and broke that rule for an article of clothing that got me through the 80s: leggings.

I didn't break my rule lightly. I spent more than a year taking in the various incarnations of leggings, jeggings, yoga pants and sweats that are ubiquitous on a college campus (where I work), determining what sort of fashion statement I did (or didn't) want to make. I'm at least thirty years older than these young adults, and the combinations that looked youthful and vibrant on them would look out of place (to say the least) on me. Not only that, but I no longer possess the twenty-something body of a college student or the yoga-toned body of some of my peers. Coverage would be key.

Last fall, after dusting off one pair of leggings that had survived the purge of BC (before child) clothing, I began acquiring new leggings and, along with them, sweaters that offered appropriate coverage. Fashion-wise, a hit. Storage-wise, a challenge.

The leggings were easy -- at least at first. They fold flat, don't wrinkle and can even be stuffed into small spaces if necessary. The long blouses that accompanied them in the fall were easy to accommodate as well; they are the stuff for which hangers were made.

target.com

It was the sweaters. Thick, long and unable to be hung without stretching in all the wrong places, they challenged my existing (full) clothing storage. They took up more than their fair share of space in the closet or any drawer in my bedroom. Honestly, I've yet to come up with an answer that thrills me, but, in the meantime, the less bulky ones are folded over hangers in my closet (the kind with the hooks that allow vertical hanging) and the two bulky ones have appropriated the better part of a drawer, necessitating a different storage solution for the lightweight cardigans that had been there to begin with (more vertical hanging storage). They'd be perfect on a shelf....if only I had a shelf that was unaccounted for. A bit more purging and rearranging may yet yield a perfect, STYLE-based solution, but, for now, I'm happy they're put away.

The success story, though is the leggings, for which I did find a solution I love. Tune in tomorrow to see what inspired me (thank you, Pinterest) and where I ended up.

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Key "Night Before" Ideas

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

This morning, as I was racing around before work gathering my supplies, I asked myself why I don't pack my bag the night before. Then I remembered this picture:

Yep. That's my I need to see it personal style in action.

With one schedule on MWF and another on TuTh, if I don't lay out all of my supplies just before packing my bag, I'm afraid I'll forget something. (Personal experience tells me there's good reason for me to have this concern). My global nature (the need to see the big picture) and my I need to see it style collide, making what sounds like a very practical idea impractical. 

Although packing my work bag the night before doesn't always work for me, here are three key things I could do the night before to save myself time in the morning.

• Pack my lunch. The contents of the kitchen are not going to change between dinner one night and mid-morning the next day. Packing my lunch, stashing it in the fridge and leaving myself a bright, visual reminder (fuchsia sticky note, anyone?) on the back door will save me precious get-out-of-the-house time.

• Lay out my piles. This is something I'd be more likely to do if I lived alone. But, since other members of my family tend to object to my taking up the sofa or dining room table with my class-by-class files, I don't do this. I guess this is just one more incentive to clear off the counter in my office.

• Check my calendar.  During the semester, my days have a pretty predictable rhythm, but there are always those days when extra appointments or meetings sneak in. Ideally, I've done a review of the week ahead sometime between Friday and Sunday night, but a quick peek at the calendar the night before is always a good idea. In addition to refreshing my memory for places I need to be and people I need to see, it gives me the opportunity to pencil items from my to-do list into my schedule. 

Pixabay

Notice that I said these are things I could do. Now I just need to work on putting that could into action.

How about you? What are your morning time savers?

Growing Up with STYLE

Pixabay

Last spring, my high school senior announced that she was looking forward to going through stuff and getting rid of things this summer. Specifically, she'd set her sights on the playroom/man cave/family room and her bedroom, but the basement was also in her sights.

Music to a mother's ears. Especially a mother who writes about organization.

Last Friday night--the beginning of the first weekend in August, less than three weeks before she leaves for college--she told me she was in the mood to sort.

You don't have to ask me twice.

Several sorting sessions and many piles later, the closet looked better than it has in years. Our give away pile had grown, as had our trash pile. There's still work to do, but some small goals, like emptying out the storage ottoman and making space in the closet for a crate of albums, have been accomplished.

One of the really cool--and somewhat surprising--things about this is that my daughter was a die-hard I love stuff kid. As a matter of face, she still is.

Although her style hasn't changed, she's become a lot more discriminating about the "stuff" that makes the cut. Her definition of "treasure" has narrowed over the years, but true to form, she (still) prefers donating things to throwing them away.

Why am I telling this story?

Simple. Chances are, you have someone in your house whose style differs from yours. That style  might even drive you a little crazy. But honoring people's styles and helping them to work with those styles can help them to become more discriminating about the tools they choose, and how they choose to use them. Even better, your respect for their styles and organizing choices helps them to feel more self-confident about their own ability to organize and can empower them to advocate for themselves.

With time and practice, organizing gets easier, especially if we work with what comes naturally instead of trying to conform to what works for someone else. And, before you know it, you have a kiddo who can organize a book bag, a school desk and a locker...and maybe even her own room.

At least once in a while.

Pixabay

E-Mail Conundrum

Pixabay

I am drowning in emails. Something's got to give.

Unfortunately, I don't have a nice, neat, style-based answer. The truth is, I've never found a good way to manage the deluge. Last year, when I brought my Macbook to the Apple store to resolve an email issue, the tech was visibly surprised by the number of emails I had accumulated -- and he laughed out loud at my clearly I need to see it desktop, which was, admittedly, in need of some tidying up.

But that's another story.

Here's what I know:

Pixabay 

• I'm overwhelmed. I have multiple email accounts, each of which serves its own purpose.
• I'm outnumbered. I could spend an entire day digging through this stuff, and still not make permanent progress, because, for every email I delete, three more (at least) find their way in.
• The junk outweighs the meaningful, personal stuff. If I had to venture a guess, I'd say the ratio is about 10:1.
• Checking email on multiple devices compounds the problem. Instead of increasing efficiency, it perpetuates a "read now/tackle later" cycle that leads to my spending more time on email -- the electronic version of "drop and run," if you will.

At first, I decided to tackle the virtual clutter problem the same way I'd tackle a real-world, material clutter problem. Sort. Divest. Put away.

Steps #1 and #2 worked just fine. I clustered emails by source and deleted entire blocks of unwanted and/or outdated correspondence.

I ran into trouble at Step #3. Where does an I need to see it person "put away" the emails she wants to keep? Printing them out is quintessential I need to see it, but that creates an entirely new pile of things to be dealt with, which is counterproductive, so I end up leaving them in the inbox, where I can see them.

Here's what I've figured out: 

• I need more information. I need to know what else my email program can do. Whether I learn this from a book, a tech-savvy friend or a workshop of some sort, I need to find a container besides the inbox in which I can "file" my emails. And then I need to come to terms with making this invisible place my designated home for certain kinds of email. This will be a challenge.
• I need more self-control.  Checking my email at every opportunity just because I can is counterproductive. I've decided that, given the quantity of information flooding into my inbox, I need to check my email in several five-to-ten minute bursts throughout the day, deleting the junk and either dealing with the rest, or setting a time to do so, which means...
• I need to apply a scheduling strategy. There is just too much of this stuff for me to manage as it comes in. In addition to my five-to-ten minute bursts, I need to set aside a time block of at least an hour during a non-productive time of day to tackle the to-dos that arise from my inbox. At that time, I need to either watch the videos, reply to the requests and take care of the to-dos, or I need to schedule a time for any specific task that remains. That last part will be a challenge.
• I need to read the fine print.  I've already unsubscribed from a number of lists. Now it's time to see if I can decrease the frequency of emails from the people whose lists I've chosen to remain on. If not, I may need to reconsider their importance.
• I need to reconsider my need for multiple accounts. One account is almost entirely junk mail. But, because I like the email address and the occasional gold nugget creeps in from time to time, I've hung on to the account. It's time to monitor this account and determine its value.

Pixabay

I'm always happiest when I have a plan, so I'm excited to see where this one takes me. Meanwhile, if you have great ideas for email management, please share them in the comments. 

It's clear I have a thing or two to learn on the subject.

Buried Treasure

freepik.com

Last Saturday, while I was waiting for my washing machine to finish the last few minutes of its cycle, I started poking around in the piles of stuff in my basement. Previously, I've referred to my basement only as the place I go to visit my container collection so I can see if I already have what I need before I spend money on something new.

Until now, I haven't mentioned that my basement is also the packrat museum.

When my daughter was small, she was the embodiment of an I love stuff personal style. With age, she's acquired less patience with extraneous stuff, and has actually gotten pretty good at weeding out. This is a very good thing since she goes to college in the fall and will be living in a very small space.

But I digress. The fact is, my daughter didn't come by these tendencies by accident, as thirty seconds in my basement will prove. Though I've also grown more ruthless with age, I still have a hard time letting go of things that have sentimental value (and so does my husband). When these mementos collect in the living spaces of my house, it's less of a problem than when they gather in my basement.

Does that sound backwards? Let me explain. Over time and with frequent pruning, only the real treasures survive in the living spaces. But, since pruning and purging happen less often in my basement than dumping and forgetting (an unfortunate cousin of drop and run), the aforementioned piles of stuff grow unchecked for long periods of time. This makes the overwhelming collections of stuff in my basement a perfect place to practice the Give it Five! strategy.

Last Saturday's Give it Five! yielded two items for the recycle bin and plans for some empty containers. First, I started filling an empty box with random items I "discovered" and want to donate. When the box is full, I'll call one of the agencies that collects household items and they'll come and pick it up. Easy enough.

I also started another bin. This one will collect things my daughter will need when she leaves home in the fall -- items from the massive shopping list I printed out last weekend and plan to chip away at this summer. This second inspiration came when I unearthed old blankets and comforters we'd saved "just in case." I'll wash and pack what she needs and wash and donate what she doesn't, and slowly divest myself of unnecessary stuff as I make the transition to this new phase of her life.

Photo: Ashley Schweitzer via Minimograhy

My Give it Five! session also yielded some unexpected emotional treasure. This time, instead of finding something I wanted to hang on to, I found something I was ready to let go of: the planner from my last year as a school counselor.

When I retired, I kept that planner (along with some others that are still packed away) for both practical and emotional reasons. Four years later, getting rid of it was like letting go of old baggage. The planner represented an old part of my life, one I've slowly let go of over the last four years. What's important from that time remains in my memory, nurtured by the interactions I still have with friends from that time. I don't need a planner for those things. And four-year-old appointments certainly don't need to take up room in my basement.

After removing personal information from the planner, I placed it in the recycling bin. It didn't take up much space, which seemed a little strange.

In the short space of time between rinse and spin, I let go of the past and made plans for the future.

Not bad for five minutes in the basement.

Perfectionism and Organization

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Are you a perfectionist? Last fall, I did some research on perfectionism and discovered that it's not a one-way street. As it turns out, it's an intricate system of intersecting roads:

• Self-oriented perfectionists are hard on themselves. They feel they should always exert maximum effort and they should hit the target every time. Down time and unreached goals are not an option.
• Other-oriented perfectionists impose unrealistic standards on other people. 
• Socially prescribed perfectionists feel the pressure to be perfect, but it's not self-imposed. Instead, they think that others expect them to be perfect, and they behave accordingly.

In addition to having high standards, perfectionists often engage in all-or-nothing thinking, otherwise known as, "if it can't be perfect, why bother?"

When it comes to organization, this outlook can be a heavy burden to bear. If the only time we feel successful is when everything is perfect, then we're going to spend a lot of time feeling unsuccessful. Or. perhaps perfectionism leaves us trapped in a perpetual state of hopeless disorganization: "If my house can't look like the ones on TV, why bother?"

If this sounds like you, don't despair. The good thing about the organization process is that it brings glimmers of perfectionism with it. Maybe the whole house can't be perfect, but maybe that counter you conquered last week can. Maybe your husband won't buy into your new plan for keeping the top of his dresser totally clear, but maybe your intervention will nudge him to come up with a plan of his own. Maybe your house can't look like the one on television, not because you're not working hard enough, but because you don't have a team of people who are paid to keep your house looking like the ones on television.

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So go ahead. Reserve that space (the top of your dresser, perhaps?) that stays perfect -- the one you set up to be just so -- and make that your perfection zone. Then, continue your battle throughout the rest of the house with a goal of continuous growth -- one baby step every day that leads you to your next success. Expand your empire of perfection if you must, but don't try to conquer the whole house.  Start with successes and build outward to the home you want to live in, then take some time to relax with the other people who call that space home.

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Reasons (x2) I Love my "Desktop Drawer"

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

Yesterday, I wrote about my empty drawer. Inspired by talking to you about it, I had it redone within hours after I finished the post. It took less than an hour to put together, and I didn't have to buy a thing.

As I said yesterday, I was eyeing that space as a means of containing the paper clutter that accumulates on my desk, but I knew I needed to do more than simply toss it in the drawer. The solution I ended up with was simple, free, and true to both my I need to see it personal style and my drop and run organizational style.

I simply created my ideal desktop -- inside the drawer.

Here are three reasons I'm so excited about this plan:

• It's visual. This is a must for my I need to see it personal style. By subdividing the drawer, I created specific homes for the things that typically end up on my desk. Because there are only three subdivisions (a box for papers, a spot for my calendar and an index card box), it's not cluttered; when I open the drawer, I can see what I need at a glance. 
• It's easy to maintain. Because everything that belongs in the drawer has a home, I'm less likely to toss things into the drawer that don't belong there. In addition, the open box works for my drop and run organizational style.
• It solved a problem. There are many places I could have stored all the stuff that's on my desk, but all of them required putting things out of sight. This was a conundrum because while that's exactly what I needed to do, I didn't want to forget about the stuff I was stashing away. With this solution, everything is immediately back in sight as soon as I open the drawer. Yes, I'll have to go through the papers in the box to find what I need, but I was doing that anyway.

And, for good measure, here are three more things I like about this set-up:

• There's room to grow. The box? Formerly a home to hanging files. I selected it because it's larger than the 8 1/2 x 11 sheets of paper that will fill it, which will keep them from getting wrinkled and torn (are you listening, cram and jammers?). It's also deeper than a traditional paper tray, and deep enough to hold a stack of papers, but not so deep that the papers will reach  the top of the drawer.

• It combines function with style. Making the inside of a drawer pretty may seem silly since drawers, by nature, remain closed most of the time. I believe, however, that we're more likely to use containers and systems we find attractive. In addition, if a space looks attractive (and organized) in the first place, we're more motivated to keep it looking that way. By adding contact paper to the box, I not only brightened it up, but I also secured the lid to it, creating additional stability if I want to pull it out of the drawer.

• It has built-in motivation. The four repurposed mouse pads (there's one under the box that stores the papers and another under the calendar) not only line the drawer (instead of being stashed away in one), but also give me an incentive to get to the bottom of the stack. I love that they're being put to good use, brightening an otherwise bland spot.

The next step will be to sort the piles on my desk, deciding what will go into the desktop drawer and what won't make the cut. Once that's done, I'll need to get into the habit of dropping things into the drawer instead of onto the desk, but because I've put so much thought into setting up a system that works with my styles, I don't expect that to be a problem. My action remains the same; all that's changed is the location. 

How I feel when I solve an organizational problem.
Photo: pixabay.com

For me, part of the beauty of organizing by style is validating the old saw that you can't judge a book by its cover. Yes, my desk is messy, but that's because I haven't yet found the right system, not because there's something inherently wrong with me. When we create systems that work with our styles we find so much more than simply order.

We find validation and hope.

Languid Person, Meet Languishing To-Do List

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There's a fine line between laid back and lazy, and some days, I'm living on it. Between the 2 1/2 feet of snow that fell on Saturday and the two back-to-back snow days that resulted, I've been living in pjs and sweats for almost a week now. Tomorrow promises to be a rude awakening.

Snow days are like a reset button. Because they're found time, I feel as though I can do what I want to do instead of what I should do, but the truth is, I usually blend the two, taking on projects that have languished at the bottom of my to-do list. That pile of papers from last semester waiting to be filed? Done. Not only that, I cleared out the file drawer to make room for the inevitable influx of new papers.

The bottom drawer in my office that's in a prime location, but storing non-prime stuff? Empty except for two small file boxes with contact information (which will probably be streamlined into one on another day), and waiting for something to fill it. There are plenty of items on my desk and the counter in my office jockeying for position.

So, why are they there, creating clutter, rather than inside the drawer? Because, to paraphrase Elaine from Seinfeld, I'm not sure they're drawer-worthy.

Empty drawers hold so much promise.

Space in my little office is, as I've said before, at a premium. If new storage opens up, I need to be strategic about how to use it. One entire empty drawer simply cannot be taken for granted. Instead, it needs to solve a storage problem.

Yes, I know I sound a little crazy. But the whole idea behind organizing by STYLE is choosing solutions that work for us not just today, but for the foreseeable future -- leading us from existing successes to easy upkeep.

The prime contender for the drawer is the paper clutter that accumulates on my desk, taking it from clear to catastrophe in no time flat. But I'm an I need to see it girl, so stashing it away in a drawer requires a plan so the drawer doesn't become a dumping ground, but instead, creates easy access to the things that land on my desk because they're important and need my attention.

I'm working on it. And since another snow day requires more snow (which I don't want), I'll keep chipping away at it. Just writing about it, in fact, sparked some ideas I want to try. I know that subdivision (an I need to see it style staple) will play a role, and I think I might have just the containers to make it happen.

Stay tuned.

Organizing Extra: Organizing Books

Karen Arnold via freepik.com

I've loved reading since Dick and Jane ran with Spot. I don't remember my book collection overtaking my space when I was a kid, but then again, when I was in middle school, we moved to a house with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, giving me plenty of space for my Nancy Drew collection -- and then some.

In my lifetime, I've worked in three different bookstores, and I trace the origins of my "too many books, too little space" conundrum back to those jobs, which fed my inner book collector -- sometimes at the expense of my bank account.

Our house is a Cape Cod, so when I wanted to find resources about organizing books, I was excited to find posts on the Apartment Therapy site, where they specialize in fun ideas for small spaces. And, in a decision that matches my bookstore behavior, I couldn't decide, so I'm posting both.

The first is an article (with great pictures) that explores various ways to organize books, depending on your style (I had to grab that one!); the second, geared to a weekend project approach has videos. Both provide ideas and maybe even a little motivation for taking control of book overrun.

pixabay.com

While I'll be contributing to book overrun this weekend as I put the finishing touches on my novel, I'm looking forward to putting some of those ideas to work this winter, when I have more time to tackle my list of organizing to-dos.

Happy organizing! And, if you manage to make it through the process without getting sucked into a book you forgot you had, you're stronger than I am.

Organizing Extra: 5 Organization Projects to Tackle in Really Hot Weather

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It's mid-September and today's Days to Summer countdown tells me there are 4 days left in the summer of 2015. Though I'm sorry to say good-bye to many aspects of summer, I'm not a big fan of hot weather, so I'm not entirely sad about these waning days.

Just as each of us has our favorite seasons (mine is fall), some organization projects lend themselves more to some seasons than others. Toward that end, Organized Living has come up with some seasonal suggestions, in 5 Home Organization Projects to Tackle in Really Hot Weather. Many of these would also work on rainy days...or any other day where venturing outside seems less-than-desirable.  

What will you organize today?

Organization Extra: Ikea to the Rescue!

One of my favorites in this piece.
Buzzfeed.com

I've never been to an Ikea store. Sad, really, since I grew up not far from a number of them. And, after scrolling through Buzzfeed's 37 Clever Ways to Organize Your Entire Life with Ikea, I'm thinking I might have to plan a trip. The ideas here are clever (as promised), creative and suited to a wide range of styles.

It just goes to show you: When you combine designated uses of storage items with all of the possible non-standard uses, the possibilities are endless.