Styles...and STYLE

Earlier this week, I posted a quiz to help you identify your personal and organizational styles. Today, I'd like to share a little bit about the personal styles. In addition, I'd like to add a layer of action to our musings about what we do and why we do it by introducing the first concept behind the STYLE acronym.

When it comes to identifying styles, the quiz results don't come as any surprise to most of us. We know what we do, and we've spent a lot of time beating ourselves up about it.

But there's no beating up here. As I said in my first post:

I believe that everyone has the capacity to get organized and that the trick to success lies in finding a method and tools that match the way you think -- marrying your personal style and your organizational style to create a process that underlies the way you organize everything.

So let's take another look at the personal styles and what they mean for organizational systems and successes.

• Those with an I love stuff style:
• develop an attachment to their things and often struggle to part with them. 
• are often collectors and sometimes choose unusual things to collect.  
• have so much stuff that they often run out of places to put things. While the simple solution to a pragmatic, naturally organized person would be to just get rid of some of their belongings, this is extremely difficult for the I love stuff person. 

•  Those with an I love to be busy style:
• thrive on hectic schedules.
• may have one overriding interest or many varied interests.
• are often disciplined when it comes to managing their time, but disorganized when it comes to managing their things, except, of course, for the tools they need to pursue the activities they love. 

• Those with an I need to see it style:
• put things out so they'll remember to do them or bring them somewhere.
• hate to put things away because they fear that out of sight will mean out of mind.
• replace “to-do” lists with “to-get-to” piles. These visual reminders are meant to serve as nudges, and this plan sometimes works....and sometimes creates clutter.  

Did you fit neatly into one style, or are you “a little bit of this and a little bit of that”?  Either way, it's okay. Further observation, discussion and exploration may help you to determine predominant styles, but some people really are a mix of styles, both personal and organizational. 

Next week, I'll have more on the organizational styles, but in the meantime, I wanted to clue you in to my STYLE acronym, which will form the foundation of our action plan. In last Wednesday's post, I suggested taking stock of what's neat and what's not. If you did this, where did you find your organizational successes? What can you find immediately when you need it? What always gets put away?

If you can answer any or all of those questions, you've already begun. The "S" in STYLE stands for "Start with successes." If something is working for you in one place, chances are, you can adapt the plan to make it work somewhere else as well. 

For example, when we remodeled our bathroom several years ago, I knew I didn't want a standard linen closet, but rather a mix of drawers and shelves. I'm five feet tall, and whatever got stashed on the top shelf was likely to become a mishmash mess. Once the storage was in place, I used bins to organize my bathroom shelves. In addition, I used smaller bins to compartmentalize the drawers. When I open the doors or the drawers, I can see everything I have. No mishmash, no mess, and even years later, the bathroom is organized. The concept of open storage -- even behind closed doors and inside closed drawers -- enables me to work with my I need to see it style and maintain a system that works. 

Once again, look around. Where do you see your styles in action? And how can you make them work for you instead of against you? When you look at the pictures of organizers I've posted over the past two weeks, which are a match for your style?

(This week, all of the photos are from target.com)

Ideas: Give it Five!

If yesterday's blog left you feeling overwhelmed about where to start, here are a few ideas (by style) that should take between five and fifteen minutes:

houzz.com

• I know I put it somewhere: Find a home for the surprises you found while considering what's neat and what's not.
• I need to see it: Go through any clothing left on the floor (or dresser or chair or ...) to determine what's dirty and what's clean. Dirty clothes should be put in the hamper or brought to the laundry room. Have a hamper that's sitting there taking up space, but not being used? Open the lid or replace it with a laundry basket. Consider installing hooks on a door for repeat clean clothes offenders (bathrobes are a commonly tossed across the furniture item).
• Drop and run or I like to be busy? Take five minutes to put away items left in your wake. You may stop after five minutes are up, even if there are items remaining to be put away....unless of course you really want to finish -- but stop when you feel yourself running out of steam.
• Cram and jam: Removing one item at a time, sort through one overstuffed drawer and get rid of anything that is outgrown or no longer wanted. (You may need to set a timer for this one, depending on the size of the drawer. Please don't begin by dumping the drawer because that's almost a guarantee this will take more than fifteen minutes).
• I love stuff: Make a preliminary list of ways to weed your stuff. Throwing things away is not the only available option. Can you donate or hand down a once-beloved item, or perhaps consign it or sell it at a yard sale?  More later on alternatives to throwing things away.

Getting Started with STYLE

Welcome back! If you haven't yet taken the personal and organizational styles quiz, now might be a good time to check it out.

If you have taken it, I'm sure you were quite impressed by my very scientific, technical terminology. When I came up with these names, I was working with elementary school students, and so the names needed to be non-threatening and kid-friendly. As I began to transfer the information to adults, I found that they appreciated the silliness of the names, perhaps because they made an overwhelming task seem less daunting. And so the names stuck.

These silly names -- I love stuff, I love to be busy, I need to see it, drop and run, cram and jam and I know I put it somewhere -- will continue to pop up every time we discuss styles. The first three (bolded in black) are what I call the personal styles while the second three (bolded in orange) are the organizational styles. Hmmm....color-coding...any guess which personal style is mine?

Personal styles are the way we naturally function -- a part of our personality. Organizational styles are the methods we naturally use -- unchecked, however, they're more likely to lead to chaos than organizational successes. The key to organizational progress lies at the intersection of our personal styles and our organizational styles.

For example, I am an I need to see it/drop and run person. Left to my own devices, I inhabit a world of piles, stacks and visible cues (and yes, I am quite often left to my own devices, much to the chagrin of my I know I put it somewhere husband). But with the right tools, progress is not only possible, it's easy.

As we embark on this process, there will be some things we cannot control: the size of our living space, the amount of available storage space and the number of hours we have in a day. Sure, we can move, build on and pull all-nighters...but do we really want to?

What we can do is impact those things -- and even maximize them  -- by using our styles to our advantage. I don't know about you, but I'm sure I can expand my available storage space just by getting rid of stuff I don't need. (Please don't cringe, I love stuff friends -- I'm not talking about brutal purges).

So let's get started. Your first step is simply to take stock -- what's neat and what's not? Don't judge -- just observe. For example, as I sit here in my living room typing this, I see no less than ten items sitting out that can easily be put away (where they belong, not stashed somewhere just to make the room look better). I also see a bin that needs sorting (we won't discuss how long that's been there) and the dust that I don't need to see, despite my default personal style.

Step two: Before you start beating yourself up about what you see, view it all through the lenses of your personal and organizational styles. Does it make sense? My messy bin is a perfect example of the intersection of I need to see it and drop and run. It has potential, but its current condition needs...tweaking. For now, I'm simply making note of that because it won't fit into step three....

Give it five! I can't tackle that bin in five minutes, but I can put away all the wayward items and make progress in just five minutes. If I still have time left after I've put away my wayward items, I'm certain I can find another spot to tackle in the time that remains. If the timer goes off and I'm still motivated, I can keep going until I've reached a logical stopping point. (For all of you overachieving organizers out there, that's before you've torn apart a drawer, a piece of furniture, or, heaven forbid, an entire room). If you feel yourself getting frustrated,stop. The goal here is see progress because progress is a motivator. Exhaustion is not.

Getting organized is a process...and so is staying organized. Both take time and conscientious, consistent effort.

Next week, we'll talk more about the details of the styles, but for now, I'd love to know where you landed. I hope you'll share your styles and successes in the comments section as we take this journey together.

Stop by tomorrow for a few ideas on what you can tackle in five to fifteen minutes.

(All of the photos of organizers in today's post are from thecontainerstore,com)

Organization Extra: A Surefire Way for Knowing What's in that Folder

Label makers are excellent, inexpensive organizing tools. Sure, you can use a Sharpie marker, but there's something about a neatly labeled folder (or binder clip) that makes everything look just a little more professional.  

I typically shy away from posts that are pushing something, so to speak, but since this one has easy-to-implement suggestions that require one simple tool, I couldn't resist.

Happy reading and organizing!

Organizing by STYLE: Claiming Your Style

I have a confession to make. This is a rewrite. Last night, while trying to upload the original post to this blog, I sent it hurtling into cyberspace. Nothing in my arsenal of tech tricks was sufficient to bring it back. A Google search supplied me with the opening line, but building a bridge from that line only gave me a headache.

I went to bed in a bad mood. I woke up cranky about having to re-create a post I wrote over a month ago. 

Until I decided that was silly. With apologies to those whose comments were lost along with the post, I'm moving forward and re-sharing the key content, if not the original post.

Thanks to Pinterest, I know that I referenced the book at left, one I flipped through during a recent visit to Barnes and Noble with my sister. I put the book back for two reasons: I didn't want its contents influencing my posts, however unintentionally and, even upon a quick flip, I could tell that this was a one-size-fits-all, "use this trick and your life will be more organized" kind of book.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. Judging from the reviews on Amazon, Marie Kondo's book has proven useful to many people. Any book that improves life for anyone deserves kudos.

I just don't happen to believe that one size fits all when it comes to organization. And, for those who've struggled with organization for as long as they can remember, hailing one book as the one path to success only further damages their self-confidence if they find the path strewn with rocks and detours.

To me, the key to getting organized and staying that way lies in matching your system to your styles.
What styles, you may ask? Take the quiz below to see where you land, then check next Wednesday's post for more on the styles.

Personal and Organizational Styles Quiz

Mark each item below as true or false.

1. You participate in so many activities that you have something to do nearly every night.
2. The only way you remember to bring things with you is if you leave them out where you're likely to trip over them.
3. Your closets are filled with things you no longer use and/or clothes you no longer wear, but can’t get rid of. 
4. Your house looks neat, yet you have trouble finding what you need when you need it.
5. Your papers -- even the important ones -- are often wrinkled and/or torn.
6. The flat surfaces in your home tell the story of the activities you've done and the places you've been in the last few days.
7. When given a pocket folder or three-ring binder, you may tuck your papers inside, but you don't usually put them in the pockets or the rings. 
8. You can often find lost items by retracing your steps.
9. You often feel bored when you have unscheduled time.
10. You have more stuff than room to store it.
11. You usually put things away, but often forget where you put them.
12. You often forget things if you don't write them down.  
13. Your bookshelves house:

a. anything and everything, as long as it fits.

b. overlapping sets of “collections.”

c. books in various stages of completion, stacked so that the titles are visible.

d. sports gear, sheet music or art supplies, but no books. 

e. piles of items, with a telltale trail from the door to the bookcase.

All finished? Now let's compare your answers to the key below. Every "true" is a clue:

• Item #1 is true for I love to be busy.
• Item #2 is true for I need to see it.
• Item #3 is true for I love stuff.
• Item #4 is true for I know I put it somewhere.
• Item #5 is true for cram and jam.
• Item #6 is true for drop and run.
• Item #7 is true for cram and jam.
• Item #8 is true for drop and run.
• Item #9 is true for I love to be busy.
• Item #10 is true for I love stuff.
• Item # 11 is true for I need to see it and I know I put it somewhere.
• Item #12: I need to see it organizers are likely to do this.
• Item #13a: Cram and jam or I know I put it somewhere; 13b: I love stuff; 13c: I need to see it; 13d: I love to be busy; 13e: Drop and run

How'd you do? Do the quiz answers match your predictions and observations? For most people, clear patterns will emerge, and the answers will come as no surprise; what they've noticed about the way they organize matches their answers on the quiz.

Some people are “a little bit of this and a little bit of that.” At this point in the process, that's to be expected. Further observation, discussion and exploration will help you to determine predominant styles. And some people really are a mix of styles, but this can be a benefit.  An overlap can mean more strategies to work with! 

The most important thing to keep in mind right now is that there are no right or wrong answers on the quiz and that these styles are not personal or organizational flaws. Up to this point, the styles have been stumbling blocks. Moving forward, the goal will be to help you see your natural tendencies as assets rather than liabilities so you can use them as a blueprint for developing a workable, sustainable plan based on what comes naturally. 

For more on the personal styles, click here. For more on the organizational styles, click here.

Organizing by STYLE: House it Where it Makes Sense

bedbathandbeyond.com

The Saturday after my first post for this blog, I began my morning by cleaning out the bathroom closet. Not only was it not on my list of things to do (a list that was long enough as it was), but until two minutes before I decided to do it, it wasn't even on my radar. But, I had organizing on the brain and so it dawned on me that reorganizing the closet would solve a tidiness issue as well as providing a perfect starting point for post on re-thinking the way we organize.

The tidiness issue was, for once, not mine; rather, it had to do with a bad habit of my daughter's. The three of us share one main bathroom, and so when she leaves her stuff out on the bathroom counter (as she often does when she's in a hurry), it creates a problem for everyone else who needs to use the space.  Though she has a bin that belongs exclusively to her on the shelf in the bathroom closet, the various beauty products were not making it back into that space on a regular basis. But, oddly enough, everything that was stored in the bathroom drawer got put away with an acceptable degree of regularity.

Why am I telling you all of this? Because it has everything to do with creating an organizational system around the style and habits you already possess. My daughter is not a slob (at least not most of the time). Her school things are in order. She cleans her room without being asked. Her spaces are usually reasonably tidy, and yet, when it comes to using the system I put in place in the bathroom, some days are an epic fail. Other days, she dumps her stuff onto the bottom shelf of the closet, one shelf below the bin meant to house her things.

So, let's take a look at the pattern that has emerged: Mom created the system. System is only
occasionally used. When it isn't used, stuff ends up on the counter (easy); in the drawer/on the counter (medium); in the drawer/in the "wrong" place in the cabinet (complex).

Solution? Move the bin to the default space. If she already dumps her stuff on the bottom shelf, why not put the bin there? Keeping the bin on the middle shelf only frustrates everyone and leads to a mess on the counter.

target.com

Basic organizational principle #1: House it where it makes sense. It's both fruitless and frustrating for me dig my heels in, remind her that I'm the parent and I've set up a perfectly good system, so why isn't she using it? (I know. I've tried). By simply moving the bin to where she automatically puts things, I've avoided an argument over something trivial (in the scheme of things) and created a solution.

This is not always possible. Putting an empty laundry basket in the middle of the living room floor because that's where your kids dump their stuff after school creates a new problem, not a solution. But, in the case of the neglected bin, the solution was both easy and obvious. Working with your style (or in this case, my daughter's style) creates the foundation of a system that will work not just for a few days or until the New Year's resolutions wear off, but for the foreseeable future.

As I finalize this post today (four days later), the new plan still needs a few tweaks, since many things besides my daughter's bin are stored in the linen closet and moving one thing has created a domino effect. But when it comes to the stuff left on the counter, the new placement is working. I haven't had to nag her or clean up after her since I put the bin in the place where she naturally puts her things, so I'm happy to make a few more adjustments until we get the plan just right.

Basic organizational principle #2: Taking your personal and organizational styles into account when creating systems leads to long-term solutions, rather than temporary fixes.

clipartbest.com

So what exactly are personal and organizational styles? Drop by next week for a quiz designed
to answer just that question.

Organization Extra: Ten Organizing Tips That Will Change Your Life

nextavenue.org

As you've probably already guessed, I like resources that are non-judgmental; I don't believe that organizational struggles are a character flaw, nor do I believe that people with neat spaces are somehow superior to those whose spaces are cluttered.

When it comes to resources, I like those that offer multiple options and simple, inexpensive solutions that can have an immediate impact.

If you're in the mood to make some progress or just find some new tips, click on the links in this article for more ideas beyond the title's 10 Organizing Tips That Will Change Your Life.

Which one is your favorite?