24 Ways to get Organized in 2024

 This post from last year has been updated to the proper number of goals (24) for the upcoming year. Good luck!

 If you're like me (and much of the rest of the world), you made some sort of resolution to get organized in 2023. Because I write about organizing and have time off from the middle of December to the middle of January, I've made a lot of progress on my organizing endeavors. 

But still, I focus on what remains to be done, not the least of which is the pile of items made homeless by my recent organizing projects. 

Some days, I look around my house and see a lot of organizing successes. Other days, I'm overwhelmed by all of the clutter that seems to collect and proliferate as soon as I look the other way.

That's when it's time to take small steps. Whether you've exceeded your 2023 organizing goals, or can't even remember what they were, you're sure to find one task in the list of 24 tasks below that can help you jump-start your organizing for 2024. Some are one-and-done tasks (at least for this year), while others may turn out to be starting points for larger projects. Remember that it's okay not to do it all one sitting. The key is to take small steps and to remember one thing.

It's a process.

24 Organizing Projects for 2024

1. Decide what your perfect planner looks like inside and out. Then, splurge on one that comes as close as possible to your ideal.

2. Clean out the junk drawer.

3. Clear off surfaces, clean them well and put things back mindfully, putting back only the things you choose to return.

4. Collect all the homeless items littering surfaces in your home and put them in one container. Put a sticky note with the date on the lid, and put that container in an accessible but out-of-sight location. In a month (or longer if you prefer), donate or toss anything remaining in the container. 

5. Dedicate 15 minutes to decluttering a space that annoys you.

6. Stare down a container that's not working and consider why you are using it. What do you love about it? What do you wish it had that it doesn't? 

7. Sort through the thickest file in your file cabinet and get rid of anything you no longer need to keep.

8. Change the shelf paper in one of your cabinets.

9. Clean out your underwear drawer and get rid of anything you'd be embarrassed to be wearing if you ended up in the emergency room.

10. Stand in the doorway of the room you spend the most time in. What decorative touch or organizing project would make the space a little better?

11. Go through the medicine cabinet and get rid of anything that's expired. Make a list of what you need to replace.

12. Go through your makeup and/or toiletries and get rid of anything that's expired or that you haven't used in a year or more (3 months for eye makeup). Make a list of what you want to replace.

13. Take stock of your towels. Decide how many need replacing and buy one new towel a week until you'd be satisfied offering any of the towels in your closet to an overnight guest.

14. Set aside an hour to take stock of the place in your house that most needs organizing (kids' rooms don't count). Make a plan for tackling it an hour at a time.

15. Take everything out of the cabinet under the kitchen (or bathroom) sink. Clean the area and return only the products you actually use. 

16. Stand in the doorway of your bedroom. What is one thing you could do to make it a more peaceful haven? 

17. Have everyone in the family go through his or her sock drawer. Toss anything that's too small, falls down, has holes, or is too pilly, dingy or faded. Set aside socks without a mate and determine how long to continue the search and/or if any of the singletons can be put together to make an interesting pair.

18. Make sure all the pens in your go-to writing or messages spaces write, and all of the pencils have points and erasers.

19. Take everything off one shelf of one closet. Wipe down the shelf and put back only the things worth keeping.

20. Go through all the purses, tote bags, and backpacks and discard any that are past their prime. 

21. Go through all the purses, tote bags, and backpacks and stock those you regularly use with the essentials: hand sanitizer, tissues, lip balm, a writing implement and small notebook, etc. That way, no matter which one you grab on the way out the door, you'll need to add only your wallet and keys and you'll be good to go. 

22. Work together with each child in the house to organize one space according to their style. 

23. Take everything out of the refrigerator. Toss anything that's expired. Wipe down the interior and put back only the food people actually eat.

24. Stand at the entrance to your home. What is one small touch you could add that would make you smile every time you walk in?

BONUS ITEM: As you put away your holiday gifts, practice one in/out. Got a new sweater? Get rid of an old one -- or another article of clothing, if you prefer. 

Perfectly Imperfect

  When my editor told me they'd decided on Know Thyself: The Imperfectionist's Guide to Sorting Your Stuff as the title of my book, I was less than enthusiastic. I'm terrible at titles, but I know when one grabs me, and this one didn't. It was, after all, quite a mouthful.

But, what the title did do was nail the essence of organizing by STYLE, giving us (writer and reader alike) permission to embrace the imperfection in the process. With an overall goal of keeping our house in order and being able to find what we need when we need it, we can carry out a plan that yields results that align with the mission of tidiness. 

In thinking about organization in this holy season, it occurs to me that there's an interesting parallel here. Jesus's arrival was perfectly imperfect; perfect, in the sense that it occurred exactly according to God's plan, and imperfect in many ways obvious to mere mortals. An immaculate conception. A pregnant woman whose husband was not the biological father of her child. Birth in a stable, followed by a run for their lives. 

Yet, none of this stopped Jesus from carrying out the plan the Father had in mind for Him. His mission to save us from death was unhindered by the imperfection of the world around him and he remained true to his mission despite myriad obstacles placed in his path. 

Makes keeping our houses tidy sound like pretty small potatoes.  

My point here is not to equate an organized life with the life of our Lord but rather, to point out that we, too, are here as a part of God's plan. Like our Savior, we have been given missions that sometimes align with
the world and sometimes run at cross-purposes to it. Some days, we count as successes and other days, our efforts seem to make very little difference. 

But it's the big picture that matters. 

Day by day, Jesus walked with his family and his disciples. He told stories, he healed the sick, and he made sacrifices beyond what we can comprehend. He traveled paths we can only imagine, recognizing the power of each moment even in times that yielded despair.

Christmas is a bittersweet season for many of us, but it's filled with opportunities to find magic amid the chaos and to appreciate that imperfect settings and situations contribute to the big picture of life. Like life, organizing is a process made up of small moments of success alongside setbacks, conflicts, and things that don't make much sense to us mere mortals. Some days, it can be a bit like trying to put together a jigsaw puzzle with no lid and a few pieces missing but, if we persist, the end product might be a thing of beauty.

Even if it's imperfect.

This season, cherish each piece, remembering that it's only one part of a much larger whole.

Need a gift? Making a New Year's Resolution to read more or get organized? 

To order, contact me at L2Hess@comcast.net with "$5 paperback" in the subject line.

 (*Shipping and handling additional; prices in effect while supplies last).

Organizing for the Holidays

 If organizing is about balancing what comes in with what goes out, the holiday season can make us feel doomed from the start. No sooner have we finished giving thanks for all that we have than we start to acquire more. Gifts. Decorations. Food for future feasts.

If you have more storage space than you need, congratulations - this is probably not an issue for you. But if you, like me, feel maxed out when it comes to places to put things on a regular, run-of-the-mill weekday, all of these Christmas acquisitions can feel overwhelming.

At our house, the Christmas decorations are stored in the crawlspace off the master bedroom. This means that as I begin to pull out Christmas decorations and all the trimmings and trappings, they inevitably invade the space in my house that should, arguably, be the most tranquil. I wish I could tell you that I have a wonderful solution for coping with these interloping, festive, baubles but the truth is that it comes down to the same thing it does during the rest of the year: making sure our styles lead the way.

Take small steps. In order to minimize the amount of space that all these Christmas goodies take up in our bedroom, I take decorations out a few at a time. I have a red basket that I use to store the decorations I like to start with each year and that’s the first thing that I take out. Once I put up the decorations in that basket, I can use it to store anything that I’ve replaced during the decorating process (which also makes putting things away easier when I “un-decorate” in January). When I put the basket back in the crawlspace after putting out those first few things, I can take out a few more decorations. Decorating the house slowly makes it a little more festive each day.

Store presents according to your style. I need to see it or I know I put it somewhere organizational style? Don’t put everything in plain brown boxes! That’s a sure recipe for digging through the same container over and over again. Instead, consider the type of storage that works best for you during the rest of the year. If you’re trying to keep things covert, maybe do stick to the plain brown cartons that the gifts arrive in, but put a brightly colored sticky note on the outside of each one to signify whose presents are in which box. No need for covert operations? Use clear storage bins so you can see what you have. Cram and jam organizational style? Stick to one large container for storage, but consider subdividing it so you don't have a pile-up inside.

One in- one out. Opportunities abound to practice this! As you buy new decorations (or put them away), replace anything that’s become tired and worn (or a safety hazard). In addition, anything that doesn't make the cut this year probably won't next year either. Toss it, donate it, or recycle it now to create space. Cool stuff under the tree? Consider what you can do without now that you have all those fun, new things. 

The Christmas season brings wonder, joy, and stuff. We can't control all the stuff but, if we keep our styles in mind, we can keep some of it neatly under wraps.

qimono via Pixabay

A Plan is Just a Blueprint

  Every plan seems great at the outset. Excited by the possibilities, we jump in. If all goes well, we’re treated to a lovely honeymoon period during which we have the enthusiasm of a scientist who has proven her hypothesis – or so I imagine, as I’ve never embodied any scientific role (but I have watched a lot of Lessons in Chemistry this week).

Then, we hit the wall. Sometimes it’s a gentle tap, a miscalculation. Or, we get busy, and the day is over before we make good on the promises we made to ourselves. Or maybe those promises slip our minds and, when we remember them, we correct course and get back on track.

Other times, we run into the wall full force or, perhaps, repeatedly, missing our target over and over and reeling from the impact. 

The plan itself, contrary to popular belief, is not the important part. The important part comes when we hit the wall. Do we remain stunned and discombobulated? Limp away and make excuses? Pick up the pieces, put them back into something—anything—resembling the original plan (or a revised version) and move forward?

So often, when we change plans, adapt them, or revamp them, a little (or big) piece of us considers that a failure. We failed to stick to the plan, to follow through, to make good on our promise to ourselves. Part of that assessment (the follow-through part) may be true, but the first part (the failure part) is not. Every time we return to the plan, whether we pick up from where we left off or move on in a different direction, we are succeeding. 

Not only that, we are winning. Life is full of plans and obstacles and, while the latter is inevitable, the former is a mark of optimism. We believe we can change, succeed, press forward, and doing so despite the obstacles (or because of them) is a win, not only for the plan, but for hope, joy, growth, and life.

Or maybe even organization. 

So, keep making those plans, and changing them, adapting them, and even abandoning them when what looks good on paper doesn’t work in the real world. A plan is a promise to oneself to dare to change, and every life needs a little daring in it. And every time we make a plan, follow a plan, or revise a plan, we grow a little bit.

And isn't that the whole point of the process?

Containing Your Styles

 Containers come in many shapes, styles, colors, patterns and textures. Some are functional, some are fashionable and some strive to be both. Large, small, lidded, open, clear, colored, round, square, rectangular....the choices can be overwhelming.

Despite their variation in appearance, all containers have just three components: form, function and style. Form refers to the size, shape and physical attributes of a container, including features such as lids and sections. Function is exactly what it sounds like - the purpose the container will serve once you get it home. A container’s style comes from its aesthetics - color, texture, pattern, attractiveness.

All of these attributes matter. How much each one matters depends on what needs to go into the container and -- you guessed it -- the personal and organizational styles of the person using it. Your mission will be to try to find containers that will help you to create systems that are both appealing and functional so that they’re easy and fun to use and maintain. 

I love stuff

If you're an I love stuff organizer, the key to containing your belongings lies in corralling both collections and odds and ends. I love stuff organizers may see the containers themselves as collectibles, or as ways to house or display items of importance -- or perhaps both. This tendency to collect things usually means the more you like a container, the more likely you are to use it. 

I love stuff folks often prefer open storage and unique containers that allow them to see what they have. But, since too much visibility can turn into visual clutter (think about the difference between one sheet of paper on a desk and haphazard piles of papers), it’s important to strike a balance between what’s gets displayed and what gets put away. 

For the I love stuff person, container selection is a breeze because almost any type of container works. Clear, color-coded or labeled containers with or without lids can all work well. Clear containers let you see which valuables are inside, while color-coding and/or labeling can be a visual reminder of what goes where. You may also like unique containers because of their aesthetics; in addition, the uniqueness of the container may serve as a visual remember of the location of your valuable stuff. You may want to match containers in terms of color, size or style, or decide on a color scheme or other unifying theme, especially if you want to mix and match containers. The key is to come up with a combination that allows everything to be away, but still visible and/or accessible.

I love to be busy

Time is at a premium for the I love to be busy person, which means the best containers are those that require as few steps as possible. If you're an I love to be busy person, you may benefit from subdivided containers that allow you to see at a glance what’s missing as you hurry from one activity to another. 

Separate storage for each activity (e.g. a separate bin or bag) can also be helpful because this prevents items that are needed for one activity from getting mixed in with materials for something else. Like their I love stuff counterparts, I love to be busy people may also like clear, color-coded or labeled containers that help them keep track of the minutiae of their varied pursuits. And, depending upon their organizational style, they may be able to use each of them with equal facility. 

I need to see it

The name says it all! Anything you can do to appeal to the visual will help you if your style is I need to see it. As a general rule, open storage (no lids) is best because it helps the the I need to see it person put things away without putting them out of sight, preserving the need for visual prompts. Clear, labeled or color-coded containers can work, too, for the same reason - they provide visual cues as to where things go. 

Whereas those with other styles can be coerced into putting their belongings into drawers and closets, I need to see it organizers will resist this. For them, the line between visibility and visual chaos is very, very fine. 

I need to see it folks, like their I love stuff counterparts, often enjoy a visually stimulating mix of containers -- colored, patterned, unique -- and this variety can help them remember where they put things, making it easier for them to make the transition from leaving it out to putting it away. Avoid monochromatic color schemes; without visual variety to remind you where you put things, you'll quickly become frustrated and return to leaving everything out where it can be seen.

A word about size

Remember how you used to buy your kids clothes with “room to grow” when they were little? Regardless of your style, you can use the same concept when determining the right size for a container: Choose containers that are the right size for what you currently own, with a little space for future acquisitions.

All of the containers on today's post were found on tenthousandvillages.com.

Maximalism and Organization

 I was flipping through a magazine yesterday when I came across a layout of a table set in a cacophony of colors and patterns — an example of maximalism, according to the piece.

I’d never heard of maximalism. After a few minutes of pondering, I went to my favorite search engine, where I discovered the maximalism is indeed a design style, exemplified by the idea that more is more. More colors, more patterns, more quality and quantity, according to one site.

As you might have concluded by my use of the word “cacophony” in the first paragraph, this style does not appeal to me, but that’s immaterial. There are lots of styles that don’t appeal to me; that doesn’t mean that they should be banished from anywhere except my own home. But another question quickly arose in my mind.

Does maximalism have a place in organizing?

Since decluttering and downsizing are both key parts of keeping our stuff under control, it would seem that the answer would be no. “Let it go” is, after all, one of the key elements of STYLE, which would seem to indicate that more would not be more when it comes to organizing. When we have too much stuff for our space, minimizing what we have would seem to be called for. And once we have gotten that quantity under control, we need to store all of those things.

And that’s where maximalism might just come into play. While the function of a container is arguably its most important attribute, the look of the container plays a role as well. We’re more likely to use -- and perhaps even more motivated to use -- things we find attractive. Colors, textures and patterns can add a lot to a space and can also serve as visual reminders for what goes where.

Recently, I bought a new tote bag. I didn’t need it but this particular item (which, not coincidentally, matches my favorite planner) kept calling out to me and so, when it went on sale, I splurged. Every single day when I pick up this bag and take it to work, it makes me happy. Part of the reason for that is that it distributes the collection of miscellany that I carry back-and-forth to work quite nicely, making it easy for me to haul what I need to from place to place. 

But honestly? One of the biggest reasons that I like it is because it’s pretty -- a black tote bag with white polka dots that adds a lovely pop of pattern to solid outfits. 

Do I change my tote bag, swapping it out each day to find one that matches my outfit? I do not. On its own, this tote bag works well for me on both an organizational level and an aesthetic one. Consequently, some days, I'm a walking example of maximalism as my tote bag bounces on my hip alongside a patterned sweater, jacket, or pair of pants. 

Hmm. So much for my personal ban on maximalism.

When we struggle to get organized or stay organized, we need tools in our arsenal that make the task fun. And if that means choosing a wide variety of non-matching containers, each of which we love for not just its function but its beauty, then it seems silly to quibble over whether or not things match. And, if we also happen to have a style that is visually driven (I need to see it), and/or benefits from using distinctive or unique organizers (I know I put it somewhere), crossing "it matches" off our list of attributes might even be an advantage.

While I lean more toward minimalism than maximalism, and you won’t find me espousing the joys of bringing as much stuff as possible into my home or setting up a row of containers that don’t at least complement each other in terms of style or pattern, I definitely see the potential value of maximalism, particularly with it comes to choosing storage systems. I have two caveats, though: there can't be so many containers that we can’t remember where things go, and the look of the container shouldn’t outweigh its function.

Beauty is, after all, in the eye of the beholder. And Organizing by STYLE is built on the idea that each beholder should be true to his or her styles.

4 Things to Consider Doing This Fall

 I have always loved this time of year -- the time when we return to classrooms and learning and all things back-to-school. For one thing, back-to-school coincides with fall, which is my favorite season (even if my allergies protest). Second, it's a great excuse to freshen up our supplies of notebooks, writing implements, and all things stationery. 

But, perhaps best of all, the start of a new school year feels like a fresh start. We talk about spring cleaning but, personally, I feel more motivated to get my house in order in the fall. Here are a few of my favorite fall organizing tasks, inspired in no small part by the spend-free week I wrote about a few weeks ago.

• Switch the closet from summer to fall. Living in Central Pennsylvania, I find that this happens gradually because summer temperatures often persist well into the start of the school year. But, since I work in education, it also happens organically as I pull out clothes to wear to work, only to discover they no longer work. I often don't recognize that items that are too big, too small, too tired, or too blah are taking up space in my closet until I pull them out to wear to work and immediately discard them. Making the donation box the next stop for those pieces I threw on the bed in frustration before leaving the house helps to ensure that my closet is up-to-date. Or, at the very least, it means I won't keep reaching for the same sub-par items because they'll no longer be there. 

• Try something new. As a big fan of the one in/one out rule, I saw an opportunity in all of those discarded clothes. I've been subscribing to a clothing box for seven years (my present to myself when my daughter started college and I needed a little empty nesting pick-me-up) but, lately, the boxes have looked more like the donation pile than wardrobe staples. So, I decided to try another service. I loved the first box (which I got to try with a $20 credit) and I could put a few new pieces into my closet guilt-free because I'd made room for them with all those clothes that went from closet to me to bed to donation box. If you're not into clothing, you can try something else -- a new hobby, a new class, a new hair style (or color), a new organizer...the possibilities are limited by only your imagination and your budget.

• Unsubscribe. While you're weeding the closet, why not weed out your email inbox? When I did my spend-free week (actually closer to two), I don't know why I was so surprised that most of the incoming junk mail was an obstacle to modest spending (via an invitation to spend or donate money), but it was an eye-opener. I never want to miss a coupon or a sale but, if I don't need something, not buying it is cheaper than any sale. And, if I need it, I know where the store (or website) is. Meanwhile, all of those emails are simply temptations that wear us down. The first one is easy enough to delete, but the more of them we see, the more likely it is that we'll click (and buy). If I unsubscribe, I don't see them, making me less likely to buy things I don't need.

• Buy a little peace. As a rule, I don't set up notifications for apps. My phone dings, buzzes, and plays songs often enough as it is. But a long time ago, in the interest of being conscientious, I set up notifications for my work mail. They're visual, not auditory (they pop up on my Home Screen or Lock Screen), which makes them less distracting, but do you know what would make them even less distracting? Not having them at all. So, in late August, I bit the bullet. I turned the notifications off, and I don't miss them at all. Now, I check email on my own terms and, because I'm not distracted by newsletters, announcements, and junk mail, I do it less frequently and more efficiently.

In his book When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, Daniel Pink talks about opportunities for fresh starts. For me, I think the back-to-school fresh start is the best one of all.

What will you do to organize your space, your life, or yourself this fall?

The Gift of Time

 Today's post is a crossover post, building on the one I posted on The Porch Swing Chronicles earlier today.

This morning, the unexpected happened. I came downstairs to check my computer before work only to discover that a power outage on campus had delayed the start of classes until at least 10 a.m. While I didn't yet know if that would affect my 11a.m., I still had a decision to make. 

And emails from three students already awaiting that decision.

My choice? I gave us all the day off. Sort of. I gave them an assignment, and I dug into my virtual pile of things to be graded.

The plan? Work all morning and write all afternoon. 

That was almost three hours ago. As I write this, I’m halfway through my plan. Actually I’m sitting in line at the Starbucks drive-through, awaiting my turn to pick up my BOGO Thurs-yay drinks. 

A day off and double the caffeine.

From here, I’ll go home, finish grading a set of quizzes, post this blog, and dig into the writing that has consistently gotten drop-kicked to the bottom of my to do list. 

If someone gave you an unexpected day off, how would you spend it? Would you organize a cluttered space? Tackle a long-neglected task? Truly take the day for yourself?

The gift of time is a beautiful thing -- one we often wish for and rarely receive. Yet, in our desire to be responsible, we sometimes use up that gift, rather than savoring it for the wonder that it is. And, when we do savor it, we sometimes feel guilty for “wasting” time or “not being productive,” forgetting that taking care of ourselves is perhaps the most productive thing we can do.

The gift of time is one of the loveliest things we can receive. Personally, I plan to make the most of every minute.

Let it Go?

This post from pandemic days reminded me that, sometimes, hanging on to things "just because" can be a good thing. 

True Confession #26: Sometimes, it pays to be a packrat.

On Monday night, (day 41 of self-imposed exile, for those of you keeping score at home), I pulled the lid off my signature scent (a fancy way of saying my only bottle of perfume) and the nozzle came off with it. Securely wedged inside the lid, it wouldn't budge, leaving me with a nearly full bottle and no way to spray it. It was late, so I went to bed, saddened at the thought of wasting all of that perfume.

The next morning, I got up and took another look. Nope -- no miracles. Still inextricably wedged inside. I twisted the little strip of gold that remained at the top of the perfume bottle and the spray mechanism came loose.

Okay, good. I wouldn't have to waste the perfume. But where was I going to pour it? My mom used to have one of those vanity trays with the glass bottles for various fragrances, but those were long gone.

Wait.

I pulled open the top drawer of my dresser and there it was.

The old bottle.

There was only whisper of liquid left, but the most important part remained. I quickly pulled off the lid (gently this time), unscrewed the spray mechanism and, I'm embarrassed to say, got ready to pour.

Yeah, there was an easier way. I swapped the mechanisms and returned the old bottle to the drawer, exceedingly happy about a very simple thing.

When I saved that bottle, I had no really good reason. A faint aroma still lingered, so I tucked it in my dresser drawer as a sort of glass sachet.

Yeah. No good reason to keep it and pretty much every professional organizer on the planet would tell me to toss it. But I kept it because I wanted to and now I'm really glad I did.

Sometimes, we save things for a good reason. Other times, we just want to. We can't keep everything we've ever owned but, despite the fact that something borrowed should always be returned, something old doesn't always need to end up in the trash. (When it comes to something blue, I'll let you decide).

Has an all-but-empty perfume bottle led me to contradict Let it Go! (The L in STYLE)? Quite the opposite, actually. Let it Go! has always been about letting go of things on your own terms. If something has meaning or use and you have room for it, keep it. If its time has passed or it's not worth the space it will take up, perhaps it is time for it to exit your home, whether via donation, yard sale or -- dare I say it? -- the trash.

Now that I think of it, I'm not sure why I tucked that old bottle back in the drawer. Habit, I guess. Perhaps it's time to go back upstairs and apply my own rules. Its usefulness has passed (it consists of a non-working mechanism atop an all-but-empty bottle of perfume) and, if no further fragrance lingers, there's really no reason to keep it. And getting rid of something old makes way for something new or, perhaps even better, yields clear space.

But that's another post.

The More Things Change....

 One of the things I like best about organizing by STYLE is its flexibility. Don't like binders? Try an accordion folder. Not a fan of the file cabinet? Use individual standing files. Have a tendency to cram and jam or put things in a "safe place"? Choose storage that supports what you do naturally -- flexible and/or see-through containers -- instead of "shoulding" yourself into using a traditional tool that frustrates you.

Another benefit of the flexibility of this method is that it automatically lends itself to change. No matter how perfect the system, it needs to be dynamic in order to meet changing demands, uses and time constraints.

Case in point: my school stuff. Each semester, I have things to sort, store and carry back and forth. Old faithful tools -- my planner, which doubles as a lesson plan book, my pencil case loaded with writing implements and office supplies, my pocket folder that houses reference materials for each class -- form the foundation. From there, I add tweaks and tools to fill any gaps that arise.

A few semesters ago, I added a clipboard to my arsenal of supplies. It came in handy during the first few weeks of class, providing a place to house rosters and seating charts as I learned my students' names, and then I set it aside. This semester, the clipboard has earned its keep, playing a role in my attendance-taking, thanks to a new online system. In addition, I added a single sheet of paper to my clipboard, one that summarizes my schedule and appointments for the week. It's amazing what a big difference that small change has made in bridging the gap between my school schedule and my home schedule. One piece of paper has combined my to-do lists, and appointments for two parts of my life, uniting two separate pieces of the same puzzle.

Finding a tool that works is wonderful. Finding one that will grow with the demands and changes of daily life is even better. While it's tempting to wish for a permanent solution to our organizational needs, finding ways to adapt and adjust not only refines our systems, but our overall organizational skills as well. And, since a stagnant life would be a boring life, we might just have to adjust to the one true rule of organization.

It's a process.

Ooh, Look! It's on Sale!

 

Last week, I bought a Kate Spade tote bag. It perfectly matches my planner (among other items I already own) and, while it had been on sale for about a month, the additional 40% off code in my inbox sealed the deal, the need/want line blurring into oblivion as I reached for my credit card.

Like so many other people, I replaced in-person shopping with online shopping during the pandemic. While the need to do this for health reasons has passed, the convenience remains. Consequently, I’m still buying stuff. Rarely does one receipt go over the top, but do I really need everything I buy?

 

I decided to try a little experiment. For the remainder of August (about a week), I would purchase only necessary things.

 

Great! So…what are necessary things?

 

Food. I’ll purchase only food. 

 

Great! Does that include eating out, or just groceries? And what about that daily Starbucks?

 

Hmm…okay. Starbucks is in. Eating out is okay if it’s unplanned and done with someone else so there’s a social element involved. But no fair making new plans that involve spending, at least until September.

 

More questions arose. Household items? Home improvement projects? Donations? 

 

But the biggest challenge presented itself when I innocently dug into my inbox on Saturday morning.

 

Books. 

 

OK. That’s easy enough. My TBR pile is quite tall. I recently renewed my library card. There’s no need to buy any more books, no matter how good the price. Delete unopened.

 

Ouch.

 

But the book emails were just the tip of the iceberg. When had everything in my inbox become a solicitation? No wonder my online shopping habit was flourishing. Everywhere I looked there was a sale. 

 

And I didn’t even leave need to leave my house.

 

Suddenly, I realized that I hadn’t arrived at this destination alone. I had been “helped” along the way by a burgeoning group of retailers who came to my door, so to speak, on a daily basis. 

 

This was bigger than a weak moment. This was subliminal coercion. And, as a result, I wasn’t just buying more stuff than I needed, I was also contributing to a growing accumulation of stuff. 

 

It was time. Taking a week (or maybe more) off from superfluous spending would be the reset I needed to sharpen the habit of thinking before I reached for my credit card. 

 

But not only is never buying anything fun again unsustainable, it also does nothing to reduce my current inventory, so to speak. Consequently, I need to use a powerful organizing tool already in my arsenal: one in, one out. If a new tote bag is coming, something old is going. Only then will I be able to keep the incoming and outgoing stuff in balance.

 

Yes. I have a plan.

 

As I was typing this, a new solicitation landed in my inbox. Amazon caught me looking and decided to nudge me to pull out my plastic. Clearly, I need to pull some of the weeds in my inbox out by the roots and set a new criteria for thinning email. If it's trying to sell me something (especially something I don’t need), it might be time to unsubscribe.

 

From there, it was a short jaunt to considering how and when I engage in my online shopping excursions. How many evenings do I spend clearing out my inbox in front of the television?  I think I’m using my time well, slotting a less essential task into a down time of day, but it’s down time for a reason. I'm tired. My defenses are low. My feet might hurt, making those pretty shoes the perfect solution to all my woes, and one I deserve at that.

 

Okay, that's a slight exaggeration, but you see where I’m going with this. 

 

I bought my tote bag on Thursday evening. By Saturday, having chalked up just one day of not buying stuff I didn’t need, I’d begun to realize that the problem was much more complex than a lack of self-control.

 

But it’s not insurmountable. And, from an organizational perspective, it’s a great place to start. Being thoughtful about our spending habits keeps us from filling our homes with things we then need to organize. And, by placing our mindfulness alongside our wallets, we might even be able to enjoy those fun purchases (when we choose to make them) because they happen less frequently.

 

It’s going to be an interesting week.

 

A Little Ownership Goes a Long Way

 

 As we once again fall into fall and try to keep the home-school communication running smoothly, it seemed like a good time to re-share this post.

True Confession #24: I like to do things my way. Everyone who knows me, along with anyone who reads this blog on a regular basis is laughing at the understatement that is that sentence.

I'm not inflexible. I just know what I like.

But this post isn't about me. It's about your kids.

As we all spend lots of -- ahem -- quality time together, melding home and school and every possession, plaything, or educational material into one big, overwhelming, previously organized space, we may be struggling to keep it -- I mean things -- together. And we all know what we like.

And it's probably not happening.

Believe it or not, kids have organizing styles too. Sometimes they match ours, sometimes they don't. But a surefire way to keep your kids from organizing their stuff is to disregard their styles and do it yourself (a.k.a. according to your styles) because it's easier. It might be easier (and faster) but, rather than teaching them how to organize, it's teaching them that if they leave things disorganized for long enough, someone else will come along behind them and organize it for them.

Sometimes, after the organizing angel has worked her magic (although at my house, the angel is more likely to moonlight as a dad), the children in question have the nerve -- no, the gall! -- to complain about how it was done.

Can you believe that?

What looks like a serious case of entitlement is often a difference in styles. I'm not promising you that if you ask your children what their styles are that they will magically fall in line and put away every last possession, plaything, and educational material without being asked. But I am suggesting that you ask them what might work for them.

Maybe even give them this very scientific quiz I made up.

She might be too young to figure out how to
organize on her own, but her big sister
probably isn't. (Photo: Kasman via Pixabay)

Teaching our kids to organize most often begins with modeling the strategies that come naturally to us. Some of our kids will adopt those same strategies and develop organizing systems that look like ours and, when it comes time to clean up at the end of the day, they will do so to our satisfaction.

Others will not but, when we offer them alternatives, they might develop their own strategies and systems. They might even like the responsibility of caring for their own things when they can do it their way. Even better, it's possible that they've learned a thing or two from all those things that didn't work. With a little encouragement and a lot of flexibility, we can help them develop a life skill while they're still living at home where we can appreciate it.

Adults don't have the market cornered on wanting to do things our way. Honoring your child's styles can, in the end, make both of you happy.

After all, everyone loves a little ownership.

Searching for School Supplies (Throwback Thursday)

  

pixabay.com

 From the looks of my email inbox, 'tis the season for back-to-school sales. If you have official school supply lists to adhere to, style-specific shopping can be a challenge, but it's still possible to do some adapting so your kids can find tools that work for them. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Have you ever watched a left-handed person try to take notes in a traditional spiral notebook? It's almost painful. The angle is wrong, the spiral's in the wrong place, and even the neatest handwriting approaches illegibility as fatigue and frustration take over.

That's how it feels to be a non-traditional organizer using traditional school supplies. While everyone around you slides papers neatly onto binder rings or into the pockets of folders, you just never manage to make things work as neatly and effortlessly.

So...why buy those supplies?

If you've got a kiddo (or two) at your house whose notebooks and folders look like they've been through a natural disaster somewhere between school and home, there are things you can do to help them adapt their supplies to their styles. 

Ways to adapt a binder:

• Buy a portable three-hole punch to put in the front of the notebook.
• Load the binder with page protectors so unpunched papers make it into the notebook. Or, if that's not gonna happen with your cram and jammer or drop and run organizer, try folder pockets (hole-punched inserts that look like a pocket folder opened up and folded back) or a three-ring acetate envelope with a snap or Velcro fastener.

  

  When I taught Organizing by STYLE
  to an elementary school audience,
  I found that clamp binders were a
  huge hit with fifth grade boys.
  Photo: staples.com

• Add a clip to the front of the binder so the day's papers get clipped inside the cover and can be added to the right section of the notebook at home.
• Ditch the three-ring binder for one with a spring-loaded clamp. Kids who don't take the time to put stuff into the rings sometimes enjoy putting papers away when they have an excuse to play with the clamp.
• Replace the binder with an accordion folder. Choose one that's divided into sections, or one with just one wide, yawning opening, depending on your child's style.

What to use instead of a standard-issue, paper pocket folder:

• A file folder. Like pocket folders, these come in a variety of colors, and can be color-coded by subject. If the papers aren't going to go in the pockets anyway, why create an unnecessary battle?
• Transparent folders that allow kids to personalize them (photos show through the opening) or see what's inside. These also come in a variety of colors, with and without pockets.
• A folder that has top and side access and a tab closure at the top. Multi-colored (again). Never underestimate the value of being able to play with an organizational tool. The more fun it is to put something away, the more likely it is it'll get there.
• Clear acetate envelopes with string-tie and button closures. Sold at office supply stores, these often come in multi-packs that make them less expensive per item. 

avery.com

You may wonder if it's worth it to do all this adapting. Don't kids need to learn how to use a binder and get in the habit of putting papers in the correct side of a pocket folder? 

Not necessarily. Kids do need to learn how to organize themselves, but saying that they have to use tools that don't work for them doesn't accomplish that. Learning to organize ourselves means finding tools and methods that work for us and that let us put our hands on what we need when we need it without wasting precious time re-thinking someone else's filing system. Using the wrong (for them) methods and tools only convinces kids (and grown-ups) that organizing is something some people can do and others can't, a lesson they're likely to carry with them long after those pocket folders have landed in the trash can. Teaching kids to develop systems that work for them not only helps them learn how to get organized; it also teaches them problem-solving skills and reinforces the notion that creativity can be exercised in everyday situations.

And those are some formidable skills.

Auspicious August

 As I write this from my perch on a porch at the beach, August is less than a week away, and I'm not ready to flip that calendar page. By the time you read this, it will already be August, and I'm sure I still won't be ready to engage in that seemingly simple action.

Why is it hard to turn a calendar page? Well, physically, it isn't. But, for me, August marks the end of summer and the return to a school mindset. Though classes won't start until closer to the end of the month, to me, turning the calendar page to August signals that it's time to leave leisure behind and begin preparations for the semester that lies ahead.

I follow enough teachers on social media to know I'm not alone. And, it's not just the teachers who are setting up for success. When it comes to getting organized, the back-to-school season is probably second only to January and its New Year's resolutions. Parents chase down sales and school supply lists, trying to find the right tools at the right price and hoping against hope that this is the year the organizing magic materializes for their kiddos who struggle to put the right paper in the right (or left) pocket of the folder. 

I've written before about organizing with kids, but that's not where I want to go with this post. Instead of talking about organizing stuff, I want to talk about organizing life.

I'm not ready for August because I'm not ready to leave the rest, relaxation, and freedom of summer behind. Like the Grinch, I want to stop the school year from coming (or a part of me does, anyway) but, like that green meanie, I can't make that happen. What I can do, though, is carry over a little bit of one season into the next.

For me, one of the best parts of summer is the luxury of a meandering start to the day: time spent journaling and reflecting. In the absence of time constraints, this process flows into reading, researching, writing, playing games on my iPad, and essentially doing a bunch of stuff I don't really have time to do on a work morning. The thought of switching gears away from all of this and into structured mornings is a large part of what makes me crabby when July turns to August.

As I thought about it, though, I realized that, instead of getting crabby about having to give all of that up, I can flip the question.

What part of my morning routine can I keep? How can I carry a little summer sunshine forward into a new semester? And, is there any day of the week when I can actually have it all?

Huh. What a concept.

And, as it turns out, one that isn't so hard to put into action. The time I spend on my journal can easily be incorporated into work mornings; I've done it before. The extended time can certainly become a part of my weekend mornings and, some days, I can probably squeeze in a little of the reading before work. And, if I can't, I can set it aside to read after work. Just because I do it all in one sitting in the summer, that doesn't mean I have to do it the same way in the fall.

I hear you morning people suggesting that I simply get up earlier. Ha. Not. Gonna. Happen. I mean, it is gonna happen (I have to get up earlier on work days), but getting up early enough to enjoy my routine all in one piece? For this night owl, that would suck all the joy out of that lovely morning routine. Breaking it into pieces and enjoying every last bite is much more my style.

You, on the other hand, might feel differently. The swath of summer sunshine you want to protect might be worth earlier mornings, later evenings, or carving out a little segment of time during some other part of the day.

What is your most treasured part of summer? How can you carry it with you into the new season ahead? Or, is it time to swap it out for something that brings you joy in the new season we're entering? 

Our routines and preferences didn't materialize over night. We crafted them over time, through changes in life and changes in seasons. Sometimes, we need to shake up the routine.

Other times, we need to intentionally carry it forward.

It's Not Procrastination. It's a Metaphor.

Saydung89 via Pixabay

  Every once in a while, I write a post that can go either here or over at Porch Swing Chronicles. I posted this one there last week, and thought I'd share it here as well.

 When it comes to packing, I'm a procrastinator. Since my reluctance to actually put things into suitcases sometimes works to my advantage, I've shrugged it off as a workable, if less than ideal, state of affairs. It was only recently, when a sense of frustration descended on me as I was packing for vacation twelve hours before our departure (as usual), that I realized it's not a packing problem at all.

It's an abundance problem. 

Vacation creates a sense of possibility. Vacation means breaking from routine, going somewhere new (or old if you, like me, have a much-loved vacation spot to which you regularly return), and letting go of daily obligations. All of these inspire a feeling of abundance -- abundance of time and of opportunity. Vacations open doors. Packing closes them before we even get to the threshold.

At home, I can choose to wear anything in my closet on any given day. I can read any book on my shelves, or even order a new one if the ones I own don't inspire me. I can decide to play the piano I've ignored for months, pick up an old hobby that I stashed away in a closet, or change my mind and clean out that closet if I'm so inclined.

How do I narrow down all the options, especially if I'm headed for a week away where, by definition, I can do whatever I want to do?

What will I want to do tomorrow, the next day, five days from now? And what will I need to wear? How can I possibly prepare adequately for any of this?

Shut the suitcase, folks, and put it back in the closet. This is just too hard.

The combination of narrowing the possibilities to a serviceable number while still keeping my options open (and fitting it all into appropriately sized containers) is more than my limited cognitive resources can manage. 

In the end, it's good, old-fashioned cognitive dissonance. Vacation creates a mindset that anything is possible; packing for vacation means foreclosing on those possibilities, or risking being unprepared and not taking full advantage of a window of opportunity that opens much too infrequently.

So, there you have it. It's not just procrastination. It's also a metaphor for trying to cram as much stuff as possible into a finite amount of space and time. 

Procrastination is sneaky that way. It looks like one thing on the surface when really, it's about much more. 

In the end, no matter how I try to make sense of it, trying to corral abundance into the smallest number of containers possible is an impossible task, as is trying to predict every situation for which I need to prepare (that's also a Mom thing, but that's an entirely different post). And I usually figure all of this out.

About twelve hours before we have to leave.

Love Me, Love My Styles

 True Confession #48: Sometimes, it's hard to accept our styles. 

Although the heart of organizing by style is embracing our default styles and building from there, let's face it: sometimes, it's hard to let go of what we think we should be doing. When we come up against an organizing challenge and someone suggests a tried-and-true tool like a binder or a file cabinet, we might be comfortable saying they don't work for us, but still a bit sensitive to the eye-roll or argument that may follow. 

I mean, those tools work for everyone, right?

Only they don't. And finding what does can be a challenge. It can require reconfigurations that we love but others don't understand. (Just ask my husband what he thinks of my open-top files in the family room). It can reinforce the idea that, for us, organizing hasn't always been second-nature.

Only it can be. 

I've been organizing by style for sixteen years and I don't miss filing cabinets at all. In fact, I've even been known to invite the occasional pretty, visually appealing binder back into my office, provided it follows my rules. And, while I still revert to piling when things get busy or I'm in the middle of an organizing project, it's a temporary stopgap measure, not an organizational system. Most of all, I protect clear space now with a ferocity I didn't know I had when it came to organization, and I'm immune to the eyeballs of my audience when I do so.

Never come between a Jersey girl and her clear space.

I know I've said it hundreds of times before, but organizing is a process. But, the process of accepting ourselves as we are -- whether it comes to organizing or anything else -- isn't always easy or fast. So, let me ask you this: is organizing by style working for you? 

If it is, keep doing what you're doing because it only gets easier with practice.

And, while you're at it, tell that inner voice that's making it hard for you to accept your styles (Your parents? Your sixth grade teacher? That girl in your math class who always had everything together and got straight As?) that you've got this. 

The more you tell them, and the better you get at this, the more you'll believe it, and the better you'll get at strengthening perhaps the most important organizing tool of all. 

Self-confidence.

You've got this.

Conferring with the Packing Experts

  When it comes to organizing, there are some ideas that are unique, but there's also a lot of advice that's consistent no matter whose book or blog post you're reading. Last week, I shared a True Confessions post about my packing style and so this week, I thought it would be interesting to see how it stacks up against advice from a travel pro.

The back page of the Summer 2023 issue of Explore Your AAA magazine featured an article entitled "Packing Tips for Any Trip." As I read it, I was excited to find that, over time, I've learned to do most of the things in the article, along with a couple of good tips to remember and/or consider.

Here's the rundown, with my comments. 

Give yourself plenty of time to pack. This tip inspired me to write "define 'pack'" in the margin. Like me, the article defines packing rather loosely, including things like making lists and dropping items into an empty suitcase (or, in my keep-it-simple "drop and run" case, a laundry basket). To that I'd add the suggestion of being as consistent as possible in where you jot things down. One master list (or an app, as the article suggests) is much more useful than a dozen random pieces of paper.

Create a travel checklist that details what you'll wear each day. I don't do this because A) I'm too lazy B) I like spontaneity and C) what if the weather changes? (But mostly A). I do, however, try to pack tops that go with multiple bottoms to increase flexibility and because spills happen. At least to me.

Pack an extra phone charger and a portable power bank. Yes! And somehow I only remember this about half the time. I need to add a note about this to my pre-packed bag which contains...

Travel sizes of grooming items. I have a makeup bag exclusively for travel which I keep pre-packed. There's also a packing checklist stored in the bin that houses that bag. For some reason (stubbornness?) I choose to use that list even less often than I remember to pack the portable power bank. (I always bring charging cords).

Stash an empty water bottle in your carry-on that you can fill at any water fountain. Granted, this idea was more appealing pre-COVID, but any time I can avoid paying premium prices for plastic water bottles, it's a win.

Put shoes in thin plastic bags. One of my favorite travel hacks. In addition, any time sheets come in one of those handy drawstring bags, I save them to use for this precise purpose. And, the other day, my new shoes came in their own individual bags (one per shoe, inside the box!). Definitely saving those! As with the water bottle, these hacks are good for the environment, too. I can wash and reuse those bags rather than having to replace the plastic ones which inevitably tear.

Invest in a set of packing cubes. Best packing hack ever! I just did this last year and it has revolutionized my packing.

Tuck a fabric softener sheet into your suitcase. I do this when I store the suitcase rather than when I travel. Either way, a nice-smelling suitcase makes travel nicer, too.

Stow necessities in your carry-on. For me, this even includes putting my medications in my purse instead of a suitcase, even for car trips. I don't want to have to rummage through suitcases to find my medications if we get delayed somewhere or if someone has an upset stomach or a headache.

The online version of the article has two additional tips: preparing for bad weather and tucking in some scented soaps to make a connection between home and your destination.  

No matter where you're going, it's always nice to be able to find what you want in short order, whether during the trip, or upon arrival. A little bit of planning helps to ensure that we can spend as much time as possible enjoying ourselves because we need to spend only a little bit of time accessing what we need.

Bon voyage!