True Confessions Wednesday: I Love Stuff

True Confession #17: I’m a little bit I love stuff.

When I introduce the styles at meetings and conferences and/or when people take the styles quiz, almost inevitably, someone asks if they can be all of them. My response is that, while it seems that way at first, for most of us, one predominant personal style and one predominant organizational style emerge.

That doesn’t mean, however, that traces of other styles don’t linger, influencing the way we do things. The I love to be busy style is a great example. Many people don’t love to be busy, but have had busyness thrust upon them by the multiple roles they play. For them, successful organizing and planning might very well mean taking strategies for the I love to be busy personal style into account, making it almost a secondary style choice.

Though my primary styles are I need to see it (personal) and drop and run (organizational), I can feel my I love stuff tendencies arise when I’m decluttering a space. I can be ruthless about many things, but I keep arguably more than my fair share of sentimental mementos. It’s not the thing I want as much as what it evokes— memories of times and places past. While I’ve gotten a lot better at getting rid of things I was saving only because I should save them, there are plenty of extras that survive the purge. 

Another time I can feel my I love stuff tendencies rising up and clamoring to be heard is when I wander through the aisles at The Container Store or even my local Target. I want it all! Okay, maybe not all of it, but I’m intrigued by the sheer variety and quantity of organizers that are available. Again, I’ve made progress in that I only take home what I truly think I will use, but my basement is a testament to the fact that it hasn’t always been that way, and that I should always “shop” there before heading out to buy new things.

When I think about it, the connection between my primary I need to see it personal style and my secondary I love stuff tendencies is clear. It’s visual. The same part of me that responds to visual cues is emotionally cued by certain objects and drawn in by the visual appeal of pretty things. Knowing this, I can be more analytical about the choices I make, whether it’s deciding what to keep and what to toss or when to buy and when to pass. 

In the end, which style prevails? For me, my I need to see it style steers the ship and runs the show. It’s more consistent than the I love stuff tendencies that draw me to a souvenir or a pretty organizer and, when pressed into service, my primary personal style helps me to organize sustainably. In the end, my prevailing style and its first runner-up work together so that I’m organized in a way that consistently works for me, but things look pretty in the process. 

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Key Pieces on Organizing by STYLE

Photo: Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

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

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

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

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

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

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

Which styles hold the key to your organizational success?

The Test of Time

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Although my organizing and clutter-busting has come a long way since I started organizing by STYLE, there are almost always hot spots in my house. And, as with anything else we pass by often enough, I don't even see some of them anymore.

One pile in question has been living on the step in my office for longer than I can remember. I can't really even call it a hot spot, as I don't usually drop new things there. It came to be when I was doing one of my attack-the-office sessions, and it was a small price to pay for a neater space overall.

What was supposed to happen was that the stuff in that pile (homeless stuff that had accumulated in my work space) would get put away.

How often have I written about finding homes for things? Piles like this are the reason. Homeless items don't miraculously find themselves a place to live. If your house is anything like mine, they make up the bulk of the clutter.

Last week, for some reason I don't quite know (perhaps it was divine intervention -- and no, that's not sarcasm), that pile began to irk me, and I decided it was time to do one of my low-key stealth attacks, also known as organization games. I realized that if I simply picked up one thing every time I walked by the pile, and made a decision about it, I could make that pile go away. That was, I must admit, a pretty exciting prospect.

Some of the stuff on the top was actually easy. Yay! Progress.

Then it got a little harder, so I decided to dive into the middle of the pile where the older stuff was. One box seemed to be taking up a lot of space. Moving it would yield a substantial payoff. I pulled it out.

The manuscript for my first novel.

Generally speaking, I'm not an I love stuff girl, but I must admit to a sentimental streak. I remember putting this box there, planning to recycle it and its contents. I even picked it up a couple of times, but couldn't quite bring myself to get rid of it, so there it sat, collecting dust and attracting more things to the pile.

I weighed it in my hands. It was time.

Photo: stevepb via Pixabay

One of the organizing strategies I love is the one that allows us to set (some) things aside temporarily, getting rid of them later only if we haven't missed them in the intervening time. Usually, with the odds and ends that make up most piles in a household, packing them away for a month is sufficient. Six months is more than enough for most of the rest, even for I love stuff folks.

My novel came out in 2014.

I'm glad I didn't just stick it in the basement. Although it would have made my office life neater, I can promise you it would still be gathering dust there if I had. Now, one published novel, two works-in-progress and more blog posts than I can count later, I'm ready.

As I've said over and over (and over) again, organizing is a process. Sometimes, time is an important part of the process. While I'm not advocating letting things pile up in your workspace, I am saying that sometimes, the rules don't apply. Sometimes, we need to let time take the lead, and respect our need to do things on the timeline that makes sense to us. It may mean that things are less-than-perfect  in the meantime, but it also means we're less likely to make decisions we regret.

I don't regret keeping those pages, nor do I regret the fact that it took me three years to reach the point where I was ready to let them go because that's how long it took me to reach the point where clearing the space was more important than keeping the stuff in the pile.

All too often it's all too easy to force ourselves into decisions that meet other people's needs. Unless your stuff is interfering with your ability to live your life, cut yourself some slack.

Sometimes, time is the answer.

Location by Style

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Yesterday, I wrote about location on vacation. Today, I am attending a family funeral, so I'm taking a break from my style-by-style posts (3 Key Concepts) posts and sharing a previous post on location and the styles. 3 Key Concepts will return next week.

My mom was a big believer in the old adage, "a place for everything, and everything in its place." I don't know about you, but I've always found that phrase (attributed to Benjamin Franklin, by the way) intimidating. Nothing like a little perfectionism to make us feel bad about an almost clean space. Maybe Benjamin Franklin was a minimalist (he did travel a lot). Or a Type A organizer.

But I digress.

For our purposes, let's eliminate the perfectionism inherent in the second half of the philosophy and focus on the first part: A place for everything. This is the part we can make happen when we tackle the Y in STYLE ("Yes, it has a home!") and apply our styles to our systems. 

What does that look like? As always, it depends on your styles.

I love stuff people are good at putting things together, sometimes in unconventional ways, which is a key concept behind choosing good homes for their things. Often collectors, folks with this style already understand the importance of storing similar items together, and may come up with creative combinations that make storage fun. 

I need to see it people are good at putting things where they can see them, and therefore, find them. Building systems on visual cues (like labels and color coding) can help folks with this style to make the transition from putting things down to putting them away so that they worry less about another adage: out of sight, out of mind. 

I love to be busy people are good at categorizing. Keeping track of the supplies for their many activities gives them lots of practice at deciding which groups of items should go where. Running from one activity to the next has usually convinced them of the importance of this concept, which allows them to grab and go.

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Cram and jam people are good at simplifying; if it's all in one spot, it's easy to find. Learning to separate their belongings into containers by category allows them to expand their storage and protect their belongings.

Drop and run. people are good at backtracking to find things. Retracing their steps (which they do often) may lead them to determine locations that make sense, based on where they naturally drop things, allowing them to build a system based on their natural habits. 

I know I put it somewhere people are good at putting things away, making them great at finding homes for things. Learning to make those homes logical, rather than haphazard, is the key to their location success.

Every once in a while, we need to be reminded that even if our homes don't embody the "a place for everything, and everything in its place" philosophy, we're moving in the right direction. Finding consistent, logical homes for our things is possible when we remember to view our styles as strengths, and plan our systems accordingly.

3 Key Concepts for the I Love Stuff Personal Style

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

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

In addition: 

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

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

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

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

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

Decluttering

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Last week, just in time for our weekend at the beach, I got a check in the mail. It was a small check—perhaps just big enough for breakfast at the diner—but the payoff it represented was substantial. 

The check was from Decluttr, an app that paid me for the CDs and DVDs I no longer wanted. Not only did I get rid of stuff that was just taking up space, but I got paid for it.

If you’ve been reading this column for a while you know I usually don’t write about apps because no matter how I do it, it always sounds like a sales pitch. But there's definitely a place in the STYLE strategy arsenal for anything that makes it easier to get rid of things that are just taking up space.

For Type A organizers, this task is easy. The trash can works every time.

I love stuff folks, on the other hand, need a nudge to part with things. And sometimes, cold, hard cash is just that nudge. Similarly, for cram and jammers and I know I put it somewhere organizers, cash for stuff might be just the ticket to tackling that junk drawer or overstuffed bin.

If you can use the self-scanner at the grocery checkout, you can use Decluttr. Download the app onto your phone and scan the barcodes of the items you want to get rid of. As you scan each item, the app gives you a price for it. When you’re finished, check out, box it up and send it to them. There are no shipping charges, and Decluttr promises to pay the full amount they quote or you get your stuff back for free.

Before you get too excited, I should warn you that unless you have some big ticket tech items to get rid of, you’ll probably earn less than you spend in one trip to the grocery store. Some of my CDs earned a whopping 17¢, but into the box they went because that meant they were going out of my house.

Have some non-tech/audio things you want to get rid of, but can't bear to toss into the trash? Less is More Organizers has compiled a list of places that accept stuff from bras to computer monitors. 

For more on reusing, repurposing and recycling, check out my post, "New Life for Old Things." And, by all means, share your successes in the comments below!

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Keys to Overcoming Motivational Obstacles Unique to Your Styles

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I've been writing about Organizing by STYLE for over a decade, so you'd think I'd have discovered the link between my styles and motivation long ago. Not true. In reality, it took me until last weekend to make the connection.

Thankfully, the solution was an easy one; merely listing my accomplishments at the end of the day took them from invisible to visible, satisfying my I need to see it personal style and salvaging my motivation (and my pride).

Yesterday, I wrote about the motivation issues that may arise naturally from our personal and organizational styles, so today, I'd like to share three keys to bringing motivation back.

Listing. While these serve as proof of accomplishment for the I need to see it personal style, they serve as item locators for those with the I know I put it somewhere organizational style. Being unable to find something you've stored "in a safe place" is a real motivation killer. Cheat sheets bring order and a system to the sometimes haphazard organization of the  I know I put it somewhere organizer.

Chunking. A popular strategy for saving time (run all the errands that are in geographic proximity at the same time) and memory (chunk bits of information into related groups (think of phone numbers) to get more information into short term memory), chunking can work as a motivator, too. The I love to be busy person can actually see progress when he or she breaks organizational tasks into bite-sized pieces that can realistically be accomplished between meetings, appointments and practices. The drop and run organizer can save time digging through piles if each pile ("chunk") contains one category of items. It may take a little creative dropping, getting into the habit of putting all the items for one activity in the same spot, but it's the beginning of a system.

Containing. Choosing containers that match our styles increase our motivation to put things away instead of down, and to use the organizational systems we set up. Cram and jammers whose containers are large and/or flexible are less likely be defeated by crumpled, ripped or broken items. I love stuff folks protect their collections by containing them in ways that keep them safe and out of harm's way.

It's hard not to get discouraged when our styles don't match those of our Type A organizer friends, but remember that consistency is key, no matter your styles. Finding tools that work and using those tools consistently leads to habits and systems that work because they've arisen out of what comes naturally. Celebrating small successes and using tools whose form, function and style are a good fit for you keeps motivation high and the piles of stuff low.

Even better? It feels a lot less like work.

Motivational Mishaps

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Last weekend, I discovered one of the drawbacks of the I need to see it personal style. I don't know why it surprised me (but it did), and it got me thinking about the drawbacks that accompany the other styles.

Let me assuage any fears that this is going to be a "beat up on the styles" post. I hope you know by now that's not my, um, style. We're all aware of the drawbacks of our lovely styles when it comes to organization. What occurred to me the other day is that they get in our way from a motivation perspective as well.

As an I need to see it person, I tend to downplay any progress I can't see. I can spend an entire day chipping away at things that need to be done, but if I can't see any difference by the end of the day, I feel as though I've done nothing.

Those with a cram and jam or I know I put it somewhere organizational style can have exactly the opposite problem. They think they're more organized than they actually are. Because things are put away--all in one place for the cram and jammer and without an overall plan for the  I know I put it somewhere organizer--they look organized. Other people (unsuspecting parents, teachers and spouses, for example) might even believe the cram and jammers and I know I put it somewhere organizers are organized--until they look more closely. Then, when they can't find what they need, those with these styles are often blindsided, embarrassed and overwhelmed.

People with an I love stuff personal style may have a similar problem. To them, their collections and piles are organized, and their love of their belongings makes them resistant to any recategorizing of their beloved treasures. Change is hard for the person who has all her stuff just the way she wants it.

Time, or the lack of it, can be a motivation killer for other styles. Drop and run organizers often rely on time as a retrieval cue, as in, "no, it can't be that deep in the pile because these papers are from last week," leading them to struggle to find things that don't adhere to the drop and run schedule hierarchy. Folks with an I love to be busy personal style may never feel fully organized due to time constraints and may constantly feel that they're playing catch-up when it comes to getting their supplies for even one activity organized.

Is it any wonder I prefer a lighthearted approach to organization?

As with anything else, though, knowing these things is the first step to overcoming them. Tomorrow, I'll share three keys to help manage those motivational mishaps.

Growing Up with STYLE

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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.

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I Can Stop Any Time I Want

Although I identify as an I need to see it/drop and run kinda girl, I also have to admit to a heaping helping of I love stuff. Not surprisingly, my weakness is organizers, containers and stationery products. Two years ago, I had to declare a moratorium on the purchase of notebooks and sticky notes; my collection had become substantial enough to provide precisely the proper notebook, sticky note, sticky flag or sticky page marker for every conceivable occasion.

Although I could blame 31 years in education for my love of school supplies, the truth is, I've loved stationery products for as long as I can remember. The paper aisles at the five and dime were always my favorite as a kid, and when my mother took me to the stationery store on 36th Street, I was in heaven. Paper by the pound? Yes, please!

There's a fine line between "just enough"and "too much" though, and, on more than one occasion, I've crossed it. Still, I love going to my basement and choosing just the right tool -- the right bag, the right notebook, the right folder or file -- for whatever project or task I'm working on. I take great pleasure in selecting precisely what I need, whether it's a writing implement, a notebook or an acetate envelope to keep my papers pristine. Unfortunately, the thrill of these discoveries only entrenches the habit.

Developing self-control in this area is a one step forward, one step back process. Sure, there are weeks I come away from the stationery aisles at Target empty-handed, and months can pass between visits to Staples. But then there are the times when I purchase not one, but two planners (okay, three if you count the undated one that perfectly fit the three-ring mini binder I had in the basement -- which doesn't count because it was in the dollar-ish bins).

The acquisition has slowed substantially, but the love lives on, so I guess that's progress. Meanwhile, admitting I have a problem is the first step, right?

How about you? What stuff can't you get enough of?

3 Keys Thursday: 3 Keys to Creating a Tickler File that Just Might Work

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Yes, I know. I spent yesterday's post dissecting the reasons a tickler file doesn't work for me.

A traditional tickler file, that is.

But, I've also spent many posts detailing how any tool can work if we adapt it to our styles. We are the keepers of our containers, and we can adjust them accordingly. Thinking a tickler file might be for you? Here are a few things to consider before you get started.

What's going in it? I chose to use my tickler file to house all the stuff that ends up all over my desk. As an I need to see it person, I like keeping my current projects as visible as possible, but I wanted a tidier way to do it. Labeled, color/pattern-coded file folders give me the visual cues I need, and if I put all the folders together, tucked into one solid color folder, still within view, my desk looks a lot better. Honestly? This is an experiment that's taking me a little out of my comfort zone and that will require me to develop some new habits. I'll keep you posted.

What will you use? I intentionally chose an accordion file with 31 sections to illustrate yesterday's post, but a tickler file can consist of individual file folders, 31 (or more) files in a file cabinet or 31 (or less) sections in a binder. Your styles, how much space you have and what you want to put into the tickler file should be your guide.

How will you subdivide? My friend who introduced me to the tickler file liked day-by-day storage, but I prefer to divide by projects. Others may choose to label the subdivisions: to do, to buy, to call, etc. I love to be busy folks may want to subdivide by activity while I love stuff folks may choose the container first and subdivide later.

Subdivisions should be style-friendly, too. As an I need to see it person, I need visual cues, so although I tuck all my folders into one black folder for aesthetic reasons (I store it where it can be seen), I make sure the folders inside are colorful, patterned and/or labeled. Cram and jammers may prefer fewer subdivisions, since their natural tendency is to put everything in one place.

Although all of us need to decide on consistent homes for our tickler files, I know I put it somewhere organizers will need to be sure their subdivisions are clear and as mutually exclusive as possible, while drop and run organizers might choose the simplicity and one-step filing of an accordion file.

See that black folder peeking out?
That's my tickler file.
This pocket hangs right in my line of vision.

Barb's comments yesterday reminded me of one more key: a tickler file shouldn't be home to every single piece of paper you get. My friend's tickler file held things like concert tickets and boarding passes. Mine holds projects in progress and things I need to access quickly and often, and/or need to act on. An overstuffed tickler file defeats the purpose.

Think back to the basic concepts of homes and locations. What is your tickler file a good home for? More specifically, what paper storage problem can it solve for you?

If you decide to try the tickler file, I'd love to hear from you about your success and stresses. No judgment here -- I'm trying out my own new-and-improved tickler file, and fully expect stresses among the successes. Maybe we can solve them together.

Organizing Big in Small Spaces

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This fall, I'll get to put all of my organizing by STYLE ideas to work in a new realm: my daughter's dorm room. Actually, she'll get to put this all to work -- I'll merely be the consultant -- both because this is her space, and because our styles are different.

Or, are they?

When she was little, my daughter was the embodiment of the I love stuff personal style. A collector of such proportions that she'd bring mulch from the playground inside in her coat pockets, she had difficulty parting with anything. Over time, she's become much more discriminating -- so much so, that I no longer think that I love stuff is a style that fits her -- which is wonderful because in a little more than a month, she'll be entering an environment where that style will be a challenge, to say the least.

At home, in shared spaces, my daughter shares my drop and run organizational style, exacerbated by her dad's I know I put it somewhere need to pick up that things she leaves in her wake and put them, well, somewhere. This style is in evidence in her room as well, but she tolerates it for much less time there. At least once a week, she reaches the point where the telltale trail of the drop and run organizer begins to get to her and she turns on her music and whips her room into shape.

Buzzfeed

All of this will need to be taken into account as she furnishes her dorm room. Her drop and run predisposition will mean that she needs easy access containers, preferably those that make it as easy to put things away as it is to simply put them down.

Finding the intersection of cheap, cute, portable and functional will be tricky, but it can also be fun. which containers work best for each style will make shopping easier, especially since there's a good chance that she'll be rooming with someone whose styles are different. Merging styles and preferences, along with personal taste can lead to wonderful brainstorming and intermingling of success stories and strategies.
Keeping in mind

Are you getting ready to furnish a small space? More tomorrow on three keys to consider as you tackle the fun of preparing a brand new space.

Write it Down!

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The full-to-overflowing schedule that flooded the end of May at my house has continued to pour into June. Yesterday morning, I woke up with lists scrolling through my head, so I did the only thing I could do.

I wrote everything down.

Then I tackled my email, and the list grew longer.

As an I need to see it person, I have a love-hate relationship with lists. Because I need to see things, I love dumping "stuff" out of my head and onto paper -- to a point. If the lists get too long, however, I start to get overwhelmed and I need to subdivide. As I wrote yesterday, some of that subdivision came naturally as I indented bullet points beneath topics that had more than one thing to do beneath them.

Does your list-making reflect your styles, or do you have a different style altogether when it comes to making lists?

• If your personal style is I need to see it, do you subdivide and color-code for visual efficiency?
• If you're a cram and jammer, do you cram as much as possible onto one page?
• If you're a drop and run organizer, do you make your list, set it down and forget about it, only to return to it later?
• If you have an I love stuff personal style, do you need to find just the right paper before you can write anything down?
• If you're an I know I put it somewhere organizer, do your lists go missing because you put them in a "safe place"?
• If you have an I love to be busy personal style, are you as efficient with your lists as you are with your time?

In my case, my list-making does reflect my styles. I've already revealed my I need to see it tendencies, and I do, indeed drop my list and run, only to return to it later on. Fortunately, the mere process of writing it down reminds me of the things I need to tackle, so when I return to my list, I've typically made some progress, even if I was in one place and it was in another.

Whether your list-making style mimics your personal and/or organizational styles or deviates from them isn't what matters. What matters is whether or not your list-making works for you. With lists, as with all other aspects of organizing, one size does not fit all. 

Buried Treasure

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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.

Location and the Styles

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Today at CatholicMom.com, my STYLE Savvy post is about location -- finding the right homes for our things so that we can live up to the old adage, "a place for everything, and everything in its place."

I don't know about you, but I've always found that phrase (attributed to Benjamin Franklin, by the way) intimidating. Nothing like a little perfectionism to make us feel bad about an almost clean space. Maybe Benjamin Franklin was a minimalist (he did travel a lot). Or a Type A organizer.

But I digress.

For our purposes, let's eliminate the perfectionism inherent in the second half of the philosophy and focus on the first part: A place for everything. This is the part we can make happen when we tackle the Y in STYLE ("Yes, it has a home!") and apply our styles to our systems. 

What does that look like? As always, it depends on your styles.

I love stuff people are good at putting things together, sometimes in unconventional ways, which is a key concept behind choosing good homes for their things. Often collectors, folks with this style already understand the importance of storing similar items together, and may come up with creative combinations that make storage fun. 

I need to see it people are good at putting things where they can see them, and therefore, find them. Building systems on visual cues (like labels and color coding) can help folks with this style to make the transition from putting things down to putting them away so that they worry less about another adage: out of sight, out of mind. 

I love to be busy people are good at categorizing. Keeping track of the supplies for their many activities gives them lots of practice at deciding which groups of items should go where. Running from one activity to the next has usually convinced them of the importance of this concept, which allows them to grab and go.

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Cram and jam people are good at simplifying; if it's all in one spot, it's easy to find. Learning to separate their belongings into containers by category allows them to expand their storage and protect their belongings.

Drop and run. people are good at backtracking to find things. Retracing their steps (which they do often) may lead them to determine locations that make sense, based on where they naturally drop things, allowing them to build a system based on their natural habits. 

I know I put it somewhere people are good at putting things away, making them great at finding homes for things. Learning to make those homes logical, rather than haphazard, is the key to their location success.

Every once in a while, we need to be reminded that even if our homes don't embody the "a place for everything, and everything in its place" philosophy, we're moving in the right direction. Finding consistent, logical homes for our things is possible when we remember to view our styles as strengths, and plan our systems accordingly.

Can I Have More than One Style?

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When I first share the styles quiz, I frequently get the question, "Can I be all of them?"

The answer is yes...and no.

While it's possible to have elements of each of the styles, most of us end up with one predominant personal style and one predominant organizational style. These styles lead the way for organizational systems that play to our strengths.

So, does that mean we should ignore the elements of the other styles that pervade our personalities? 

Absolutely not. While our predominant styles form the foundation of our organizational systems, the traits that are true to other styles broaden the range of tools (especially containers) that work for us. Combining the tool options that work for our primary styles with those tha work from other styles allows us more choices and helps us to infuse creativity into our organizational plans. 

For example, my predominant personal style is I need to see it. I also identify with both of the other personal styles, loving both stuff and busyness. While the tools I choose need to work with my I need to see it style, I might also choose some of the fun, unique containers favored by those with an I love stuff style -- but they still have to work with my need to see things. No matter how pretty, cool or unique the container, if it doesn't work with my primary style, it will be an obstacle rather than a tool.

My predominant organizational style, on the other hand, is drop and run. Focusing on this style helps me to rein in my I know I put it somewhere tendencies. And, since I often drop and run because I'm busy, I can use the strategies that work for the I love to be busy style to enhance my drop and run systems.

Confused? Here's the simple version. Use your primary styles -- one personal style and one organizational style --as the foundation of your organizational system. Then, use your tendencies from the other styles to build on that foundation, adding variety and creativity while staying true to what works.

Oh -- and don't forget to have fun.

I'm traveling today, so today, I'm digging into the archives for your reading pleasure :-)

Since this blog has been running for over a year now, I thought I'd go back to the very beginning and revisit the styles quiz.

If you've joined me recently and haven't yet taken the quiz, now's a good time to check it out. Determining your styles will make the posts here much more useful.

If, on the other hand, you've been with me from the beginning, it might be time to reassess. The first time many people take the quiz, they come up a little bit of everything. Now that you've been trying some things out, can you narrow your styles to one predominant personal style and one main organizational style?

If you're secure in your styles and looking for something else to read on the topic of organization, you can find additional choices in my STYLE Savvy posts at CatholicMom.com, where I post every Wednesday.

Happy reading! See you tomorrow for 3 Keys Thursday.

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.

3 Keys Thursday: L is for Lent -- and Let it Go!

Photo: Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

The "L" in STYLE - "Let it Go!" is probably the hardest step, especially for those with an I love stuff personal style. But if you, like me, make Lenten resolutions, this is a great time of year to tackle all that stuff and see if there's anything you can let go of. What better time to simplify life?

Here are a few ideas on ways to make that happen. And, in honor of my I love stuff friends (and others among us for whom parting is not sweet sorrow), all of these ideas focus on ways to reduce your stuff without resorting to throwing things away -- unless you want to.

• Put that number 40 to work. Yesterday, I once again mentioned the 40 bags in 40 days decluttering challenge, and then last night on Facebook, I saw something that might be more manageable for my I love stuff friends. I'm not sure where it originated, but its focus is simple: get rid of one item of clothing each day for 40 days. Less painful than 40 bags in 40 days, it can easily be extended to things besides clothing (40 books, perhaps?). Just be sure you have a destination in mind so you don't end up lugging those bags around in the trunk of your car for 40 more days. Not that I've ever done that.

• The maybe box. This one is also not original (I got it from a show on HGTV), but I love it, so I'm sharing it.

1. Find a box, preferably one with a lid or one that can be closed completely (nothing showing).
2. Put all of those "can't quite get rid of it" items inside (by category, if you wish).
3. Close the box and put a sticky note on the top with today's date. 
4. In an amount of time that you determine (I typically use 6 months, but if you're making this a Lenten resolution, why not use March 25, which is Good Friday?), get rid of the box and whatever remains inside without opening it. 

          Again, keep a destination in mind (unless you plan to throw the box away) -- this time, so the 

          box and its contents don't end up creating clutter for someone else. This way, as you add to    
          the box, you know whatever goes inside is suitable for its destination.

• Consign or resell. Can't quite give away things you paid good money for? Get them into the hands of someone else who can use them via yard sale or consignment. Then, in the spirit of charity, consider donating your proceeds to charity.

For more ideas on ways to Let it Go!, check out these three posts from last spring:

If You (Don't) Love it, Set it Free

New Life for Old Things: The Three Rs

Let it Go: The Second R